Manial Palace and Museum

The Manial Palace and Museum is a former Alawiyya dynasty era palace and grounds on Rhoda Island on the Nile. It is of Ottoman architecture and 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.
The palace featuring a blend of various Islamic art styles, including Fatimid, Mamluk, Ottoman, Andalusian, Persian, and Levantine influences. It comprises three main structures: the Residence Palace, the Reception Palace, and the Throne Palace. Additionally, the complex includes a mosque, a private museum, a hunting museum, and a clock tower, all enclosed by a wall resembling the fortified walls of medieval castles. Inside, the palaces are surrounded by gardens that host a rare collection of trees and plants. Today, the palace serves as a museum.
The palace originally belonged to Prince Mohamed Ali, the second son of Tewfik Pasha and the brother of Khedive Abbas II . Prince Mohamed Ali held the position of crown prince three times and was one of the three regents during the period between the death of King Fuad I and the ascension of King Farouk to the throne upon reaching the legal age.
Prince Mohamed Ali personally selected the location of the palace, beginning with the construction of the Residence Palace, followed by the other structures. He oversaw the design and decoration processes, while the construction work was carried out by Mohamed Afifi, a master builder. The prince left instructions for the palace to be converted into a museum after his death.
Prince Mohamed Ali was the second son of Khedive Tewfik, grandson of Khedive Ismail, and son of Princess Amina Najiba Ilhami, daughter of Ibrahim Ilhami Pasha and granddaughter of Abbas I. His siblings included Khedive Abbas Hilmi II, Princess Nazli Hanim, Princess Khadija Hanim, and Princess Neamatallah. Born on November 9, 1875 (11 Shawwal 1292 AH) in Cairo, Prince Mohamed Ali showed an early passion for knowledge. He began his education at the Aliyah School in Abdeen, where he completed his primary studies.
In 1884, he traveled to Europe for advanced education, attending Hexous School in Switzerland, and later, upon his father’s orders, enrolled at Theresianum Military Academy in Austria to study military sciences. Following the death of his father in 1892, he returned to Egypt. As a young man, he was recognized for his wisdom and intellect, with a keen interest in sciences, literature, and particularly Islamic art and culture.
Prince Mohamed Ali served as Crown Prince three times:
Prince Mohamed Ali passed away on March 17, 1954, in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the age of 80. He had expressed a wish to be buried in Egypt, and his remains were interred in the Royal Mausoleum at Qubbat Afandina in the El-Darrasa district of Cairo.
Prince Mohamed Ali personally selected the site for his palace, intending it as a residence that would embody his vision for Islamic art and architecture. He began by constructing the Residence Palace (Saray Al-Iqama) and later added the remaining buildings. The prince meticulously designed the architectural and decorative elements of the palace and oversaw every phase of its construction.
The actual execution of the designs was carried out by master builder Mohamed Afifi. This is confirmed by an inscription at the palace entrance, which reads:
"The Manial Palace of Prince Mohamed Ali, built by Prince Mohamed Ali, son of Mohamed Tewfik, to revive and honor Islamic arts. The prince designed the building and its decoration, and its execution was carried out by Mohamed Afifi in the year 1348 AH."
The ownership of the land where the Manial Palace stands changed hands several times, passing through various members of the royal family and prominent foreign figures in Egypt. Initially, the land belonged to Prince Mustafa Fadl Pasha and Prince Ahmed Rifaat Pasha, before being transferred to Khedive Ismail. It then came under the ownership of Mr. Louis Marie Joseph and later Duke Edmond. In 1888, Duke Edmond ceded the land to a French resident in Egypt, Jean Claude Arshid. In 1902, Prince Mohamed Ali purchased the property and began construction on the palace in 1901.
During the royal era, Prince Mohamed Ali hosted numerous events and gatherings at the palace, inviting prominent state officials, ministers, aristocrats, intellectuals, and journalists. In his will, he requested that the palace be turned into a museum after his death to allow visitors to enjoy its artistic beauty.
Following the 1952 Revolution and the nationalization of the assets of the Mohamed Ali family, the palace was entrusted to the Reclaimed Property Administration. In 1964, the administration handed over the palace’s contents to the Egyptian Tourism and Hotels Company, which subsequently built the Manial Palace Hotel in the palace gardens. The hotel consisted of wooden chalet-style buildings with two stories, housing 180 double rooms.
In 1991, following the issuance of Law No. 203 on Public Business Sector, the hotel was incorporated into the holdings of the Holding Company for Housing, Tourism, Hotels, and Cinema. This led to a dispute between the Reclaimed Property Administration and the holding company, which culminated in a decision by the Prime Minister to transfer the palace gardens to the museum's management and demolish the wooden chalets, which had been seen as an eyesore, in order to preserve the palace's beauty.
The Manial Palace is situated in the northern part of Roda Island, overlooking a small branch of the Nile River opposite Qasr El-Aini. The palace covers a total area of approximately 61,711 square meters, with around 5,000 square meters allocated for the buildings, including the various pavilions, while the remaining area is dedicated to gardens and internal pathways.
The palace’s significance lies in its unique architectural style, which incorporates various elements of Islamic art, including Fatimid, Mamluk, Ottoman, Andalusian, Persian, and Syrian influences. It consists of three main pavilions: the Residence Pavilion, the Reception Pavilion, and the Throne Pavilion. Additionally, the complex includes a mosque, a private museum, a hunting museum, and a clock tower. The palace is surrounded by a wall designed in the style of medieval fortress walls.
In 2005, the palace was closed for restoration, which lasted for 10 years until its reopening in 2015. The restoration work included comprehensive maintenance of all the palace buildings, including decorations and halls, cleaning the paintings and decorations, and restoring the archaeological collections. Additionally, the project involved reinstalling the historical ceiling of the Throne Hall, which had collapsed due to the passage of time. The project also included the construction of an administrative building, a well-equipped workshop for precise restoration work, a lecture hall, and a space for displaying textiles.
The palace is currently an open museum showcasing modern Islamic architecture and arts in various styles and decorations. It displays the unique and rare collections of Prince Mohamed Ali. Additionally, the palace’s garden and the Golden Hall are used for hosting events for a fee. The palace also hosts free cultural and educational workshops for school students.
The museum is located in the heart of Cairo, specifically on Manial Island, near Qasr El-Eini. It can be accessed by public transportation, private cars, or the metro, with the nearest station being Sayyida Zeinab, followed by a short walk to the palace. The visiting hours for the palace are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The value is in Egyptian pounds.
The palace belongs to the Museums Sector of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Egypt), and its affairs are overseen by the museum director, a position that has been held by several figures, including: