Intervention Retrofitting and Rehabilitation of Al-Gawhara Palace at the Saladin Citadel, Cairo, Egypt
- 1 Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- 2 Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Al-Gawhara Palace also known as Bijou Palace is located in the south of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Saladin Citadel in Cairo (Figure 1 and Figure 2). It was commissioned and constructed by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1814. Al-Gawhara Palace is one of the most famous historical royal palaces in Egypt and the most important modern architectural heritage that reflects an important historical period of the Egyptian modern history—the period of the rule of the family of “Muhammad Ali Pasha”. The causes of structural deficiency of the palace could be attributed to many reasons and actions, mainly due to the earthquakes and seismic events (in particular the Dahshuor earthquake, in October 1992), degradation of drainage and feeding systems leading to water leakage, lack of awareness of the palace values, deterioration resulting from the use of old government agencies and the conflicts among authorities supervising historical buildings. The present study includes many phases: 1) the significance of the original building from the circumstances and date of construction; 2) detailed studies of the architectural features and design of the building as well as construction type, methods and techniques of construction; 3) characterization of the construction and building materials; 4) stability analysis of the structure under static and the impact of seismic loadings; 5) engineering measures for intervention retrofitting of the palace (this pilot study presents the main design studies for intervention retrofitting and the rehabilitation and re-employment of Al-Gawhara Palace, started from the static monitoring, old and modern documenting of the current state of preservation thorough the strengthening project implementation; 6) the study also presents the reuse designs to convert the palace to be a national museum, for the purpose of preserving it by proposing the best means to apply the correct principles and criteria for reuse and employment in a manner that preserves its value through the functions that fit these deficiencies, and the appropriateness of the present function of the value of minors.
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