Cairo – island of Roda
Roda Island
A narrow canal separates the island of Roda (Rawdah, ar-Rauda; officially Al Manyal ar-Rawdah) from the east bank of the Nile, and bridges connect it with Garden City (four) and Old Cairo (two). On the island, you can mainly see the nilometer and the Manjal Palace. The easiest way to get to the nilometer from Old Cairo is via a pedestrian bridge, by taxi or minibus. The palace is divided from the nilometer 3 km.
The island may have been called Per-hapi-n-On during the dynastic period (House of the Nile at On), what did the Greeks turn into "Babylon", where the Roman fortress then stood. Twin Byzantine fortifications were built on the island.
Manjal Palace, built in 1903 r., is a must-see in Cairo sightseeing program. This eclectic building (from 1899 r.) it reflected Mohammad Ali Tawfiq's taste, uncle of King Farouk, the author of the book Breeding Arabian horses. Each of the main buildings of the complex was decorated in a different style: rococo, Ottoman, Moorish, Syrian and Persian. There was a wonderful garden around the complex.
The palace was to be a monument to Islamic architecture and the most representative Egyptian museum; it was also supposed to show the everyday life of the royal family. Together with the garden it takes up 61 711 m2 (the buildings themselves 5 thousand. m2), and is divided into 11 parts. The entrance gate looks like the gate to a medieval castle.
Right outside the gate is the reception palace, a magnificent salamick in an Arabian palace and a reception room, where the prince said prayers on Fridays.
On the first floor, two guest rooms are dripping with decorations. The Syrian peace which was moved from Damascus was especially liked. On the stairs there is a model of the mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbei, made of mother of pearl. Saa Tower (clock) rises between the reception palace and the mosque built by Prince Muhammad Ali in the Andalusian and Moroccan styles. The small fountain between the tower and the mosque contains ancient fragments. The Hunting Museum is located next – long hall with annexes overlooking the eastern part of the gardens. The museum was opened to the public in 1962 r. The two-story Turkish and Rococo mansion is the oldest building in the complex.
The palace is hidden among fig trees in the old part of the garden. They are located on the ground floor: sala al-Shakma -lustrzana, harem room, a blue living room with a painted wooden ceiling, dining room, arabesque lounge and lounge with fireplace. There is a jewelery room on the first floor, arabesque room, prince's bedroom with a silver four-poster bed, room for servants and a balcony overlooking the mirror hall. Interesting is the throne room with a red carpet and three sofas for guests. The private museum is situated in the southern part of the palace and consists of 15 rooms separated by a courtyard with a garden, in which the rarest plants grow. The facility collects rare manuscripts, expensive carpets, silverware and precious ceramics.
Most tourists come to the southern tip of the island, to see the famous nilometer. River level, measured in August with the nilometer, it made it possible to predict yields and set taxes. Reading equal to 16 elbows (8,6 m) announced, that the valley will be fully irrigated. The lower or higher level meant flood or drought, respectively. After the announcement of Wafa an-Nil (the abundance of the Nile) there was general joy, and the other result caused sorrow and fear.
The current nilometer was built by the Abbasid Caliph Mutawakkil in 861 r. in place of the elder Fr. 150 years, damaged by the flood. A nilometer is an octagonal column standing in a square, stone well. Holes at different heights let water into the well, the level of which was visible on the marked column. A small Turkish kiosk with a conical roof, built on a nilometer, dates back to the 19th century. The wooden ceiling of the kiosk is decorated with painted arabesques.
The Monastirli Palace is located near the nilometer, rococo building with 1851 r., erected by Hassan Fouad Al Manasterly Pasha. Currently, it houses the Center for International Music with a theater, exhibition hall and library.