Courtesy of the Grand Egyptian Museum
If nothing dazzles like ancient civilizations, there is something uniquely captivating about the pyramids of Egypt. “I can’t think of anywhere else on the planet that has a greater density of tangible history: more than 100 pyramids in the north, amazing temples in the south, and plenty of tombs and museums overflowing with artifacts in between,” Eric says. Moncapa, who customizes travel itineraries for private clients through his company TripScaper and previously lived in Cairo.
Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, but it is currently experiencing a tourism boom. The country welcomed a record 14.9 million international visitors last year; It expects to have 25,000 hotel rooms by the end of this year. It added a second airport – called the Sphinx – near the pyramids two years ago. The Mandarin Oriental is scheduled to open in the near future, and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, which already has two hotels in Cairo, will add a third hotel there in 2025 and another in Luxor in 2026. There are also several new Nile Cruises, from bohemian chic to ultra-luxury. , including the Yalla Nile Hotel by architect Tarek Shamma, who designed stores and homes for Christian Louboutin.
Courtesy of the Grand Egyptian Museum
Immersive exhibition in the museum.
Louboutin, who only learned as an adult that he was half-Egyptian, has a house in Luxor and a boat on the Nile. “I’ve always been interested in and drawn to Cairo, because it’s a city with a lot of energy, and that energy comes from the people, and the Egyptian people are very nice,” he says. But the biggest news in Egypt is the Grand Egyptian Museum, a billion-dollar architectural marvel located on a site of more than 120 acres on the Giza Plateau, near the Pyramids and about a 25-minute drive from Cairo. Described as “the largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilization,” it will reportedly display more than 100,000 artifacts in its exhibition space. If only visitors could see them all. The GEM, designed by Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects, is only partially open; The grand opening has been rumored for years and was postponed due to the pandemic and various local and global conflicts. Today visitors can book guided tours of the atrium, a towering space anchored by a colossal statue of Ramesses II that stands more than 43 feet tall and is more than 3,000 years old. The tour also includes the six-story Grand Staircase, which is lined with more than 60 artifacts, including royal statues and sarcophagi.
Courtesy of Mark Anthony Fox
Set Nefru is a meticulously restored ship that offers customized tours.
“We refer to it as a destination. It is a huge complex,” says Saida Al-Harkani, director of cultural programs at Legacy Development and Management, which won the government’s bid to run the museum. “It occupies only about 30% of the entire site,” she explains. “We have an auditorium, a cinema.” , art exhibition spaces, exhibition spaces, and shops representing the best Egyptian designers. You can come to shop, eat, watch a movie, watch a play, go to an art gallery, go to galleries and learn about ancient Egypt. The hotel building has been completed, but The operator has not yet been announced. The art world is taking more interest in Egyptian artists, both at home and abroad. The first edition of Art d’Egypte’s “Forever Is Now” event, created by French-Egyptian curator Nadine Abdel, debuted in 2021. Al-Ghaffar, in the presence of Pharrell Williams. The exhibition, which is held every fall at the Pyramids, attracted more than 800,000 visitors last year. This year, the Egyptian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which includes the works of artist Wael Shawky, was widely praised by critics, and was cited by some. As one of the best pavilion of the biennale, creating more buzz for the country as a destination for emerging arts.
Ivan Tereshchenko
Christian Louboutin house in Luxor.
Harkani says that the Greater Equality Movement, even in its not fully open state, has already boosted the local economy, as well as the country’s image and brand to the entire world. But perhaps more important is its impact on citizens. “[The GEM] “It revives Egyptians’ sense of pride in their culture and heritage, and connects them to their history,” she says. “If Egyptians are not proud of their culture, how will anyone else be?”
This article appears in the October 2024 issue of ELLE.
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Rima Souqi is a New York City-based journalist and producer whose bylines have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, HTSI, Galerie, Elle Decor, and many others. The Chicago native has authored several books, including the best-selling American Fashion Designers at Home (2010, CFDA/Assouline). Her travels have taken her to 43 countries, including Mexico, which remains an all-time favorite.
