Royal Jewelry Museum reflects how rich the family of Muhammad Ali Pasha and their extravagant living. This family ruled Egypt for 150 years, from 1805 to the Egyptian Revolution in 1952, from Muhammad Ali Pasha until Faruq I.
The history of Royal Jewelry Museum This building was the former palace owned by Princess Fatma El Zahraa, the granddaughter of the brother of Khedive Ismail and one of the descendants of Mohamed Ali Pasha. It was built in 1919 at 27 Ahmed Yahya Basha Street – Zezenia – Alexandria Governorate.
The palace is turned to be a museum in 1986. It is divided into ten halls displaying more than 11 thousand precious objects like gifts, pieces of jewelry owned by the royal family.
The design of this building The design of the building merges between the European and Islamic styles. Also, it distinguishes by the oil paintings, gilded and hand-painted ceilings, and glass panels drawn with scenes of Greek mythology that decorate many rooms of the palace.
The collection of the museum The museum displays possessions owned by members of family of Muhammad Ali Pasha.
The masterpieces in the museum
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- A diamond and emerald inlaid collar belongs to Mohamed Ali Pasha. This collar consists of 16 decorative motives, eight having the inscription “Mohammed Ali” while eight in the shape of a gold flower with diamonds.
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- A gold chessboard and the chess consisting of 32 pieces inlaid with 425 stones from diamonds and decorated with colored enamel. This collection belongs to King Farouk.
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- A gold binocular encrusted with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
- A collection of pocket watches belonging to members of family of Muhammad Ali Pasha.
Dazzling pieces of jewelry were designed and made especially by the greatest designers in Europe for the queens and princesses of family of Muhammad Ali Pasha.
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- A platinum tiara fixed with over 2.000 diamonds and white pearls belonging to Princess Shivakiar, wife of King Fuad I.
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- A platinum crown of Queen Farida, the wife of King Farouk, is inlaid with white and yellow diamonds.
- A brooch of princess Fawzia, the daughter of Fouad I and sister of King Farouk, from diamonds and gold.
Mohamed Ali family built a lot of palaces in Egypt:
- Some of it used as the headquarters of rule as Al Gawhara Palace in Citadel of Saladin, Abdeen Palace, and Ras Al-Teen Palace.
- Some were used for housing for the family members as Muhammad Ali Palace in Manial and Montazah Palace.
