Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo Reopens Three Years after Massive Bomb Blast

President Sisi attended the reopening of the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, which has been restored three years after a car bomb partially destroyed the building and the relics inside.

Staff Writer

On Wednesday, President Sisi reopened the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, three years after a massive car bomb partially destroyed the building, damaging as many as 179 priceless relics.

The museum in central Cairo was bombed in January 2014 by Egyptian jihadists who detonated a car bomb outside the museum, which is also located near a police headquarters. According to the statistics published by the Health Ministry, the explosion killed four people and injured 76 others. 

The museum took the brunt of the explosion which partially destroyed the building along with 179 Islamic relics. At the reopening, Antiquities Minister Khaled El Enany claimed that 160 relics have been restored and also highlights that three new exhibit rooms have been built increasing the number of relics on display in the damaged wing from 1,450 to 4,400.

The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo is one of the largest Islamic civilisation collections in the world housing over 100,000 relics including a sword belonging to Prophet Muhammed. Helping to pay for the restoration were multiple contributors including the UAE and UNESCO

Attending the televised celebration was President Sisi as well as the Minister of International Cooperation Sahar Nasr and the Minister of Antiquities Khalid El Enany.

Photo from Yahoo.