The Haramlek of Montazah Palace, the last royal palace was built during the Muhammed Ali family, is one of the most famous sightseeing in Alexandria. It is located on at the eastern edge of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea coast.
The history of the Montazah Palace The royal family of Muhammad Ali Pasha chose Alexandria to be one of their destinations to escape from the summer heat. The Khedive Abbas Helmy II used to ride horses near Sidi Bisher in Alexandria. He noticed the amazing views of the sea in this place, so he decided to build Montazah Palace and gardens in 1892 to be the summer residence for the royal family.
The Khedive Abbas Helmy II asked Dmitri Fabersious, one of the most famous architects at the time, to put the design of this palace. The design of this palace mixes various types of styles as Byzantine, Classic, Gothic, and Islamic.
The Egyptian revolution that occurred in 1952 led that the palace was taken away by the Egyptian government. Then this palace becomes one of the presidential palaces for hosting the president’s visitors.
The Elements of Montazah Palace This palace, like the ottoman palaces, contains the Haramlek and the Salamlek. The Haramlek and the Salamlek are Turkish words. The Haramlek means the place where women stay, while the Salamlek is the place where men meet.
The Haramlek was built by King Fouad I in 1925 to be the last royal palace founded during the Muhammed Ali family.
The Haramlek consists of three floors:
- The first floor contains many rooms, but the most important rooms are the office of the king and the meeting room.
- The second floor houses many suites of the king, the queen, the princesses, and the prince Ahmed Fouad.
- The third floor hosts a hung terrace overlooking a fabulous view of the Mediterranean Sea.
This palace has a royal elevator.
The Montazah Gardens: the palace is surrounded by lush gardens with a Victorian bridge. It is 3000 meters wide and houses a huge selection of rare trees and plants.
King Farouk Tea Kiosk: this kiosk is located in the gardens of Montazah Palace. It was opened in 2020 to the public for the first time ever, as you will be able to enjoy having your brunch as a king while seeing the sea.
The Egyptian architect Mustafa Pasha Fahmy designed this kiosk and built it in 1936. It is built in the Roman style, as there are four statues depicting women who symbolize the four seasons of the year.
