Alexandria yearns for lost elegance

Alexandria yearns for lost elegance

Alexandria, Egypt
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Along Fouad Street, modern retail brands near old buildings with Italian and French architecture reminds Egyptians that commercial ventures threaten to erase traces of Alexandria's aristocratic past.

Named after King Fouad I, who died in 1936, the street is a throwback to a time when the arts flourished in a cosmopolitan city that is now overcrowded and dilapidated like many of Egypt's urban centres.

At a car repair shop once used to service the monarch's vehicles, for example, mechanics work over cars from the 1930s and 1960s.

. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

Some, like architect and urban planning teacher Ahmed Hassan, are pushing to preserve some relics of the bygone era while keeping pace with growing businesses - the goal of his "Save Alex" initiative, launched in 2012.

"We aim to try to find a balance between civil society and profit-driven private sector to protect the heritage buildings from getting demolished," said Hassan.

"We want a system where all stake holders agree on a system to keep the heritage."

. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

In the past, the city founded by Alexander the Great and once considered the jewel of the Mediterranean, featured a fusion of communities - Greek, Italians, Armenians, Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Fouad Street is the most potent symbol of Alexandria's grand history, with its elegant villas and antique shops.

Sigma, a company with a branch that has been investing in heritage building, hopes to keep some of the magic of the past turning a profit at the same time.

CEO Laithy Mekawy was influenced by the three years he spent as an architect in Istanbul, where he observed the restoration of historic buildings.

. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

He turned a television company on the ground floor of the old Société Immobilière building, an 1928 Neo-Renaissance structure, into "L Passage", a food and cafes court with well known brands.

"I've always loved walking on a Friday morning on Fouad street," Laithy said, describing the weekend day in predominantly Muslim Egypt.

"The beauty of the old architectural buildings, the opera house and the arts centre have kept its beauty for years."

. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

Fouad is one of the oldest streets in Alexandria, featuring landmarks such as a centre that used to house the Mohamed Ali club - named for a past king - built near the British forces base in Alexandria during late 19th century.

On the other end of the long street is a statue of Alexander the Great, a present from the Greek government on the occasion of the opening of Bibliotheca Alexandria library and cultural centre.

. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

British novelist and travel writer Laurence Durrell, author of The Alexandria Quartet, lived on the street, as did Greek poet Constantine Cavafy.

After the Free Officers toppled the monarchy in 1952, multicultural communities that helped turn Alexandria into a modern city began fleeing, and the aristocracy had no place in the city among widespread nationalisations.

. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

Zahraa Awad, who gives special tours of Fouad street, recalls listening to her grandmother's stories about the Greek, Italian, French, Armenian, Jewish families who owned the Belle époque villas along Fouad street.

"I remember all the names, they represented the cosmopolitan atmospheres of Alexandria," she said.

"And in the evening when there's not much cars, you can always hear the piano coming out of the music school of the Conservatoire."

Hosny Olwi owns Amir photographic studio on Fouad Street. Many famous artists from the 1950s onward were photographed at the studio.

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Slideshow

A man walks past classical Greek style columns as he leaves Alexandria Opera House towards Fouad Street. The opera house, which was built by French architect G. Parcq between 1921 and 1929, was inspired by Viennese opera houses.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

A man walks past classical Greek style columns as he leaves Alexandria Opera House towards Fouad Street. The opera house, which was built by French architect G. Parcq between 1921 and 1929, was inspired by Viennese opera houses.

A man sits in a security booth at the Nile company for medicine on Fouad Street. The building was previously a bank owned by the Jewish Egyptian-Greek businessman Youssif Adda and is located in an area that used to be known as the Greek-Jewish quarter of the city.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

A man sits in a security booth at the Nile company for medicine on Fouad Street. The building was previously a bank owned by the Jewish Egyptian-Greek businessman Youssif Adda and is located in an area that used to be known as the Greek-Jewish quarter of the city.

A woman gets into a yellow and black cab in front of L-Passage food hall on Fouad Street.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

A woman gets into a yellow and black cab in front of L-Passage food hall on Fouad Street.

Nubar Ghazarian helps customers at the family's shoe shop on Fouad Street. Some older customers come all the way from Cairo to buy shoes from the store, which has belonged to the Ghazarian family since 1936.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

Nubar Ghazarian helps customers at the family's shoe shop on Fouad Street. Some older customers come all the way from Cairo to buy shoes from the store, which has belonged to the Ghazarian family since 1936.

A man sits in front of an old building next to a shop that is being renovated on Fouad Street.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

A man sits in front of an old building next to a shop that is being renovated on Fouad Street.

The Zogheb Palace, originally owned by a Syrian-Italian family and built in 1877, is one of the oldest building on Fouad Street. The building, currently unoccupied, has also been used as a court and a school.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

The Zogheb Palace, originally owned by a Syrian-Italian family and built in 1877, is one of the oldest building on Fouad Street. The building, currently unoccupied, has also been used as a court and a school.

Pictures of King Farouk, son of King Fouad of Egypt (L), and Queen Farida, the first wife of King Farouk (R) hang on a wall at an educational centre on Fouad Street.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

Pictures of King Farouk, son of King Fouad of Egypt (L), and Queen Farida, the first wife of King Farouk (R) hang on a wall at an educational centre on Fouad Street.

A 1955 Ford standard Bird and a 1968 Mercedes are worked on at a car repair shop, which used to service the monarch's vehicles, on Fouad Street.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

A 1955 Ford standard Bird and a 1968 Mercedes are worked on at a car repair shop, which used to service the monarch's vehicles, on Fouad Street.

An owner of an antiques shop sits in his store in Fouad Street. Since many of the international residents of the area left their villas and houses in the mid 20th century, the street has become known for its antique shops.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

An owner of an antiques shop sits in his store in Fouad Street. Since many of the international residents of the area left their villas and houses in the mid 20th century, the street has become known for its antique shops.

Young people sit at a public coffee shop by an old building near Fouad Street.
. Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters/Asmaa Waguih

Young people sit at a public coffee shop by an old building near Fouad Street.

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