Passage du Caire, Covered passage in the 2nd arrondissement, France.
Passage du Caire is a covered walkway extending 360 meters with a width of just 2.6 meters, making it the longest and narrowest such passage in Paris. It connects several streets in the neighborhood and houses hundreds of ground-floor shops and workshops along its length.
It was built in 1798 during Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, bringing Egyptian design elements to Paris. The structure with its distinctive columns and glass roof reflects the era's enthusiasm for Egyptian aesthetics.
Today it functions as a working textile and fashion hub where small shops and workshops carry out business daily. The passage remains a living workplace where fabric suppliers, tailors, and garment makers operate alongside each other.
The passage is accessible from Place du Caire, Rue du Caire, or Rue Saint-Denis. Most shops operate during standard weekday hours, so weekend visits may find fewer open businesses.
Six palm-shaped columns stand along the corridor and distinctly mark its visual character. The glass ceiling above incorporates pyramid-shaped patterns that reinforce the Egyptian references woven throughout.
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