Seen in Downtown Cairo: Before-and-after photos of the Egyptian Railways Engineering Building document the final days of the famous 100-plus-year-old headquarters in Ramses Square — from its preparation for demolition, to the demolition itself, and finally its disappearance to make way for the widening of the October Bridge.
Constructed in 1908, the building was officially listed as architecturally significant under Law 144 of 2006, which protects structures of historical and aesthetic value.
However, in May 2024, the Ministry of Housing issued a decree removing several properties in western Cairo from that protected list, including the Egyptian Railways headquarters at 6 El-Galaa Street.
In 2026, it was fully demolished. I took photos of it in those days, if not months.
It was another long battle lost in the war to preserve Greater Cairo's architectural heritage.
At times, it feels like a lost cause.
Yet heritage activists continue to fight through every available legal channel and tool.
I remember seeing an online presentation to save this building by architect Salem Mostafa, who works with the government on the restoration of Downtown Cairo and historic areas such as Attaba and its iconic Tiring Building.
Yet, it fell on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir openly boasted about demolishing the building, arguing that the needs of the living outweigh those of the dead.
Needless to say, this may seem like a minor issue compared to his ministry's contribution to Egypt's growing public debt.
Ironically, the building was demolished while a new neo-classical multi-storey commercial complex was being constructed right beside it.
This loss hurts because, for decades, I was accustomed to seeing the building from the October Bridge on my way to eastern Cairo. It was one of those landmarks that quietly became part of the city's rhythm.
It is also one of the reasons why I rarely post photos of old buildings, historic neighborhoods, gardens, or cemeteries in Egypt. Sometimes it feels as though there is no point in standing in front of the bulldozer currently sweeping across the country.
And it is not only Cairo. The same story unfolds in Tanta, Port Said, Assiut, Sohag, Alexandria, and elsewhere.
This is not about change or modernity. It is about a mindset that believes in the "Dubaification" of Egypt — a vision that often values new construction over memory, identity, and heritage.
Yet despite all these losses, I still hold on to hope that one day Egypt will be saved from this ugly machine of greed and erasure.
I have been following efforts in Eastern Europe to reconstruct pre-World War II classical buildings that were once thought lost forever. Those projects give me hope.
I pray that I will live to see something similar happen in Egypt. Realistically, it seems impossible today, but the people of Eastern Europe once thought the same.
Maybe, one day, someone will rebuild the Egyptian Railways Engineering Building.
Inshallah.
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