Manial Palace and Museum
Encyclopedia
The Manial Palace and Museum, (arabic; met-haf al-Manial), is a former Ottoman Egyptian dynasty
era palace
and grounds on Rhoda Island
in the Nile
, located in the Sharia al-Saray area in the El-Manial
district of southern Cairo
, Egypt
. The palace and estate has been preserved as an Antiquities Council directed historic house museum and estate, reflecting the settings and lifestyle of the late 19th and early 20th century Egyptian royal prince and heir apparent. The residence compound, composed of five separate and distinctively styled buildings, is surrounded by Persian gardens within an extensive English Landscape garden
estate park, along a small branch of the Nile.
(1875—1955), the uncle of King Farouk, between 1899 and 1929. He had it designed in a style integrating European Art Nouveau
and Rococo
with many traditional Islamic architecture
styles including Ottoman, Moorish, Persian, creating inspired combinations in spatial design, architectural and interior decorations, and sumptuous materials. . It housed his extensive art, furniture, clothing, silver, objets d'art collections, and medieval manuscript
s dating back to the Middle Ages.
Muhammad Ali Dynasty
The Muhammad Ali Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Egypt and Sudan, from the 19th to the mid-20th Century. It is named after its progenitor, Muhammad Ali Pasha, regarded as the founder of modern Egypt. It was also more formally known as the Alawiyya Dynasty...
era palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
and grounds on Rhoda Island
Rhoda Island
Rhoda Island or Rawdah Island, , is an island located on the Nile in central Cairo. The El-Manial District, and the Al-Manyal Palace Museum and gardens, are located on the island. It is west of historic Old Cairo, across a small branch of the Nile. The island has one of the oldest Islamic...
in 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...
, located in the Sharia al-Saray area in the El-Manial
El-Manial
El-Manial is a busy district, located on Rhoda Island in the River Nile and is part of Cairo, Egypt.-Prince Mohamed Ali Palace:...
district of southern Cairo
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...
. The palace and estate has been preserved as an Antiquities Council directed historic house museum and estate, reflecting the settings and lifestyle of the late 19th and early 20th century Egyptian royal prince and heir apparent. The residence compound, composed of five separate and distinctively styled buildings, is surrounded by Persian gardens within an extensive English Landscape garden
English garden
The English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
estate park, along a small branch of the Nile.
History
The Manial Palace was built by Prince Mohammed Ali TewfikMohammed Ali Tewfik
Prince Mohammed Ali Tewfik was the heir presumptive of Egypt and Sudan from 1892-1899 and 1936-1952.-Regent:...
(1875—1955), the uncle of King Farouk, between 1899 and 1929. He had it designed in a style integrating European Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
and Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
with many traditional Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
styles including Ottoman, Moorish, Persian, creating inspired combinations in spatial design, architectural and interior decorations, and sumptuous materials. . It housed his extensive art, furniture, clothing, silver, objets d'art collections, and medieval manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s dating back to the Middle Ages.
Museum
The Palace, furnishings, and Prince's collections were given to the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities in 1955. The Manial Palace and estate are a public art and history museum, with historical gardens, and forested nature park. There is also Hunting Lodge Museum, that belonged to the late King Farouk.See also
- Muhammad Ali DynastyMuhammad Ali DynastyThe Muhammad Ali Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Egypt and Sudan, from the 19th to the mid-20th Century. It is named after its progenitor, Muhammad Ali Pasha, regarded as the founder of modern Egypt. It was also more formally known as the Alawiyya Dynasty...
- Old CairoOld CairoOld 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...
- adjacent historic district to east