The Museum of Islamic Ceramics Tucked Inside an Ancient Zamalek Palace

You’ve likely walked past it, admired its façade, perhaps even captured it in a fleeting photograph – yet have you ever truly questioned its presence? Tucked away behind the century-old trees of Gezira Street in Zamalek, the 1921 Palace of Prince Amr Ibrahim remains an architectural enigma to many. Beyond its ornate walls and graceful arches lies the Museum of Islamic Ceramics, a glazed repository of artistry and heritage.

As you stroll past, the palace’s ribbed, pointed dome emerges like a pearlescent mirage amid the dense greenery. Its architecture unfolds in a carefully orchestrated sequence – first, a stepped portico welcomes you, leading to a trio of arches that form an elegant transitional space. Here, a grand wooden door adorned with intricate arabesque carvings stands slightly ajar, inviting you into a realm where history and craftsmanship intertwine.

Stepping inside, you are met with the soaring expanse of a double-height atrium, its scale both imposing and inviting. At the far end, a grand piano stands in quiet poise before a glazed ceramic chimney, a striking focal point that anchors the space.

Each hall unfolds like a world unto itself, yet a unifying rhythm binds them – a division etched into the very walls. The lower half is adorned with glazed tiles, their surfaces alive with floral motifs in deep blues and verdant greens, echoing the intricate patterns found on Islamic ceramic plates and urns.

In contrast, the upper half of the wall is a continuous expanse of engraved plaster, its sandy beige surface a canvas of meticulous craftsmanship. Every carved detail murmurs of a bygone era, a time when architecture, art, and craftsmanship were inseparable threads in the fabric of creation. Above, the ceiling extends this narrative, its plasterwork delicately sculpted into cascading patterns, enveloping you in a soft floral sea of ornamentation.

Venturing further, you now stand beneath the palace’s dome, its surface alive with intricate carvings, stained-glass arched windows, and cascading muqarnas, each layer sculpting light into shadow. Suspended on the sides, on top of Carrara marble columns, a finely carved balcony juts out – a mystery in its own right. How does one reach it? The question lingers.

Through a narrow, dimly lit and carpeted staircase – discreetly tucked behind one of the doors on your right – you ascend to the upper floor, where the enigmatic hanging balcony awaits. The space unfolds around you, lined with glass cases in which ceramic artefacts stand in silent display, each inviting contemplation. This is where Persian-style ceramics reveal their refined forms and intricate glazes, their craftsmanship suspended in time.

Before descending, a warm glow from the far-right corner draws you in. It emanates from the Raqqa Ware room, dedicated to the Syrian ceramic tradition. Here, the space is imbued with a quiet opulence – furniture once belonging to Prince Amr Ibrahim rests in stately stillness, its golden embellishments, delicate wooden inlays and muted pale blues conjuring an air of regal elegance.

Photography Credit: Rana Gabr