117 Abbassia Street

This massive building, numbered 117 Abbassia Street and located at the intersection of Abbassia and Azim al-Dawla Streets, houses one of the Omar Effendi chain’s stores. Before the building was constructed, the site was occupied by the villa of the famous Wafd leader Fakhri Abdel Nour (1881 to 1942).

Fakhri Bey Abdel Nour was an Egyptian politician from Girga and one of the prominent leaders and revolutionaries of the 1919 Revolution.

When Fakhri Abdel Nour died, Mustafa Pasha el-Nahhas wanted to honor him by naming one of the streets in the Abbassia neighborhood where he had lived after him. It was proposed that Azim al-Dawla Street be renamed, but although el-Nahhas did not know who this Azim al-Dawla was, he said, “If this Azim al-Dawla was so great, how can we remove his name?” In the end, Granville Street was chosen. The Police School, now the Public Security Sector, was located there. Granville (1815 to 1891) had served several times as Britain’s Foreign Secretary during the nineteenth century. Since el-Nahhas opposed the English and their policies in Egypt, he considered it appropriate to change the street’s name to Fakhri Abdel Nour.
As the years passed, people forgot the 1919 Revolution, Granville, and Fakhri Abdel Nour. The Police School was moved, the villa was demolished, and this building took its place. Its business also declined, and it became almost empty of goods.

Night follows day and everything changes. All that remains is a vague memory of old events, revealed only to those who investigate them.

Location: Abbassia Street.