Gezira (Cairo)
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Gezira is an island in the
Nile The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
, in central
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
,
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. The southern portion of the island contains the Gezira district, and the northern third contains the
Zamalek Zamalek ( , ''al zamalek'') is a ''qism'' (ward) within the West District (''hayy gharb'') in the Western Area of Cairo, Egypt. It is an affluent district on a man-made island which is geologically a part of the west bank of the Nile River, wit ...
district. Gezira is west of
downtown Cairo Downtown Cairo ( "middle of town") is the colloquial name given to the 19th-century western expansion of Egypt's capital Cairo, between the historic medieval Cairo, and the Nile, which became the commercial center of the city during the 20th c ...
and
Tahrir Square Tahrir Square (, ; ), also known as Martyr Square, is a public town square in downtown Cairo, Egypt. The square has been the location and focus for political demonstrations. The 2011 Egyptian revolution and the resignation of President of Egypt, ...
, connected across the Nile by four bridges each on the east and west sides, the
Qasr El Nil Bridge The Qasr el Nil Bridge (originally named ''Khedive Ismail Bridge'', Egyptian Arabic: Asr el Nil Bridge), is a historic swing bridge structure dating from 1931 which replaced the first bridge to span the Nile River in central Cairo, Egypt. It conne ...
, 15 May Bridge, Al-Gala'a Bridge and
6th October Bridge The 6th of October Bridge ( ) is an elevated highway in Cairo, the capital city of Egypt. The bridge and causeway crosses the Nile twice from the western bank suburbs, east through Gezira Island to Downtown Cairo, and on to connect the city to ...
. Under 19th century ruler
Khedive Ismail Isma'il Pasha ( ; 25 November 1830 or 31 December 1830 – 2 March 1895), also known as Ismail the Magnificent, was the Khedive of Khedivate of Egypt, Egypt and ruler of Turco-Egyptian Sudan, Sudan from 1863 to 1879, when he was removed at the ...
the island was first called "Jardin des Plantes" (French for "Garden of Plants"), because of its great collection of
exotic plants An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived ther ...
shipped from all over the world.


Landmarks

*
Cairo Tower The Cairo Tower (, ''Borg El-Qāhira'') is a free-standing concrete tower in Cairo, Egypt. At , it was the tallest structure in Egypt for 37 years until 1998, when it was surpassed by the Suez Canal overhead powerline crossing. It was the tallest ...
(1960), the tallest
concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...
structure in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, built near the Gezira Sporting Club. * Egyptian Opera House (1988), built near the Cairo Tower. *
El Sawy Culture Wheel El Sawy Culture Wheel () (transliterated: Sakkiat Al-Sawy) is a cultural center on Gezira Island in the Zamalek district on central Cairo, Egypt. Named after its founder and owner, Abdelmoniem El-Sawy, it is considered one of the most important cu ...
Centre (2003) (), located beneath 15 May Bridge in Zamalek, one of the most important cultural venues in Egypt. *
Gezira Sporting Club The Gezira Sporting Club (, Arabic transliteration, transliteration:''nādī al-ǧazyrah al-reyādī'') is the largest multi-sport facility in Egypt. It was founded in 1882 and was originally called Khedivial Sporting Club. It is located on th ...
(1882), the oldest club in Egypt. *
Al Ahly SC Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an List of football clubs in Egypt, Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional Association football, football team which curren ...
main branch, founded in 1907 by Omar Lotfi as a gathering place for student unions against the British Occupation.


Education

Schools on the island include: *
Lycée Français du Caire In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 14. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for students between ...
Zamalek Primary Campus * Pakistan International School Cairo in Zamalek * Previously, the
British International School in Cairo The British International School, Cairo (BISC) is a private British school in Beverly Hills, a compound within the 6th of October City, in Greater Cairo, Egypt. BISC was previously in Zamalek. It moved from its Zamalek location in September 200 ...
(BISC) in ZamalekHome
British International School in Cairo. 24 January 2001. Retrieved on 19 July 2018. "Our physical address is: 5 El Yemeni Street Zamalek Cairo Egypt"


Sports

Gezira Island is home to the basketball club Al Gezira Cairo, 2017 Champion of the
Egyptian Basketball Super League The Egyptian Basketball Premier League () is the top professional basketball division of the Egyptian basketball league system. Administered by the Egyptian Basketball Federation (EBBFED), it is contested by 16 teams, with the two lowest-placed te ...
.
Al Ahly SC Al-Ahly Sporting Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahly, is an List of football clubs in Egypt, Egyptian professional sports club based in Cairo, Egypt. The club is mainly known for its professional Association football, football team which curren ...
is located on Gezira island. The 1947 Grand Prix motor racing series included the Gezira Grand Prix, the only Grand Prix race staged in Egypt.


Gallery

File:CH-NB Photoglob-Wehrli EAD-WEHR-32043-B.tiff, Gezira (on the left) in 1904 File:Gardens of Gezira Island.jpg, El Gezira Gardens File:Egypt-2A-010 - Cairo (2217349050).jpg, Cairo Tower with Al-Gala Bridge File:Beauty Of Egypt.JPG, Southern Tip of Gezira Island Cairo, Nile River, Gezira Island, Egypt.jpg, El Gezira Tower


See also

* Zamalek district


References


External links

* * {{Islands of Egypt Districts of Cairo Geography of Cairo Islands of the Nile River islands of Egypt