If you would like to see some Indian architecture in the heart of Cairo, you should visit the Baron Empain Palace, which was recently innovated to give visitors a unique experience.
Baron Empain Palace, an architectural masterpiece, is located in Heliopolis in Cairo.
It was built by the Belgian millionaire Baron Edward Empain, who came to Egypt from India at the end of the nineteenth century.
He was inspired by the Indian architectural style of the Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia and the Orissa temples.
The palace was designed by the French architect Alexander Marcel, and decorated by George Louis Claude, and the construction was completed in 1911.
When you enter the palace, you’ll find that it is small in size, consisting of only seven rooms on two storeys.
But, you would feel the presence of the people who lived there a century ago.
The first floor comprises a large hall and three rooms, of which two are for guests and the third was the Baron’s billiard room.
Upstairs there arefour bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.
The floors are in marble and parquet. In the basement are kitchens, garages and servants’ quarters.
In the north of the palace stands a four-storey-high tower connected by a wooden spiral staircase, and decorated on the outside with statues of Indian mythological figures.
Last year, the government renovated the palace and developed it as a historical tourist attraction.
The palace is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets cost LE20 for Egyptians, LE10 for students, LE100 for foreigners and LE50 for foreign students.
If you feel hungry after your visit to the palace, we recommend that you dine in a kebab and kofta restaurant. Vegetarians, don’t bother. Just talk among yourselves about the weather, or something.
Egyptian grilled meat dish is a must try! Kebab is prepared with pieces of grilled meat (lamb or veal). As for Kofta, it is grilled minced meat. Both are served with Egyptian bread, salads and tahina.
