Eight Archaeological Sites in Al Darb Al Ahmar Area to Be Restored

Eight major archaeological sites in the historical Darb Al Ahmar Area are to be restored, in line with an agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Ministry of International Cooperation. The rehabilitation of the sites will allow them to be opened to visitors, increasing the appeal to tourists of an area that is already gaining popularity for sightseers.

The sites included in the restoration plans include a number of water fountains (sabil) as well as several ‘takiyya’s that used to serve as spaces for Sufi gatherings. Work has already begun at seven of the sites, where accrued rubbish has been removed to facilitate the first stages of restoration. The locations, some of which date back more than 800 years, lie within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Historic Cairo, originally built by the Fatimids in the 10th century.