The monumental bridge of Mohamed Ali, built in 1824 over Al-Qanater Al-Khayriya barrage in Al-Qalubiya district, is safe and sound despite being hit by a bomb explosion last night.
Mohamed Abdel Latif, head of the Islamic antiquities department at the ministry of antiquities, told Ahram Online that the bridge is very well preserved except of four windows located on its side wall.
The windows, he explained, are small open niches on the side wall of the bridge used by pedestrians to stand on and freely admire the Nile or the water of the barrage.
He continued to say that the windows are partly damaged and the explosion made holes of 50x30cm in diameter in each one.
"The most destructed window is the one near the explosion and it needs an immediate intervention in order to prevent its collapse," asserted Abdel Latif, adding that scaffolding will be installed immediately to hold it until the beginning of a comprehensive restoration work which will begin within two days.
The other three windows are in a better condition but need restoration, Abdel Latif explained.
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