Sakakini Palace, Rococo palace in El-Daher district, Cairo, Egypt
Sakakini Palace is a five-story building in the El-Daher district of Cairo, displaying Rococo architecture with eclectic influences. The structure contains 50 rooms featuring statues of women and children, plus 400 doors and windows distributed throughout.
Gabriel Habib El Sakakini, who came to Egypt to work for the Suez Canal Company, commissioned the construction of this palace in 1897. Completion took several years and reflected the prosperity of European businessmen in late 19th-century Cairo.
The building emerged as the residence of an influential family in the late 19th century, combining French decorative elements with Egyptian influences throughout its rooms. Visitors today notice gilded ornaments and painted ceilings that echo the style of European manor houses from that era.
The palace stands at the intersection of eight roads in downtown Cairo, serving as a central reference point for navigation. Visitors should watch for heavy traffic around the building and view the facade best from one of the surrounding sidewalks.
The main entrance displays a half-bust of Habib El Sakakini, while inside visitors find the Dorrat Al Tag sculpture and fragments of a crocodile statue. These details blend personal tribute with Egyptian symbolism within an otherwise European-style interior.
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