Page 7 - MARRIOTT BUZZ NO. 3 - 2015

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THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF KHEDIVE ISMAIL
PALACES, MUSEUMS, BRICK FACTORIES, IRRIGATION CANALS,
THE POST OFFICE AND RAILWAYS WERE ALL PART OF THE
EXTRAORDINARY VISION OF KHEDIVE ISMAIL PASHA
Few would doubt that Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt (and Sudan,
in fact) from 1863 to 1879, pulled Egypt into the modern world. His
modernization of Egypt’s industrial and economic development led
him to state in 1879: “My country is no longer in Africa; we are now
part of Europe. It is therefore natural for us to abandon our former
ways and to adopt a new system adapted to our social conditions.”
But Khedive Ismail was so much more than an industrial and
economic guru. He was a visionary who transformed so many aspects
of Egyptian life … from building palaces and Islamic monuments,
to creating museums and developing massive irrigation systems,
developing railways, launching the post office and building new roads
in Cairo.
Salah El-Din Citadel and Muhammad Ali Mosque, built by Muhammad Ali Pasha, the
Khedive’s ancestor and the founder of Modern Egypt
Downtown Cairo
KHEDIVE’S ‘PARIS ON THE NILE’
The Khedive’s inspiration for redeveloping Cairo came from his visit
to Paris for the World Exhibition in 1867, where he admired many new
developments in the French capital. He returned to Cairo with French
engineers and horticulturalists and they began transforming Cairo,
beginning with the Azbakiyya gardens and park.
Khedive planned for a square at the south of Muhammad Ali Street
and new roads included Faggala Street, Clot Bey Street, Abdul Aziz
Street and Abdeen Street with the provision of street lighting and
water pipes and plans that foresaw trams and railways.