Zamalek

Zamalek (Arabic الزمالك az- Zamalik ) is a city district of Cairo. It is located on the northern part of the island of Gezira, one of two members of the city islands in the Nile. The other island is Roda. The southern part of the island simply called el- Gezira / الجزيرة / al - Ǧazīra /, the island '; often both parts of the city are simply summarized as Zamalek.

Zamalek is a residential and business district. In addition to foreign companies also have many embassies, including the German Embassy in Cairo, their headquarters here foreigners, mainly members of the embassy, prefer to live here. The largest building is the Cairo Tower ( Cairo Tower ). Furthermore, here are the quarters of the students of the American University of Cairo ( AUC). Here lived and worked and the Palestinian scholar Edward Said during his exile.

Halfway up the island is the Zamalek Palace. Built by Khedive Ismail for the accommodation of guests of honor at the opening of the Suez Canal ( including the Empress Eugénie of France), the palace is now a hotel of the Marriott chain. The historic rooms have been largely restored and are open to hotel guests.

In the southern part of the island is the Cairo Opera House.

The major route is the road of July 26, which traverses the northern part of the island in an east -west axis. Each three bridges on the east and west shores of the island of Zamalek connect with the surrounding neighborhoods. To 2017, the island is to be served by a metro station to public rail transport.