Boulaq
Encyclopedia
Boulaq is a district of Cairo
, Egypt
. It neighbours Downtown Cairo
, Azbakeya
, and the River Nile.
The name Boulaq comes from the French 'Bon Lac', which literally means 'Good Lake'. The name was arabised into Bolaq, which in Egyptian dialect is pronounced 'Bolaa'.
in 1428, Bulaq became the major port of Cairo on the Nile
. By the end of the 15th century, Bulaq was even able to take over the role as the major commercial port from Masr el-Qadima
. During the latter half of the 15th century, two important transformations took place in Cairo: the port of Bulaq, and a district called el-Azbakeya in the northwestern section of the city. The parameters of the city had been unchanged for the past 300 years according to the map drawn during Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt in 1798.
of Antiquities was originally built in 1835 near the Asbakiya Gardens
. The museum soon moved to Boulaq in 1858 because the original building was too small to hold all of the artifacts. In 1855, shortly after the artifacts were moved, Duke Maximilian of Austria was given all of the artifacts. He hired a French architect to design and construct a new museum for the antiquities. The new building was to be constructed on the bank of the Nile River in Boulaq. In 1878, after the museum was completed for some time, it suffered irreversible damage; a flood of the Nile River caused the antiquities to be relocated to another museum, in Giza. The remained there until 1902 when they were moved, for the last time to the current museum in Tahrir Square.
Due to the changes in transportation, Boulaq area could no longer be considered as a port. Today, Bulaq is home to famous organisations like Al-Ahram
newspaper and Kalousdian Armenian School
.
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It neighbours Downtown Cairo
Downtown Cairo
Downtown Cairo, , has been the urban center of Cairo, Egypt since the late 19th century, when the district was designed and built.-History:The area, designed by prestigious French architects was commissioned by Khedive Ismail...
, Azbakeya
Azbakeya
Azbakeya is one of the districts of Cairo, Egypt in the centre of Cairo, and contains many historically important establishments.One of these is the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral , which was inaugurated by Pope Mark VIII in 1800. and served as the seat of the Coptic Pope in Cairo from...
, and the River Nile.
The name Boulaq comes from the French 'Bon Lac', which literally means 'Good Lake'. The name was arabised into Bolaq, which in Egyptian dialect is pronounced 'Bolaa'.
History
Following the Baybars’s conquest of CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in 1428, Bulaq became the major port of Cairo on the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. By the end of the 15th century, Bulaq was even able to take over the role as the major commercial port from Masr el-Qadima
Old Cairo
Old Cairo is a part of Cairo, Egypt, that contains the remnants of those cities which were capitals before Cairo, such as Fustat, as well as some other elements from the city's varied history. For example, it encompasses Coptic Cairo and its many old churches and ruins of Roman fortifications...
. During the latter half of the 15th century, two important transformations took place in Cairo: the port of Bulaq, and a district called el-Azbakeya in the northwestern section of the city. The parameters of the city had been unchanged for the past 300 years according to the map drawn during Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt in 1798.
Modern history
The Egyptian MuseumEgyptian Museum
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms....
of Antiquities was originally built in 1835 near the Asbakiya Gardens
Azbakeya
Azbakeya is one of the districts of Cairo, Egypt in the centre of Cairo, and contains many historically important establishments.One of these is the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral , which was inaugurated by Pope Mark VIII in 1800. and served as the seat of the Coptic Pope in Cairo from...
. The museum soon moved to Boulaq in 1858 because the original building was too small to hold all of the artifacts. In 1855, shortly after the artifacts were moved, Duke Maximilian of Austria was given all of the artifacts. He hired a French architect to design and construct a new museum for the antiquities. The new building was to be constructed on the bank of the Nile River in Boulaq. In 1878, after the museum was completed for some time, it suffered irreversible damage; a flood of the Nile River caused the antiquities to be relocated to another museum, in Giza. The remained there until 1902 when they were moved, for the last time to the current museum in Tahrir Square.
Due to the changes in transportation, Boulaq area could no longer be considered as a port. Today, Bulaq is home to famous organisations like Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
newspaper and Kalousdian Armenian School
Kalousdian Armenian School
Kalousdian Armenian School was established in 1854 by Garabed Agha Kalousd. The school is the oldest standing institution of private education in Egypt and the oldest standing Armenian educational institution in Egypt....
.