EMIR TAZ PALACE

Built in 1352 by the son-in-law of the Mamluk sultan Mohammed Qalaoun, who never really lived in the place, because a plot drove him out of Cairo, and ended his days between Damascus and Jerusalem. The palace is divided into two parts, one in the west, which is less interesting, houses temporary exhibitions and was intended to serve as a common area, and the other in the east, where countless rooms of repeated magnificence follow one another. The inner courtyard is of superb dimensions. To the south, through a large arch, one reaches the entrance of the private hammam of the residence, made up of a dozen rooms with openwork domes, still containing the baths and marble seats. On the first floor, the maqead (summer terrace) is sumptuous, its painted wooden coffered ceiling is of great craftsmanship. Access through a back door to a paddle wheel that brought water from the lower cistern to the first floor; the well restored canalization system is interesting to observe. On the second floor, the main qaa is of perfect dimensions, its walls and ceiling still have their woodwork. It is interesting to go up to the terraces to have a view of the neighbourhood. The communal areas of the inner courtyard house a permanent exhibition on the history of Prince Taz, while the wash house houses a presentation of the restoration work on the site. Today, the palace is also a cultural centre that houses various exhibitions. It should be noted that at the beginning of the 19th century, it served as a school for girls: the first in the city!