Conservation: Gammaliya

Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref)

A FEW steps away from Al-Muizz Street, which is now preserved as an open-air museum of Islamic monuments, stands the area of Gammaliya which now awaits its turn to be revamped and returned to its glorious heyday once the dust of centuries has been brushed away, and the monumental and historical edifices and accumulated debris removed from the streets, says Nevine El-Aref. The alleyways will be properly lit and the district will become an architectural showcase.

On 7 January, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, accompanied by senior government officials and journalists, embarked on a tour of inspection of Gammaliya to reassure residents and assess the current situation of the area and its buildings.

Time has taken a heavy toll on these historic edifices. Encroachment and misuse by residents have in some cases caused irreparable harm, while environmental pollution has undermined foundations and the 1992 earthquake left visible marks on the threatened historical zone.