Egypt is returning to the architecture of ancient pharaohs

Cairo - Massive ancient columns with capitals resembling lotus flowers or papyrus. This is what the façade of the Egyptian Supreme Court building looks like, designed to evoke a temple from the time of the pharaohs. It was constructed in 2000 and is one of the last examples of a new wave in Egyptian architecture that draws inspiration from the buildings of a long-lost civilization, wrote the Reuters agency.
The Egyptian government has already commissioned the construction of a number of buildings in this neo-Pharaonic style. "We wanted a design that emphasizes Egypt. You can't look at it and not think of Egypt," says Diá Din Ibráhím, whose firm designed the government building on one of the main streets in Cairo.
This trend is not only manifesting in architecture. Numerous state-owned companies are using logos with ancient Egyptian symbols, while streets and squares are named after Egyptian rulers.
However, the current efforts to mimic the former glory of Egypt have faced criticism within the country. Among the critics is architect Umar Farúk. He considers these buildings to be monstrous kitsch that is more suitable for Las Vegas than Cairo. "It looks like theater scenery and not like architecture. They try to impress with a style that has nothing to do with our customs, with our lives," says Farúk, a student of Hasan Fasí, one of the most famous Egyptian architects.
"In the past, these forms had significance. However, they have lost it since the time of the pharaohs was replaced by the era of Christian Copts and Islamic culture," adds Alí Gabr, who teaches architecture at Cairo University.
The current flood of "ancient" buildings is not the first attempt by Egyptian architects to revive the construction style of the pharaohs. After gaining independence from Britain in 1922, notable structures such as the railway station in Giza or the mausoleum of national leader Saad Zaghloul in Cairo were built in this ostentatious style.
At that time, however, this style, which aimed to emphasize Cairo's departure from European architecture, was applied only to a few buildings. The Islamic architectural style, which created the brick character of the city, typical of medieval Cairo, spread much more widely.
By returning to the structures of the pharaonic era, the Egyptian government is also trying to bridge the religious divide in the country, which has previously escalated into sectarian violence. More than 90 percent of Egypt's 73 million people are Muslims, while the rest are Christians. Thus, the newly revived architectural style aims to present national unity that is not influenced by any faith.