Al-Suhaymi House, Ottoman residence in Al-Gamaliyya district, Cairo, Egypt.
Al-Suhaymi House is an Ottoman-era residential complex in the Al-Gamaliyya quarter of Cairo with multiple floors, carved wooden screens, interior courtyards, and reception halls. The spaces combine Egyptian architectural tradition with Ottoman style and show the craftsmanship typical of such residences.
The house was built in 1648 by Sheikh Abd al-Wahhab al-Tablawi and received major additions in 1796 from Haji Ismail Chelebi. These expansions transformed it into a larger residential complex and show how the house evolved over time.
The house shows how wealthy families lived in Cairo, with separate areas for men and women and spaces for household staff. The layout reflects the social patterns that governed daily life for residents.
The house is open daily, and visitors should wear comfortable shoes since there are multiple staircases and uneven surfaces. The interior courtyards provide shade, but expect strong sunlight in the open areas.
The house contains a working wooden waterwheel with gears and a mill formerly powered by animals. This setup allowed the family to grind their own grain and shows the self-sufficiency of wealthy households.
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