A palace is a large residence, especially for the royal and presidential residences, or the elite of society, as the palace is called for luxurious buildings. When you think of Egypt’s palaces, you might only think of Abdeen Palace as the most famous, but Egypt is home to beautiful palaces. Abdeen Palace has a large number of magnificent palaces that tell the story of Egypt’s great history dating back to the pharaohs, through the Roman, Fatimid, Mamluk, and current eras.
Egypt has a great architectural history, which is shown in its lavish palaces. If you enjoy architecture, art, and the history of palaces and want to visit them, this article is for you, as we will tell you about the most important, famous archaeological, and historical palaces in Egypt.
7 Beautiful Palaces you need to visit in Egypt
Abdeen Palace
Location: Abdeen, Old Cairo
Abdeen Palace is one of the most famous and best tourist attractions in Cairo. It is considered one of the most famous historical buildings, as it is a wonderful historical architectural masterpiece that was built during the period of the Muhammad Ali Pasha Family in Egypt, as it was the place of government at that time. This palace is considered one of the most famous monuments in Egypt, not only for its historical significance but also for its architectural and artistic value. Abdeen Palace was built by Khedive Ismail in 1863 and it was named for Abdeen Bey, one of Egypt’s military leaders.
Abdeen Palace has more than 500 rooms in addition to suites and halls, including the Belgian suite, which was designated to host the important guests, and was named for the King of Belgium who was the first to be hosted. Abdeen Palace Museum includes many halls, including the Muhammad Ali Hall, which is the largest, in addition to a museum for the Muhammad Ali Pasha family’s holdings, several treasures and art holdings, and a library with over 55 thousand books. The palace has been converted into a museum visited by thousands of tourists while touring Cairo.
- Opening hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
- Abdeen Palace ticket price for Egyptians: 20 pounds, and for Egyptian students 10 pounds.
- Abdeen Palace ticket price for foreigners: 100 pounds.
Baron Empain Palace
Location: El-Orouba, Heliopolis, Cairo
The Baron Palace is one of the tourist attractions in Cairo. It is a unique architectural masterpiece in Cairo, built by the Belgian millionaire Baron Edouard, who came to Egypt from India at the end of the 19th century, after the opening of the Suez Canal. The palace is located in the heart of the Heliopolis area in Cairo, specifically on Orouba Street on the main road leading to Cairo International Airport.
- Opening hours: 9 am – 4 pm
- Ticket price for Egyptians: 20 EGP
- Ticket price for foreigners: 100 EGP
Manial Palace
Location: EL-Manial
Muhammad Ali Palace in Manial is considered one of the most important ancient Egyptian palaces after Abdeen Palace. This palace overlooks Al-Rawda Island in Manial and is considered one of the most beautiful palaces in Cairo. It was designed in an Islamic architectural style adapted from the Fatimid and Mamluk architecture. The palace was built by Prince Muhammad Ali Tawfik in 1875 and completed in 1929.
The palace includes a collection of art, furniture, and clothing for the prince. It consists of several floors and halls to host guests, in addition to a small mosque. Despite the small size of the palace, it is an unparalleled architectural masterpiece.
Today, this historic palace has become a public museum that opens its doors to visitors, in which exhibitions are held to tell the story of Prince Muhammad Ali Tawfik and display images and heritage that you will not find anywhere else.
- Opening hours: 9 am – 4 pm
- Ticket price for Egyptians: 20 EGP
- Ticket price for foreigners: 100 EGP
Aisha Fahmy Palace
Location: Zamalek
Aisha Fahmy Palace overlooking the Nile is located in Zamalek. It was built in 1907 by Fahmy Ali Pasha, the army commander during the reign of King Fouad, and his daughter Aisha Fahmy inherited it from him. After her death, the palace was going to the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, and it became an antique building and an arts center where amazing art exhibitions are held.
The palace contains many rooms of an archaeological nature, and some rooms have been transformed into galleries for displaying paintings by the most famous artists. The palace is also characterized by murals made of silk and linen.
The palace is open to the public only during the exhibition period after it was opened after a restoration process that lasted for many years.
- Ticket price: Free when there’s an exhibition
Manasterly Palace
Location: Manial
On an area of 1000 square meters, on the shore of the river, you will find the Manasterly Palace, which attracts people with its scenic charm. The design of this architectural gem is unparalleled. The Manasterly Palace, which is also called Kiosk Palace, dates back to the Abbasid Era and was built by Hassan Fouad Pasha Al-Manasterly.
The palace consists of a covered hall, in addition to a suite on the western side, which includes a living room, two bedrooms, a toilet, and another room on the eastern side. The palace, which is still famous for its beautiful decorations, is now a center for the arts where concerts are held.
- Opening hours: 9 am – 4 pm
- Ticket price for Egyptians: 20 EGP
- Ticket price for foreigners: 100 EGP
Qubba Palace
Location: North Central Cairo
In the past, Abdeen Palace was the place of government. Now, Qubba Palace is one of Egypt’s palaces that serves as a guest house for dignitaries in various countries. It is considered the largest of the presidential palaces, with an area of 80 acres, in addition to the park that surrounds it, which has an area of 125 acres. The palace was constructed in the classical Italian style and contains 425 beautiful rooms, the most important of which is the Quran room, which is filled with wonderful inscriptions designed in the Islamic style, as well as the rare Qur’an. One of the most beautiful rooms in the Qubba Palace is the White Salon, which contains an impressive collection of statues by great artists, such as Mahmoud Mokhtar.
- Ticket price: only 20 pounds, while 5 pounds are paid for photography.
Ras El-Tin Palace
Location: Alexandria
On the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, you will find the oldest Egyptian royal palace, Ras El-Tin Palace. It is located in the Ras El-Tin district of Alexandria, overlooking the city’s western port. Its construction began in 1834 and took about 11 years to complete after which additional suites were built for two years until it was officially opened in 1847
It was built on an area of 17,000 square meters and surrounded by magnificent gardens covering approximately 12 acres in addition to a swimming pool with a large glass lounge attached to it. Many changes have happened in the palace, where King Fouad I re-decorated, making it similar to Abdeen Palace, to see a mix of Renaissance, Byzantine, French, and modern.
- The ticket price is only 5 pounds per person.
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