Ras el–Tin Palace, is located at the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in Alexandria, Egypt. It was a royal a palace, and is one of the official residences for a serving President of Egypt. Ras el–Tin Palace is the oldest royal Egyptian palace still in use.
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The palace has a long historical breadth across Egyptian royalty. It is one of few palaces in Egypt that witnessed the early 19th century initiation by Muhammad Ali Pasha (r. 1805-1848) of the long Muhammad Ali Dynasty. It is also where the last royal, King Farouk, signed his 1953 abdication and departed from Egypt in exile.
A number of foreign architects and engineers were commissioned by Muhammad Ali for the design and construction of the palace. [1] Building activities began in 1834, taking eleven years to complete the original design in 1845. Complementary work and construction of additional wings continued two more years until 1847, when it was officially inaugurated.
Ras el–Tin Palace has the shape of a large Italian Renaissance castle, with architectural elements and ornamentation inspired by that era. It was erected on a foundation size of 17,000-square-metre (4.2-acre), surrounded by elaborate gardens of 12 feddans (13 acres). Fig trees (Arabic - teen) were already on the palace site, inspiring its name Ras Al-Teen. Through the reign of successive kings the complex was used as their residence and the government headquarters during the summer season.
Various rulers made changes to the palace. It was totally reconstructed by King Fuad I in the 1920s, with modern services and redecoration making it similar to the opulent Abdeen Palace (built 1863), the larger royal complex in central Cairo. The redesign and construction was overseen by the Italian engineer Veroci.[2] The palace included a swimming pool with a large attached glass pavilion hall.
After World War II King Farouk had a marine pool built on the Mediterranean breakwater. The pool was linked to Ras Al-Teen with a narrow and long paved lane atop the breakwater, with a jeep used to pass through waves breaking over it. The adjacent pool house included a sitting room, bed chamber, fully equipped small kitchen, and rooms for staff and storing recreation and fishing gear.
Ras Al-Teen is used as a naval base and for hosting state guests and events in recent years. There is no public museum or grounds access, unlike the Montaza Palace royal gardens and museum, also in Alexandria.
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