Sayeda Zeinab

A building in the Helmeya area in the Sayeda Zeinab district of Cairo in the 19th century. Sayeda is one of the oldest districts of Cairo, one that carries an Ottoman and late Mamlouk architectural imprints on which layers of Italian, Sardinian, and Belgian buildings were superimposed in the 20th century . It houses a big mosque which the followers of the cult associated with it claim that Zeinab, the granddaughter of Muhammad is burried.

The Sufies and Dervishes associated with mosque are said to possess ‘Karamaat” or the ability to perform supernatural acts. The folks there possess authentic and unique traditions of neighbours’ cohesion and solidarity.

The illustrated building shows an Ottoman style though I get the feel that there are East Asian undertones in the scene.

One of the unique features of Sayeda are rows of Building where alternating Ottoman and European buidings line up in perfect harmony. I truly feel sad that the successive governments in Egypt–Whether royalist or republican– haven’t made the required effort to preserve the unparalled character of the district which with some innovation and imagination could turn into a first rate world heritage.