Cairo modern streets

Galaa Street, previously Al-Tera’ Al-Boulqia

Streets are the memory of our nation, holding tears, smiles, setbacks, and victories that linger as long as history lasts and trace remains. Today, we will explore the history of one of Cairo's most important arteries: Al-Galaa Street.

Al-Galaa Street, formerly known as the Al-Tera’ Al-Boulqia, is named after the canal that extended from the Nile River, specifically at the location of the current Radio and Television Building, to the Shubra farms.

 

Galaa Street, previously Al-Tera’ Al-Boulqia
Galaa Street, previously Al-Tera’ Al-Boulqia
Regarding the current name of the street, it was named by the leaders of the July 1952 Revolution as part of their efforts to change the names of streets in Cairo. They replaced them with names reflecting revolutionary themes, such as Al-Galaa and Al-Tahrir. The Galaa Street connects two of the widest and busiest squares in Cairo: Tahrir and Ramses squares.
 
On the other hand, The Galaa Street bridges two contrasting worlds: the "European Cairo," or Khedivial Cairo, and the world of Boulaq, or "the former Port of Boulaq."
 

Al-Galaa Street boasts many unique features, the most notable of which is that it is one of the rare covered streets in Egypt. However, this is not a ceiling in the conventional sense, but it was part of one of the construction phases of the 6th of October Bridge. The bridge spans Al-Galaa Street from its beginning at Ramses Square to its end at Abdel Moneim Riad Square, where Al-Galaa Street ends.

Galaa Street, previously Al-Tera’ Al-Boulqia
Galaa Street, previously Al-Tera’ Al-Boulqia
Despite the street’s narrow nature, it is home to many famous and prominent institutions in Cairo, such as the Red Crescent Hospital, the Azbakia Police Station, the Egyptian Trade Union Federation building, the General Authority for Health Insurance, Al-Galaa Courthouse, Akhbar Al-Youm Foundation, Al-Ahram Foundation, the Kalousdian Armenian School, the Greek Church, Al-Galaa Maternity Hospital, and the Ambulance Pharmacy. 
 

Galaa Street on Google Maps

Ramses Street

Ramses Street is the longest and most bustling street in Cairo. It is also the main artery connecting many of Cairo districts. Ramses street extends from Tahrir Square to Abbasia Square.

Ramses Street
Ramses Street
 Reasons behind the name
At first, Ramses street was known as Abbas street after Khedive Abbas Helmy, who ruled Egypt in 1892. After Khedive Abbas died, the street’s name was changed to El-Malika Nazli, the wife of King Fouad II. Later, King Farouq shortened the name to El-Maleka Street because of the bad reputation of his mother. Then in1962, after placing the sculpture of Nahdet Masr “Rise of Egypt” by the Egyptian sculptor Mahmoud Mukhtar in Ramses square, the street became known as Nahdet Masr Street. After the 23rd of July revolution in 1955, the sculpture was moved to Cairo University square, and Ramses II statue was placed instead. Since then, the street retained the name of Ramses despite moving Ramses statue to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza in 2006.
 
Landmarks
Ramses street houses many of Cairo’s significant government institutions such as the Lawyers Syndicate, Egyptian Chemistry Administration, Sadat Academy for Management Sciences (SAMS), Arab Music Institute, Administration Development Bank, and Egypt National Railway.
    

Ramses Street on Google Maps

Mohammad Mazhar Street

Mohammad Mazhar Street is one of Zamalek area most famous streets. It runs from 26th July intersection to Geziret El-Zamalek.

Mohammad Mazhar Street

Name

Mohammad Mazhar Street was named after the brilliant Egyptian engineer Mohammad Mazhar Pasha. Mohammad Mazhar Pasha was chosen by Mohammad Ali Pasha to be part of the study mission he sent to France in 1826 to study marine engineering. When he returned to Egypt, he was appointed as a headmaster of the artillery school. He also built the Lighthouse of Alexandria upon the request of Mohammed Ali Pasha and participated in establishing El Qanater El Khayreya.
Mohammad Mazhar Street
 Landmarks
Mohammad Mazhar Street is home to many embassies like Algerian Embassy and Vatican Embassy. There is also the Greater Cairo Library which used to be the palace of Samiha Kamel, daughter of Sultan Hussein Kamel.

 

Mohammad Mazhar Street on Google Maps

El-Sheikh Rihan Street

El-Sheikh Rihan Street is another notable street in Cairo and is the flowing artery from the heart of European Cairo. The Street extends from Simón Bolivar Square to Port Said Street.

El-Sheikh Rihan Street

Name

El-Sheikh Rihan Street was named after El-Sheikh Rihan, whose shrine lies at a corner in the middle of the Street. Historians argued whether it took its name from Abu Rihanna, one of Prophet Mohammad’s companions or Rihan ibn Yousef, a descendant of Imam Hussein ibn Ali. In 1917, The Street was called El-Sultan Hussein Kamel, the Sultan of Egypt and Sudan who ascended the throne in 1917. After the 23rd of July revolution, the Street restored its old name El-Sheikh Rihan.
El-Sheikh Rihan Street

El-Sheikh Rihan Street on Google Maps

Sabri Abu Alm Street

Sabri Abu Alm Street
Sabri Abu Alm Street

Sabri Abu Alm Street runs from Talaat Harb Square to Mohammad Farid Square. In the past, it was called Gerks street after the Gerks mosque which was built by the Mamluk Prince Gerks. Then in 1947, the Street’s name was changed to Sabri Abu Alm Street after Mohammad Sabri Abu Alm Pasha, one of the Egyptian leaders who played a vital role in the political life in Egypt. Mohammad Sabri graduated from Law School in 1971, and he was appointed Minister of Justice in 1942. He also participated in the committee that prepared the two draft laws of abolishing capitulations and the independence of the judiciary in Egypt. Moreover, he was Secretary-General of Al-Wafd Party and the owner of “Sout Al-Umma” newspaper.

Sabri Abu Alm Street
Sabri Abu Alm Street

Sabri Abu Alm Street on Google Maps

Salah Salem Street

Salah Salem Street in Cairo is Egypt’s most famous streets ever.  The Street is known far and wide because it is connecting many of Cairo’s areas that lead to the main bridges of the city.
 
 

Location

Salah Salem Street runs from Cairo airport to El-Malek El-Saleh tunnel. The Street is one of Cairo’s longest streets passing through three areas which are Madinet Nasr, Masr El-Gadidah, and El-Abbasia. Salah Salem is a two-way street, and it was built by Abdel El-Latif Al-Baghdadi on instruction from the Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Naser in the 1950s. It was called then El-Tariq El-Harbi Street, and most of its lands were cemeteries. It was like a traffic circle whose middle phase lies on the outskirts of Cairo.
Salah Salem Street
Salah Salem Street
Name
Salah Salem Street was named after one of the Egyptian free officers, as the day in which Abdel El-Latif Al-Baghdadi finished the construction of Salah Salem Road marked the anniversary of the officer’s death. Salah Salem was of Sudanese origin, and he lived in Cairo since childhood. He graduated from military school in 1940. After the 23rd of July revolution, he commanded the Egyptian army forces in Sudan. Salah Salem was also a politician and played an important role in signing the agreement of the 12th of February with Britain on Sudan. After he quit politics, he worked in journalism.
 

Landmarks

Salah Salem Street houses Oruba Palace, Baron Palace, and other significant places like the Cairo Stadium, the Egyptian Military Academy, Ministry of Defense, and the Cairo Airport.

  

Salah Salem Street on Google Maps

Qasr El-Nil Street

Qasr El-Nil Street is one of the main arteries in the heart of Cairo. It is where the Egyptian army built their barracks and the hangout of Egyptian elites.  The street was also the cradle of political conflict in Egypt.
 
 

Location

Qasr El-Nil Street extends from Tahrir Square, passing by Talaat Harb Square and Mustafa Kamel Square and ends on Oprah Square.   
 
 
Name
Qasr El-Nil is the only street that retained its first name which is associated with the palace built by Mohammed Ali Pasha for his Daughter “Nazly Hanem”, on the Nile. Then Said Pasha built army barracks in the area. In 1950, the barracks were demolished and replaced by Arab League headquarters and Nile- Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Qasr El-Nil Street
Qasr El-Nil Street
Landmarks
In its early days, Qasr El-Nil Street was the headquarters of the Egyptian army because it was close to Qasr El-Ainy Street, home to palaces of royalty and dignitaries at this time. Being an important military and political site made it an aspiration for the British occupation. So, when the British forces arrived in Egypt, they occupied the Egyptian army barracks on Qasr El-Nil street, and after the evacuation of the British troops, King Farouq raised the flag of Egypt on Qasr El-Nil’s army barracks.
 

Later, the street developed to be one of Cairo’s iconic streets housing several stores like Chalons, Sidnawy, Benzoin; companies such as Almasnoat Almasryia Company; banks like Bank Misr, and National Bank of Egypt.  It also houses two of Cairo’s historic El-Imobilia building and Wahba building as well as Mamar Behlar “Behar passageway” which is the most famous in Cairo. It was named after a Swiss businessman Charles Behlar, the founder and owner of several real estates and hotels in Cairo. The passageway was modelled after the French shopping streets.

 

Significance

The construction of this area is attributed to Ibrahim Pasha, son of Mohammad Ali Pasha, who ordered the pavement of the land extending from Abu El-Ela Bridge in the north to Qasr El-Nil Bridge in the south. Then in 1882, Khedive Ismail assigned genius Egyptian architect Ali Mubarak to design Qasr El-Nil Street. The street has distinctive architectural style and artistic decorations that imitate the European one that emerged in Europe during the second half of the 19th century.

 

Qasr El-Nil Street on Google Maps

Abdel Aziz Street

Abdel Aziz Street extends from Abdeen Palace to Ataba Square. It was established to connect Abdeen Palace, the seat of government then, with Khedive Abbas's Palace in Ataba Square. The street was named after Sultan Abdel Aziz, Sultan of Turkey, commemorating his fruitful visit to Egypt in 1863 during the reign of Ismail Pasha.

Abdel Aziz Street
 In its early days, Abdel Aziz Street was a model of urban coordination and artistic beauty, but it has now transformed into Cairo's most famous commercial street.
 

Significant visits and special privileges for Khedive Ismail

Sultan Abdel Aziz’s visit was the first of an Ottoman sultan to Egypt following Sultan Selim's conquest of the country in 1517. Upon the arrival of Sultan Abdel Aziz in Alexandria, Ismail Pasha welcomed him personally. Abdel Aziz stayed at Ras El-Tin Palace for two days before traveling by train to Cairo. It was the first time the sultan saw a train. Egypt was the first to build a railway in Africa during the reign of Abbas I in 1852, in agreement with Robert Stevenson, the inventor of the steam locomotive. Additionally, the Cairo-Alexandria line is the first railway line in the entire region.

In Cairo, the sultan stayed at Salah El-Din Citadel Palace and performed Friday prayers at the Mosque of Mohammad Ali. He also witnessed the parade of Kiswat Al-Kaaba departing from Egypt to Mecca.

During this visit, Ismail Pasha strengthened his position to achieve his ambitions. So, he was granted new rights, privileges, and several royal decrees to consolidate his power. Firstly, the monarchy in Egypt was restructured to pass to Ismail's eldest son rather than the eldest member of the Muhammad Ali family, per the Farmān issued on June 8, 1867. Then, Ismail Pasha was bestowed the title of Khedive, as per the Farmān of May 27, 1866, elevating his ruler’s position to a rank closer to that of kings and sultans.
 

From unique architectural style to Cairo’s most famous commercial streets

Over time, commercial activity flourished on Abdel Aziz Street, featuring a series of stores. One of the most famous was the Omar Effendi store, located at the intersection of Abdel Aziz and Rushdi Streets (formerly Al-Saha). The store is named after its Turkish owner.
Abdel Aziz Street
Later, with the onset of World War I (1914–1918), Turks liquidated their properties in Egypt. Then, a French merchant named Orosdi Back purchased the store. Orosdi Back retained the original name due to its wide fame. The building features a dome above the entrance with a lantern that rotates in the evening, illuminating the skies of Cairo. The store became renowned for the Omar Effendi lantern, which lit up at night to announce sales, attracting customers to the store.
 

That marked the beginning of commercial activity, and after several years, the furniture trade spread throughout the street. Then, it became home to Egypt's most renowned furniture showrooms. It attracted wealthy customers, as they displayed expensive and imported goods. Among the most famous were the Sablaji Pasha Store, Al-Farnawani Pasha Store, and Ali Bey Al-Samari Store.

The furniture shops dominated the street until the early 1990s. Afterwards, the street shifted its business activity to electrical appliances, becoming a hub for many across Egypt.
 
Due to the rapid changes in commerce, the emergence and spread of mobile phones prompted merchants to change their business focus. This shift has transformed the street into a primary hub for mobile phones, accessories, and used devices, making it one of the busiest markets in the capital.

 

Abdel Aziz Street on Google Maps

Abdel Salam Aref Street

Abdel Salam Aref Street, the absent-present garden in downtown Cairo

The sign of one of the most famous streets in downtown Cairo prominently features Abdel Salam Street, formerly known as Al-Bustan. This street stretches from Abdeen Palace to Tahrir Square, embodying the stories and history of places and figures that many Egyptians may not recognize.

Let us delve deeper into the significance of these names and explore the reasons behind the change from Al-Bustan Street to Abdel Salam Aref Street. Furthermore, why do Egyptians continue to use the old name to this day?

 

Location

Al-Bustan Street begins at the wall of Abdeen Palace, where it intersects with Abdel Aziz Street. It continues westward until it reaches the Bab El-Louq area, then extends to Tahrir Square, traversing a commercial district full of institutions, banks, and companies.

Abdel Salam Aref, one of the most prominent Arab leaders

This street now bears the name "Abdel Salam Aref," one of the presidents of the Republic of Iraq and a prominent leader of the Iraqi revolution that overthrew the monarchy.

Abdel Salam Aref Street
Abdel Salam Aref Street

President Abdel Salam Aref played a crucial role in Iraqi and Arab politics during complex international circumstances amid the Cold War between the Western and Eastern blocs. He served as President of the Republic of Iraq from February 8, 1963, to April 14, 1966, after this position had been suspended since the July 1958 coup that toppled the monarchy.

President Abdel Salam Aref passed away in 1966 when his plane crashed under mysterious circumstances during an inspection visit to the southern provinces to review reconstruction plans.

Following his death, this street was renamed in his honor; it was previously known as Al-Bustan Street.

The Story of Al-Bustan: The Absent-Present

The original name of this street was "Al-Bustan Street," named after the Bustan Palace, which was once the residence of Prince Fouad before he ascended the throne as Sultan of Egypt and later as King. This palace later served as the headquarters of the Arab League until the organization moved to its current building, located across from the historic Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters.

Abdel Salam Aref Street
Abdel Salam Aref Street

The palace was demolished after serving as the headquarters for scientific societies. It has now been transformed into a multi-story parking garage and a large shopping center located at the corner of the street.

Thus, the palace vanished along with the garden; however, the public continues to refer to this street as "Al-Bustan Street" instead of "Abdel Salam Aref Street," despite the signs placed at its corners.

This is further supported by the construction of a large shopping center and the adjacent multi-story garage. The residents of Cairo officially refer to the intersection of this street with Tahrir Street as "Abdel Salam Aref Square," but it is commonly known by its former names, "Al-Falaki Square" or "Bab El-Louq Square," and it was previously called "Al-Azhar Square."

Most famous landmarks

Abdel Salam Aref Street is a vibrant thoroughfare where the design, activities, and characteristics of its passersby vary in astonishing ways. The street is lined with numerous shops selling ironworks and picture frames, which overlook the alleys at the entrance of Abdin Street and the grand entrance to the Diplomats' Club from the Talaat Harb side. It is also home to the renowned Kamal El-Kilani Library, which specializes in children's books, as well as various travel agency offices that stretch along the street from the Tahrir side.

Abdel Salam Aref Street
Abdel Salam Aref Street

Additionally, it houses well-known cafes, including Zahret El-Bustan Café, which features a prominent sign declaring it a "Venue for Writers and Artists." The café is equipped with numerous tables and chairs to accommodate a large number of tourists.

Abdel Salam Aref on Google Maps

 

 Last Update: 2024

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