In the heart of Old Cairo, where layers of history converge on narrow alleyways and centuries-old architecture, remarkable restoration efforts have been breathing new life into three cultural gems that stand as testimony to Egypt’s rich historical and cultural diversity.

The Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Aqueduct, and the Babylon Fortress in Old Cairo are scheduled to be inaugurated soon by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli as part of the rehabilitation project of Historic Cairo and the government’s keeness to carry out development work while maintaining and protecting Egypt’s heritage.

The three monuments have undergone meticulous restoration work that not only rejuvenates their physical structures and preserves tangible pieces of Cairo’s history, but also rekindles the bonds of tolerance.

Over the years, the three edifices had begun to show signs of wear and tear. Cracked walls, faded frescoes, and dulled architectural elements had cast a shadow on their former glory, along with environmental dangers including air pollution, high subsoil-water levels, high levels of humidity, water leakage and damage caused by daily visitors.

Concerned by the deteriorating state of these invaluable historical treasures, conservators and archaeologists embarked on an ambitious restoration journey.

“Research, documentation, and planning all paved the way for a restoration programme that not only revitalises the structural integrity of the three monuments, but also honours their original design,” said Hisham Samir, assistant to the minister of tourism and antiquities for antiquities projects.

He added that the restoration work had been carried out according to the latest methods and every effort had been made to ensure that all original architectural features had been retained.

He said that the walls of the buildings have been reinforced and cleaned as part of the restoration project and the masonry cleaned and desalinated. Decayed parts of the wooden mashrabiya windows have been restored and replaced with similar ones. Wooden ceilings and decorative elements have also been restored and paintings retouched.

New lighting systems have been installed in the three buildings, giving them a dramatic look at night.

BEN EZRA SYNAGOGUE: The revival of the Ben Ezra Synagogue is more than just the restoration of a building made of bricks and mortar, as it also symbolises the enduring spirit of coexistence and harmony that has characterised Old Cairo for centuries.

In a world often divided along religious and cultural lines, the revitalised sanctuary stands as a living example of the capacity of different faiths to coexist and contribute to the rich mosaic of human heritage.

As visitors from around the world step through the doors of the restored synagogue, they will be able to witness not only a beautifully restored place of worship, but also Egypt’s desire to restore one of its distinguished examples of cultural heritage.

The synagogue holds an exceptional place in the tapestry of Cairo’s history. Legend has it that it stands on the spot where the infant Moses was found among the reeds that lined the Nile in antiquity. However, the history of the synagogue as a Jewish place of worship really begins in the ninth century CE, when it was purchased from the Christian community in Cairo.

Over the centuries, the synagogue has seen various challenges, from fire to political changes, yet its spiritual significance and architectural beauty have endured.

Abu Bakr Ahmed, chargé d’affaires for Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish antiquities at the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said that the synagogue was named after the Jewish religious scholar and philosopher Abraham Ben Ezra and stands next to the Coptic Museum, the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque, and the Hanging and St Sergius and Bacchus churches in the religious compound in Old Cairo.

It was originally a church known as the Al-Shammaain Church that the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church sold in 882 CE to the Jewish community. It was built in the basilical style, meaning that it is composed of three halls, the middle being the largest and tallest.

The central hall of the synagogue is surmounted by an octagonal dome. The sanctuary is on the east wall, which is also where the Torah case, made of wood inlaid with pearl and ivory, is located.

A few steps lead up to the marble pulpit, which lies at the centre of the Synagogue. The upper level is reserved for women and overlooks the prayer area. On its north side is the geniza, which was sealed and could only be reached through an aperture in its roof.

Every synagogue has a geniza, being a repository for old documents mentioning the name of God. Since it was impermissible to throw away texts or documents bearing the name of God, these were all once kept in genizas. The Ben Ezra Synagogue’s geniza was discovered in 1896, and its mediaeval and later contents were moved to the University of Cambridge in the UK for study and research.

BABYLON FORTRESS: The southern section of the Babylon Fortress located beneath the Hanging Church and known as the Amr Gate was restored after the completion of the first phase of the larger restoration project around the Coptic Museum in Old Cairo.

The façade of the fortress’s southern part has been cleaned of dust and bird droppings and any damaged blocks restored. A new lighting system has also been installed to highlight the beauty of the architecture and the original job for which it was constructed.

During the second century CE, the Roman emperor Trajan ordered the construction of a fortress to secure the Roman military units in the country and to be the first line of defence at the eastern gateway of Egypt. In the fourth century CE, the Roman emperor Arcadius restored, expanded, and strengthened the fortress.

According to Coptic scholar Morkos Semeka Pasha, the history of the Babylon Fortress extended until the Islamic conquest of Egypt. When Amr Ibn Al-Aas conquered Egypt in the seventh century CE, the Fortress fell into his hands after seven months of siege.

The fortress has an important strategic location that controls the desert road from the east to Cairo. It is also close to the Nile and controls the route to Upper and Lower Egypt. It was used as a base for soldiers in the event of protests or disorder. Stone from ancient Egyptian temples was used in its construction, and it was completed in brick.

Some accounts say that the name of the Fortress is inspired by the ancient city of Babylon, today in modern Iraq. The story dates back to when the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II defeated the Babylonians in antiquity, hoping to bring enslaved prisoners back to Egypt. However, the prisoners rebelled and built a fortress to defend themselves, calling that fortress Babylon.

There is also another name for the fortress, Wax Palace, which goes back to customs when Egypt was under Persian rule in the fifth century BCE. Centuries later at the beginning of each month, the towers of the fortress would be decorated with candles, so people could follow the sun’s movement from one tower to another.

AQUEDUCT: Leading to the Cairo Citadel, the aqueduct stands as testimony to the engineering skills of Egypt’s Islamic civilisations.

Its origins go back to the reign of Al-Nasser Salaheddin Al-Ayoubi (Saladin) in the 12th century CE, and it was renovated during the reign of the later Mameluke Sultan Al-Nasr Mohamed Ibn Qalawun in the early 14th century CE.

Sultan Qansuh Al-Ghuri built the wheels that bring water from the Nile into the aqueduct to serve the citadel, and the construction as a whole extends from the banks of the Nile to Sayeda Aisha Square close to the citadel. For centuries, the aqueduct was an engineering marvel, delivering water from the Nile to the citadel and ensuring that its inhabitants had access to this vital resource.

Beyond its architectural significance, the aqueduct also serves as a bridge between past and present. Its restoration is not just about preserving a piece of history, but is also about weaving the threads of ancient wisdom into the fabric of contemporary life. As the aqueduct comes back to life after its restoration, it serves as a reminder of the symbiotic relationship between human ingenuity and the environment, a lesson that resonates even more strongly in today’s world.

Samir said that the wooden waterwheels had been repaired as part of the restoration work and all encroachments on the walls and the surrounding areas removed. The stonework has been cleaned and dirt and soot removed. The woodwork and floors in the internal corridors have been restored, the stairs rehabilitated, and the area surrounding the monument upgraded.

The idea of building an aqueduct to carry water to the citadel goes back to Salaheddin Al-Ayoubi himself. A canal was constructed on top of a wall to convey water to the citadel by a series of waterwheels. The water flowed through the canal to the citadel, where it was used for drinking and irrigation.

During the Mameluke period when the population of the citadel expanded, Sultan Al-Nasr Mohamed Ibn Qalawun constructed a tower that contained four waterwheels on the banks of the Nile to increase the water flow to the citadel.

These waterwheels raised water up to a canal system located on top of a series of raised arches that were supported by large stone piers. The structure was designed to form a slope in order that it would connect with the earlier aqueduct.

Abu Bakr Ahmed of the SCA said that during the rule of the Mameluke Sultan Qaitbay, major renovation work to the Aqueduct was undertaken. During the reign of the Sultan Qansuh Al-Ghuri further restoration was done and the waterwheel tower renovated.

The system was developed, and water was pooled in the square at the foot of the citadel before being raised by waterwheels to cisterns inside it. The aqueduct was functional until the Ottoman period after 1517, but it fell into disuse during the French Expedition to Egypt under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte at the end of the 18th century, as the French soldiers blocked some of the arches and fortified the structure.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 31 August, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly