Prime Minister Visits Restoration Project of Edfeina Royal Palace

Prime Minister Visits Restoration Project of Edfeina Royal Palace.

During his visit to Beheira Governorate today, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister of Egypt, inspected the restoration project of the royal palace in Edfeina village, part of the Rashid Center.

The Prime Minister received a briefing on the ongoing restoration works and praised this historic site, noting its unique architectural style and emphasizing the importance of maximizing its potential as a tourist attraction.

Dr. Hisham El-Lithi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the palace is registered as part of Islamic and Coptic antiquities. It is located on the western bank of the Nile River, northeast of Edfeina village in Beheira Governorate. The palace’s design incorporates elements from various ancient architectural styles.

The construction of the palace began during the reign of Khedive Abbas Hilmi II and was completed in two additional phases under King Ahmed Fouad I and later King Farouk.

From a viewing point overlooking the project, Dr. El-Lithi detailed the architectural design of the palace. He noted that it consists of a three-wing structure shaped like an ‘L’, surrounded by rare trees and gardens. Each wing contains three floors; the ground floor (basement) houses several rooms designated for kitchens and food storage, while the first floor, known as “Salamlek,” was used for receptions and royal offices. The second floor, referred to as “Haramelek,” included rooms for the king and his family.

The Secretary-General further mentioned that the palace has a main entrance located on its western side facing the Rashid-Damanhur road, leading to a longitudinal corridor that ends at the eastern side with the palace buildings and gardens. Additionally, there is a river port established at the beginning of its construction during Khedive Abbas Hilmi II’s era, which overlooks the Nile’s shore (Rashid branch) along the eastern facade of Abbas Hilmi II’s wing. The port features three entrances with the central one being primary, while a unique octagonal fountain is situated north of King Fouad I’s wing amidst the palace gardens.