A Walk Through the French Inspired Homes of Port Fouad

Founded in 1925 and named after King Fouad, the city of Port Fouad has often been referred to as the meeting point of the East and the West, and rightly so. Located on the east of Port Said and the Northern entrance of the Suez Canal, Port Fouad sits on the meeting point between the African and Asian continents, making it one of a precious few transcontinental cities in the world.

Like its sister city, Port Said, Port Fouad had a variety of architectural styles that shaped its urban fabric. Amidst its structures and gardens, a medley of colonial revival and craftsman styles take form and exude stories of the port city’s past.

Entered by a water ferry or a floating bridge, Port Fouad boasts a range of must-see destinations. Perhaps its most iconic features, and the most reminiscent of its colonial past, is its French-inspired homes that were arranged in harmony along its beautiful, tree-shaded boulevards.  In the early 20th century, an air of nostalgia compelled most architects of the time to look to the past for inspiration. Hence, Port Fouad was planned with a radial layout and designed with European styles along its various districts. In the garden city, old houses were constructed for the foreign employees of the Suez Canal.

Throughout the years, construction booms birthed unique blends of European city planning with architectural influences that are Islamic, Moorish and Arabian. While that is very much the case in a number of Egyptian cities, things took a much more unique form in public buildings in Port Said and Port Fouad alike.

The Port Fouad villas are characterized by a craftsman style of architecture. Low-pitched roofs are covered with coloured tiles that are predominantly red, and feature overhanging eaves with exposed roof rafters. They include make-believe columns in their corners while porches and board verandas are supported by large columns extending to the ground.

These unique yet simple facades construct a continuous arcade reaching out the Suez Canal, as Port Fouad’s Mediterranean architecture presents a unique amalgamation of visuals that sustain the authenticity of the city and call upon visitors to see it in person and reminisce over the past.

Photography Credit: Andrew Shenouda