This July marked the formal reopening of two medieval Islamic monuments to the local community in Historic Cairo, after they were closed due to climate-change related threats.
Dating back to c. 1150 and 1314, Yahya al-Shabih and Safiyy al-Din Jawhar have long been staples in local and international guidebooks for Islamic heritage sites. However, the medieval shrine and dome faced safety concerns mostly due to a rise in groundwater, salt damp, and rain damage. They were declared an environmental hazard after flooding and the development of significant structural cracks and sinkholes. The distress of the sites’ closure was keenly felt due to their historical and spiritual significance, as well as their contribution to the local tourist economy.
With funding from the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, Megawra Built Environment have worked in partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA). Together they have coordinated a conservation project that aimed to build local capacity and to reopen the sites to visitors and the local community.
Their efforts consisted of on-site training, workshops and community outreach where 200 professionals and technicians have learnt techniques to protect heritage from climate change. Following this, there is an ongoing urban greening climate change action project which will provide opportunities for local women and children to further engage with the sites.
Now the sites have been reopened following a launch event on 8 July where Mr. Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities; Dr. Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo; and the UK Ambassador Gareth Bayley amongst others were in attendance.
The launch consisted of speeches and presentations such as a short film which highlighted the conditions of the two monuments before their restoration. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Chair of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, spoke about how the conservation work uncovered and led to further documentation of several decorative elements, in preparation for a future display that will shed a light on the artistic and historical value of these two important monuments.
‘I remember when the neighbours of Yahya Al-Shabih leaned over their balconies and joined in the conversations we were having about the work that was being done,’ starts Cathy Costain, British Council's Head of Arts (Egypt). ‘During the recent formal launch of the dome and garden of Safiyya Al-Din Jawhar, the neighbours there celebrated with us as we helped ourselves to the basil and mint that were growing in pots around the neighbourhood, using the groundwater pumped out of the site. The whole area – streets and rooftops – is awash with greenery. This project is a wonderful example of not just community engagement, but how the current occupants of an area are just a small part of the journey a monument goes through during its lifetime, and how each generation has a part to play.’
