Islamic domes restored - Heritage - Al-Ahram Weekly
Both mediaeval domes, officially inaugurated by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber, British Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley, and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mohamed Ismail Khaled, have now been fully restored after two years of hiding under scaffolding with restorers and workmen polishing and strengthening their walls.
The project was implemented by the conservation group Megawra's Athar Lina Initiative under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the SCA with funding from the British Council's Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The conservation works were part of the larger ERTH-Athar Lina Heritage and Climate Project launched in 2023 that aims to promote resilience to climate change while preserving historic structures and combining technical restoration with community development, educational activities, and sustainable environmental practices.
The domes were suffering from a range of persistent and increasingly pressing structural challenges, including rising groundwater levels and high levels of humidity, salt crystallisation, structural decay, and sinkholes in the ground. The restoration approach emphasised minimal interventions, relying on traditional materials and locally developed techniques to ensure the preservation of the domes' architectural integrity and respecting the layers of historical adaptation accumulated over centuries.
May Al-Ibrashy, project coordinator and chair of the Megawra Built Environment Collective, explained that the project had three main objectives. The first involved salvage interventions to save both domes, at risk from climate change and common types of climate-change related damage to masonry structures in Egypt.
The second was to develop a conservation manual detailing techniques for the most common types of climate change-related damage to historic buildings. 'This is linked to onsite, offsite and online training to improve capacities in Egypt to protect heritage from climate change,' Al-Ibrashy said.
The third objective focused on enhancing urban and community awareness on heritage and climate change around the two sites, including initiatives to repurpose extracted groundwater for community benefit.
The conservation work at the Yehia Al-Shabih dome included comprehensive documentation, the repair of structural foundations and cracks, masonry conservation and roof works, the drainage of groundwater, and the conservation of cenotaphs, marble columns, stucco prayer niches, and epigraphic wooden and marble elements.
At the Safieddin Jawhar dome, the conservation works similarly encompassed documentation, structural foundation work, crack and masonry repair, and roof works. It also included the lowering of the groundwater, the conservation of decorative wood items, and the repair of stone and metal elements and carved stucco windows. This was in addition to harvesting the groundwater and reusing it for greening, urban farming, municipal cleaning, and firefighting.
'The climate-change action component in this project is the culmination of a growing linkage in the work of Athar Lina between heritage and the environment,' said Al-Ibrashy.
She continued that the manual is the first of its kind and comes with a set of instructional videos with a companion online publication.
In addition to offering onsite training, further training was offered in Alexandria, Port Said, and Luxor as cities at the frontline of climate change action on the coast and in Upper Egypt. Community work connects the community to its heritage through direct benefits from site upgrading, new signage, and greening, and through educational outreach activities teaching about heritage and climate change.
'This project is a significant step forward in the drive to integrate heritage within its environment and to utilise the practice of conservation not just to preserve the past but to guide humanity towards a better future,' Al-Ibrashy said.
Fathy expressed his deep appreciation of the project's collaborative spirit, calling it 'a model of constructive partnership with supporting institutions.' He thanked the SCA, Megawra, the British Embassy in Cairo, and the British Council for their roles in delivering the project. He reiterated the government's full commitment to heritage preservation, emphasising the importance of balancing monument protection with strategies for sustainable cultural tourism.
'What has been achieved in this project reflects the care and dedication being invested in protecting our archaeological sites,' Fathy said. He announced that the restoration project will be featured on the ministry's newly launched e-training platform and that both domes will be added to the official visitor map of archaeological attractions in an effort to diversify Egypt's tourism offerings and promote lesser-known sites.
Khaled asserted that the restoration had followed strict international standards. Extensive documentation and structural analysis preceded the work to ensure authenticity and accuracy. He noted that during the restoration, several previously hidden architectural and decorative elements were uncovered and that these will soon be featured in a dedicated exhibition to further highlight the domes' artistic and historical significance.
Bayley expressed his pride in supporting the project, calling Historic Cairo 'the beating heart of the capital' and praising the collaboration as an example of heritage protection driven by both local and international cooperation. He stressed the importance of community engagement in safeguarding cultural heritage and expressed his admiration for Egypt's rich Islamic architecture.
According to a note by Cathy Costain, the British Council's Head of Arts (Egypt), on the British Council Facebook page, 'I remember when the neighbours of Yehia Al-Shabih leaned over their balconies and joined in the conversations we were having about the work that was being done.'
'During the formal launch of the dome and garden of Safieddin Jawhar, the neighbours there celebrated with us as we helped ourselves to the basil and mint that were growing in pots around the neighbourhood, using the groundwater pumped out of the site. The whole area — streets and rooftops — is awash with greenery. This project is a wonderful example of not just community engagement, but also of how the current occupants of an area are just a small part of the journey a monument goes through during its lifetime and how each generation has a part to play.'
The dome of Yehia Al-Shabih, located at the Al-Imam Al-Shafei cemetery, is one of a cluster of Fatimid shrines dedicated to the descendants of the Prophet Mohamed. Al-Shabih was called 'the lookalike' (al-shabih). due to his resemblance to the prophet.
The dome was built between 1145 and 1160 CE by the Fatimid Caliph Al-Zafir Bi-Amr Allah, and it is believed to enshrine the tomb of Yehia Ibn Al-Qasim, a descendant of the Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq. Also interred within are several members of his family, including Sayeda Um Al-Hurriya and Sayed Yehia ibn Al-Hassan Al-Anwar.
The dome of Safieddin Jawhar was constructed in 1314 CE by Jawhar Al-Nassiri, a prominent Mameluke official under Sultan Al-Nassir Mohamed Ibn Qalawoun. Located in the Al-Khalifa district, it is known for its striking architectural elements, including triangular stucco windows inlaid with coloured glass. The structure is a rare surviving example of early 14th-century Mameluke funerary architecture.
By combining preservation with innovation, the project offers a powerful model for the future of heritage conservation in Egypt — one that values historical integrity, empowers communities, and responds to the environmental challenges of our time.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 6 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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The third objective focused on enhancing urban and community awareness on heritage and climate change around the two sites, including initiatives to repurpose extracted groundwater for community benefit. The conservation work at the Yehia Al-Shabih dome included comprehensive documentation, the repair of structural foundations and cracks, masonry conservation and roof works, the drainage of groundwater, and the conservation of cenotaphs, marble columns, stucco prayer niches, and epigraphic wooden and marble elements. At the Safieddin Jawhar dome, the conservation works similarly encompassed documentation, structural foundation work, crack and masonry repair, and roof works. It also included the lowering of the groundwater, the conservation of decorative wood items, and the repair of stone and metal elements and carved stucco windows. This was in addition to harvesting the groundwater and reusing it for greening, urban farming, municipal cleaning, and firefighting. 'The climate-change action component in this project is the culmination of a growing linkage in the work of Athar Lina between heritage and the environment,' said Al-Ibrashy. She continued that the manual is the first of its kind and comes with a set of instructional videos with a companion online publication. In addition to offering onsite training, further training was offered in Alexandria, Port Said, and Luxor as cities at the frontline of climate change action on the coast and in Upper Egypt. Community work connects the community to its heritage through direct benefits from site upgrading, new signage, and greening, and through educational outreach activities teaching about heritage and climate change. 'This project is a significant step forward in the drive to integrate heritage within its environment and to utilise the practice of conservation not just to preserve the past but to guide humanity towards a better future,' Al-Ibrashy said. Fathy expressed his deep appreciation of the project's collaborative spirit, calling it 'a model of constructive partnership with supporting institutions.' He thanked the SCA, Megawra, the British Embassy in Cairo, and the British Council for their roles in delivering the project. He reiterated the government's full commitment to heritage preservation, emphasising the importance of balancing monument protection with strategies for sustainable cultural tourism. 'What has been achieved in this project reflects the care and dedication being invested in protecting our archaeological sites,' Fathy said. He announced that the restoration project will be featured on the ministry's newly launched e-training platform and that both domes will be added to the official visitor map of archaeological attractions in an effort to diversify Egypt's tourism offerings and promote lesser-known sites. Khaled asserted that the restoration had followed strict international standards. Extensive documentation and structural analysis preceded the work to ensure authenticity and accuracy. He noted that during the restoration, several previously hidden architectural and decorative elements were uncovered and that these will soon be featured in a dedicated exhibition to further highlight the domes' artistic and historical significance. Bayley expressed his pride in supporting the project, calling Historic Cairo 'the beating heart of the capital' and praising the collaboration as an example of heritage protection driven by both local and international cooperation. He stressed the importance of community engagement in safeguarding cultural heritage and expressed his admiration for Egypt's rich Islamic architecture. According to a note by Cathy Costain, the British Council's Head of Arts (Egypt), on the British Council Facebook page, 'I remember when the neighbours of Yehia Al-Shabih leaned over their balconies and joined in the conversations we were having about the work that was being done.' 'During the formal launch of the dome and garden of Safieddin Jawhar, the neighbours there celebrated with us as we helped ourselves to the basil and mint that were growing in pots around the neighbourhood, using the groundwater pumped out of the site. The whole area — streets and rooftops — is awash with greenery. This project is a wonderful example of not just community engagement, but also of how the current occupants of an area are just a small part of the journey a monument goes through during its lifetime and how each generation has a part to play.' The dome of Yehia Al-Shabih, located at the Al-Imam Al-Shafei cemetery, is one of a cluster of Fatimid shrines dedicated to the descendants of the Prophet Mohamed. Al-Shabih was called 'the lookalike' (al-shabih). due to his resemblance to the prophet. The dome was built between 1145 and 1160 CE by the Fatimid Caliph Al-Zafir Bi-Amr Allah, and it is believed to enshrine the tomb of Yehia Ibn Al-Qasim, a descendant of the Imam Jaafar Al-Sadiq. Also interred within are several members of his family, including Sayeda Um Al-Hurriya and Sayed Yehia ibn Al-Hassan Al-Anwar. The dome of Safieddin Jawhar was constructed in 1314 CE by Jawhar Al-Nassiri, a prominent Mameluke official under Sultan Al-Nassir Mohamed Ibn Qalawoun. Located in the Al-Khalifa district, it is known for its striking architectural elements, including triangular stucco windows inlaid with coloured glass. The structure is a rare surviving example of early 14th-century Mameluke funerary architecture. By combining preservation with innovation, the project offers a powerful model for the future of heritage conservation in Egypt — one that values historical integrity, empowers communities, and responds to the environmental challenges of our time. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
