Egypt’s tanneries complex gets revamp, to be turned into tourist, cultural hub
The old tannery complex is located inside Magra El-Oyoun Fence, which is a historical site dating back to the Mamluk era.
“It is way better than before,” said Abdel Hameed Harb, a tannery worker, referring to the relocation of all tannery workshops and factories to an eastern Cairo neighborhood.
Harb is among hundreds of tannery workers who have been relocated as part of a government plan to turn its decadeslong tannery complex into a tourist and cultural hub. The old tannery complex is located inside Magra El-Oyoun Fence, a historical site dating back to the Mamluk era. It was built during the era of Sultan Al-Ghuri in the early 16th century.
Harb is now located in Robbiki, a neighborhood in eastern Cairo where workshops and factories are well equipped, which he said are "very different from the old dilapidated workshops."
On Feb. 19, the Egyptian government announced the completion of removing all tanneries in the area. The construction of the cultural hub in the area will be carried out in two phases. The first stage will take two years and the second stage will be completed within 5 years.
