Egypt 100 Pounds 2017

History

100 Pounds 2017, Egypt, 150th Anniversary of the Khedival Cairo

Obverse. Photo © abcislam2000

Description

Downtown Cairo, or Khedival Cairo as many call it, has been the urban centre of Cairo since the late 19th century when the district was designed and built.

Downtown Cairo was designed by prestigious French architects who were commissioned by Khedive Ismail during his visit to Paris, and since then he wanted to make the Egyptian Kingdom capital better than Paris and to be the jewel of the orient. It was he who stressed the importance of European style urban planning in Cairo, to include broad, linear gridded streets, geometric harmony and modern European architectural style.

It was once home to the prosperous elite of late 19th and early 20th century Cairo. It is a relic of a bygone era — Egypt's belle epoque — and demonstrates the vision for developing Egypt. Yet decades of neglect by the neighbourhood's landlords and tenants following the burning of most of Cairo's buildings during the popular Cairo fire incident prior to the 1952 Revolution led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, and the ensuing departure of the upper classes, have left the splendor of its ornate edifices mired in decay. Lax enforcement of laws and regulations gave way to the entry of commercial establishments into the neighbourhood, mostly with no regard for maintaining aesthetic harmony or preserving the historic buildings of Downtown Cairo. Now, most of the historic buildings within the area were renovated by the Ministry of housing, utilities and urban development.

Obverse	Construction (building, bridge etc.) Palace Depicts the front of Abdeen Palace, inscription "Khedival Cairo" and "150 years" between them a mirrored branch. Abdeen Palace is a historic Cairo palace built as one of the official residences of the former ruling monarchy and the royal family of Egypt. It is now one of the official residences and the principal workplace of the President of Egypt, located above Qasr el-Nil Street in eastern Downtown Cairo, Egypt. Built on the site of a small mansion owned by Abdeen Bey, Abdeen Palace, which is named after him, has adornments, paintings, and a large number of clocks scattered in the parlors and wings, most of which are decorated with pure gold. Built under the rule of Ismail Pasha, to become Egypt's official government headquarters instead of the Citadel of Cairo (which had been the center of Egyptian government since the Middle Ages), this palace was used as well for official events and ceremonies. The construction started in 1863 and continued for 10 years and the palace was officially inaugurated in 1874. Erected on an area of 24 feddans, the palace was designed by the French architect Léon Rousseau along with a large number of Egyptian, Italian, French and European decorators. A new wing was added by Joseph Urban in 1891. However, the palace's garden was added in 1921 by Sultan Fuad I on an area of 20 feddans. القاهرة الخديوية ١٥٠ عامـ
Reverse	Geography & astronomy Sun Temple (church, mosque, synagogue, pagoda etc.) Minaret Depicts the emblem of Cairo governorate (the double-finial minaret of Qansuh al-Ghuri, the minaret of Qaytbay, and the minaret of Aqbugha next to the dome for Al-Azhar Mosque, behind them a raising radiant sun and the name Cairo below them) in the middle. Denomination divides by emblem dates (Hegira and Gregorian) below, legend "Arab Republic of Egypt" above. جمهورية مصر العربية ١٠٠ جنيه القاهرة ١٤٣٨هـ ٢٠١٧م
Edge	Reeded (milled)