Welcome to one of the most opulent places in Cairo

The Manial Palace was built by Prince Mohammed Ali between 1901 and 1929. It’s an ode to the royal self-indulgence that’s as horrifying as it is awe-inspiring.

It’s Friday morning in Cairo. The line of people waiting outside the gate at the Manial Palace keeps getting longer, and the people are restless. “When will you let us in?” I ask the guard again. He tells me to keep waiting, still. Time is of the essence for a traveller in Cairo. It can drag or fleet depending on where you are and what you are doing. It is currently dragging because contrary to what Google tells me, the Palace isn’t open on Friday morning. And so we wait restlessly for noon and hope the visit will be worth standing at the gate for over an hour. The Manial Palace was built by Prince Mohammed Ali between 1901 and 1929 and is considered one of the most historic buildings in the city with six opulent buildings that include a mosque, a hunting museum, the prince’s residence, and a throne hall. The palace offers the kind of opulence that’s as horrifying as it is awe-inspiring.