Inside a King’s Personal Oasis at the Rokn Farouk Museum

In Cairo’s Helwan district, on the coast of the Nile, is one of the city’s best-kept secrets - King Farouk's captivating rest house, now known as Rokn Farouk Museum.

King Farouk was charmed by a tea stall during stay at the Grand Hotel and decided to turn it into his personal oasis, featuring picturesque views of the river and the nearby gardens. Built between 1941 and 1942 by Minister of Royal Works, Mustafa Pasha Fahmi, this architectural marvel takes the shape of a boat resting on the tranquil bank of the Nile.

The space was later turned into a museum in 1976. The museum’s garden is adorned with an array of rare flowers, a fountain known as the ‘fountain of love’ and a collection of the royal family’s personal belongings.

The museum is open to the public with tickets available at EGP 10.