Draft:Fouda Tower
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| Fouda Tower | |
|---|---|
 Fouda Tower seen in the background behind the Cairo Tower in February 2020 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Incomplete |
| Type | Hotel |
| Location | Cairo, Egypt |
| Opening | Unknown |
| Height | |
| Roof | 545 ft (166 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 50 |
| Design and construction | |
| Developer | Khaled Fouda |
Fouda Tower, also known as Zamalek Tower, is an unfinished skyscraper hotel located in the Zamalek district of Cairo, Egypt.[1] At 166 m (545 ft) tall, it is currently the tallest building in Cairo and the second-tallest structure in the city after the Cairo Tower, which stands 187 m (614 ft) tall. Originally planned as a 450-room luxury hotel, construction of the building was halted in the early 1980s primarily due to an unending series of bureaucratic obstacles, permit battles, and lawsuits that followed the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981.[2] The project was never completed and remained abandoned for decades due to the lack of a private garage.[3] As of 2025, the building remains incomplete. In February 2025, the Morshedy Group acquired the long-abandoned Fouda Tower in Zamalek from a state-owned bank for EGP 2.5 billion. The developers announced plans to convert the 50-story skyscraper into a high-end mixed-use residential and hotel complex.[4]
History
[edit]The tower was envisioned in the 1970s by developer Khaled Fouda, aiming to establish a 450‑room luxury hotel as part of a broader "New Manhattan" project on Zamalek, symbolizing modern Cairo and national ambition. The construction of the skyscraper began during that decade with official permits—but crucially, without provisions for a parking garage.[5] Before work was halted, the skyscraper had been topped out at its full height of 166 m (545 ft), making it the tallest building in Egypt at the time.
Following the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981, the project lost momentum and construction was halted shortly thereafter. Authorities deemed the absence of a private garage a major obstacle, considering the severe traffic congestion expected in the densely populated Zamalek district. Proposals over subsequent decades to address the issue—including building an underground garage beneath the nearby El Gezira Sporting Club, repurposing surrounding villas, or incorporating a police station—were all rejected by municipal authorities.[6][7]
The unfinished structure became colloquially known among residents as Cairo’s first skyscraper and a haunting landmark on the city’s skyline. It has been featured in documentaries and journalistic accounts as a symbol of stalled modernist aspirations.[8]
In February 2025, the Morshedy Group acquired the tower from a state-owned bank in a deal valued at EGP 2.5 billion.[9] The developer announced plans to redevelop the structure into a high-end mixed-use residential and hospitality complex, with a parking solution on an adjoining 4,000 m² plot. While detailed plans remain under development, the acquisition was widely reported as a potential revival of the long-abandoned landmark.[10]
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- [1] Archived 2025-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
References
[edit]- ^ "Fouda Tower Information". Egyptian Architecture Archive. Archived from the original on 2025-01-22. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
- ^ Kreitner, Richard (October 6, 2015). "October 6, 1981: President Anwar Al-Sadat of Egypt Is Assassinated in Cairo". The Nation. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ "أعضاء نادي الجزيرة بعد إلغاء جراج برج فودة: قرار حكيم احتراما لرفض المجتمع". الصفحة الأولى (Safha1). 9 October 2024. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ^ "Abandoned Zamalek Skyscraper Bought for EGP 2.5 Billion". Cairo Scene. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ^ "عرض برج الزمالك المهجور للبيع.. و"الدستور" تكشف السبب الحقيقى لعدم تشغيله". Al-Dostor (in Arabic). 17 July 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ^ "مهجور منذ نصف قرن... القصة الكاملة لبرج الزمالك". Nabd (جريدة العقارية) (in Arabic). 9 January 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ^ زكريا, محمد (9 October 2024). "بعد إلغاء مقترح إنشاء الجراج.. القصة الكاملة لأزمة نادي الجزيرة وبرج فودة". Cairo24 (in Arabic). Retrieved 4 October 2025.
- ^ "This Egyptian Documentary Reveals the Secrets of Zamalek's Abandoned Tower". CairoScene. 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
- ^ "Morshedy Group acquires Zamalek Tower in EGP2.5B deal". Business Men. 2025-02-11. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- ^ "Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Morshedy's firm buys iconic Fouda Tower for $49.7 million". Billionaires.Africa. 11 February 2025. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
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