Azbakeya (Arabic: أزبكية; also spelled Al Uzbakeya or Auzbekiya) is one of the districts in the Western Area of Cairo, Egypt. Along with Wust Albalad (Downtown) and Abdeen, Azbakiya forms Cairo's 19th century expansion outside the medieval city walls known officially as Khedival Cairo and declared as an Area of Value. It holds many historically important buildings and spaces. One of these is the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, which was inaugurated by Pope Mark VIII in 1800 and served as the seat of the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria from 1800 to 1971. Azbakeya was the place where the first Cairo Opera House was established, in 1869.
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👉 Azbakeya in the context of Downtown Cairo
Downtown Cairo (Arabic: وسط البلد Wust al-Balad, "middle of town") is the colloquial name given to the 19th-century western expansion of Egypt's capital Cairo, between the historic medieval Cairo, and the Nile, which became the commercial center of the city during the 20th century. Given its rich architectural heritage from the era of Khedive Ismail, it has been officially named Khedival Cairo and declared by the government as a protected Area of Value, with many of its buildings also deemed protected. Administratively Wust al-Balad covers areas of qism Qasr al-Nil, and the Abdeen and Ezbekia districts. The protected Khedival Cairo covers a larger area extending south to Sayida Zeinab.
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Azbakeya in the context of Bulaq
Boulaq (Arabic: بولاق, romanized: Būlāq from Ancient Greek: φυλακή "guard, customs post"), is a district of Cairo, in Egypt. It neighbours Downtown Cairo, Azbakeya, and the River Nile.
Azbakeya in the context of Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Azbakeya
Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral is a Coptic Orthodox church in Azbakeya, Cairo, Egypt. It was the seat of the Coptic Pope from 1800 to 1971.
Due to Ibrahim El-Gohary's influential position in the government and his great favor to the Muslim rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed churches and monasteries.
Azbakeya in the context of Khedivial Opera House
The Egyptian Royal Opera House or Khedivial Opera House (Egyptian Arabic: دار الأوبرا الملكية المصرية / ALA-LC: Dār Awbirā al-Khudaywī) was an opera house in Cairo, Egypt, the oldest opera house in all of Africa and the Middle East. It was inaugurated on 1 November 1869 and it burned down on 28 October 1971, superseded by Cairo Opera House on 10 October 1988.
The opera house was built on the orders of the Khedive Ismail to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal. The Italian architect Pietro Avoscani (perhaps assisted by one Mario Rossi) designed the building. It seated approximately 850 people and was made mostly of wood. It was located between the districts of Azbakeya and Ismailyya in Egypt's capital city.