Cairo Tower, Television tower in Zamalek, Egypt.
Cairo Tower is a free-standing reinforced-concrete tower on Gezira Island in Zamalek, rising 187 metres, about 43 metres taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza. Its shaft is a tapering cylinder wrapped in crisscrossing diagonal ribs that form diamond-shaped openings around a solid core, with a flared collar of pointed fins where the lattice meets the upper section. The tower has 16 floors and stands on a base of Aswan granite; a shield-shaped metal emblem with an eagle hangs above the dark glass entrance doors.
Construction took place between 1956 and 1961 under architect Naoum Shebib. Funding came from money originally intended as a diplomatic gift from the United States.
The rotating restaurant at the summit allows diners to complete a full circle over Cairo during their meal. This combination of dining and panorama makes the location a popular choice for special occasions and social gatherings.
A central elevator carries visitors directly to the observation platform. The best viewing conditions usually occur in early morning or late afternoon when the sun sits at a better angle.
The tower's nickname "Roosevelt's endowment" arose because the funds came from the United States via Kermit Roosevelt; a mistranslation in Washington turned it into "Roosevelt's erection", and Americans answered with "Nasser's prick". An Islamic group even issued a fatwa in the 1990s to demolish the tower, saying it could excite Egyptian women.
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