Tuesday March 19th, 2024
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Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace to Be Restored as Innovation Complex

The Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace, found just across the street from Heliopolis' Baron Empain Palace, is being restored to serve as a centre for digital innovation while maintaining its historic charm.

Cairo Scene

As part of a wider effort to polish Cairo’s historic gems, Heliopolis’ Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace is undergoing a transformation into a complex for digital creativity and entrepreneurship.


Official restoration efforts have been taking place since 2020, and once works are complete, the reinvented site will feature high-tech labs, startup tech incubators, meeting halls, training halls, and co-working spaces.


None of these new features are expected to take away from the site’s historic character, since the project - which is led by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, alongside the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology - is prioritizing the preservation of the palace’s archaeological heritage during the restoration process.


Built in the year 1908, the palace - located opposite the famed Baron Empain Palace - was later named after Sultan Hussein Kamel, who took power during the tumultuous years of the First World War. It was designed by French architect Alexander Marcel with the intention of showcasing Moroccan influences and reviving Islamic art. As such, the palace itself can be seen as another monument of Cairo’s multicultural, metropolitan heritage. And with this new project, it will also double as a centre for youthful innovation and progress.