Seleem Gaber, our Cairo Correspondent, sent these gorgeous photos and scenes from Old Cairo this week along with this commentary:
‘Cairo, or al-Qāhirah in Arabic, was established in 969 AD, around 900 years before the invention of the automobile. The shared space concept existed in the streets of what is now called “Old Cairo” long before it became a global urban design approach for safer and better-integrated city streets. This street, a 1km-long pedestrian street named ‘Al Mu’izz’ by locals, is “the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world” to quote the UNESCO. Along with food vendors, cafes, workshops, and bazaars, its 29 historical monuments make it the world’s largest open-air museum for Islamic architecture.’
Seleem is an architecture student and urban enthusiast from Cairo, Egypt studying in Valencia, Spain. He believes in walkable cities and their undeniable role in economic resilience, environmental impact, health, safety, and inclusivity. He seeks a role in the rightful mobility revolution, as a spokesman for his beautiful hometown of Cairo.
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