Waheed Al-Mardinli wanted to be buried beside his grandfather, Mohamed Fadel al-Daramalli, who was a 19th-century pasha in Cairo—a high rank in the political and military system during the Ottoman Empire. He ruled Upper Egypt during the reign of Khedive Ismail.
Today, al-Daramalli’s body rests in a colorful marble mausoleum, inscribed with ornate Arabic calligraphy, built in 1868 inside the vast funerary complex known as the City of the Dead in Cairo. In particular, his grave is in the cemetery of Imam al-Shafi’i, the founder of the school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence that bears his name, who was buried there a thousand years earlier in 820 AD.
Founded in the 7th century, the City of the Dead has seen the burial of countless remarkable individuals throughout Cairo’s history. This necropolis stands as a testament to the rise and fall of eras and kingdoms and it is part of the area officially known as Historic Cairo, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For thousands of years, the City of the Dead has continuously expanded, now covering over 6 square kilometers — equivalent to the size of 840 soccer fields. In the last century, rapid urbanization in Cairo has led to uncontrolled development, manifesting as informal settlements around this vast necropolis. Some residents, particularly in the Imam al-Shafi’i district, have moved in to address housing shortages, while others continue to bury their loved ones in family mausoleums.
However, the government of Cairo had different plans for Al-Mardinli’s family. Last April, the city’s governor ordered a ban on burials in certain areas of the necropolis because they were slated for demolition to expand a key roadway linking different parts of the city. This construction would cut through the graveyard, demolishing many historical mausoleums, including that of Al-Mardinli’s grandfather.
Angered by this decision, Al-Mardinli, who was in his late 70s, filed a lawsuit against the plans and posted the documents on the outer wall of the mausoleum for public view. He personally scolded construction workers who entered the site and encouraged others to stand atop the threatened graves of their deceased relatives.
Sadly, Al-Mardinli’s efforts could not overcome Cairo’s ambitious development plans. He passed away from natural causes in June, and his lifelong wish remained unfulfilled; he was laid to rest at a site nearly 7 kilometers away.
***
The demolition of some areas of the City of the Dead is part of the Egyptian government’s national plan to build population centers outside the crowded capital, Cairo. This initiative, which began ten years ago, has revamped cities and roadways, constructing over 6,300 kilometers of new roads and 945 bridges across the country.
Cairo officials often cite the new roadways as a major success story, stating that improved infrastructure has enhanced connectivity and alleviated congestion in the crowded metropolis. The Egyptian government claims to have jumped 100 places in global rankings for road quality, moving from 118th in 2015 to 18th in 2024. According to the Prime Minister, better roads have resulted in a 28.6% decrease in car accident fatalities since 2016.
Meanwhile, this ambitious plan has attracted the attention of UNESCO. In 2013, the then-Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, visited Cairo to discuss threats to archaeological sites in Egypt listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, particularly Dahshur in Giza and Tell Al-Amarna in Minya, which were affected by urban sprawl and ongoing construction.
In 2023, the Egyptian government formally requested that UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee reduce the borders of Historic Cairo. This area was developed between the Muslim conquest in 641 AD and the city’s modern expansion in the 19th century during Khedive Ismail’s rule, and it includes the historic necropolis of the City of the Dead. Its cobblestone streets and grand mosques adorned with intricate arabesque patterns are a testament to the golden era when Cairo was at the center of an Islamic Renaissance between the 10th and 13th centuries.
Described as a “unique World Heritage Site,” the UNESCO Committee refused to respond to the request and expressed concern about the construction of roads cutting through the northern and southern historic cemeteries of Historic Cairo. They requested “urgent technical information” regarding any major projects in the historic area and noted that “the legal framework for the demolition of protected monuments remains unclear.”
“Historic Cairo was defined based on several criteria, including its connection to various events and periods of rule that shaped its architectural heritage,” said Abdel Rahim Rihan, a professor of Islamic archaeology and media director for the Arab Antiquities Council. “The demolition of these graves [in the City of the Dead], which possess architectural and artistic value linked to individuals integral to Cairo’s modern and contemporary history, creates a void in Egypt’s national memory. These graves are part of the urban fabric of Historic Cairo.”
***
In 2019, volunteers began documenting the graves in the City of the Dead and creating an informal record of the area. However, as demolitions increased around 2021, they have raced against time to photograph historic graves before they are destroyed. “We’re discovering tombstones that are 1,200 years old by chance during demolitions,” said Ibrahim Tayea, a historical researcher and member of the Egyptian Society for Historical Studies.
Tayea, who grew up in Sohag—450 kilometers south of Cairo—moved to the capital three years ago due to his strong interest in documenting the City of the Dead’s rich funerary architecture. He regularly visits the City of the Dead and posts descriptions and stories of historic graves on a Facebook page called Cemeteries of Egypt.
He is often accompanied by photographer Mohamed Abdel Malek and Mustafa Al-Sadek, a heritage specialist who runs the Facebook group Safeguard Historic Cairo’s Cemeteries. Together, they tour historic areas, looking for signs of demolition. Last year, they started noticing red “X” marks painted on the graves of historically significant figures, which indicated to bulldozers that these graves were to be knocked down.
Since 2023, other volunteers have been trying to salvage what they can from the graves, digging through half-demolished ones to look for artifacts and documenting everything in the process. When they spot significant artifacts under threat, they “alert the bulldozer drivers before demolishing,” said Abdel Malek. Volunteers, such as archaeologist Hossam Abdel Azim, then transport these pieces to a state-run antiquities office located close to the Imam Al-Shafi’i graveyard, where authorities assess their historic value.
Hossam Abdel Azim is the founder of the nonprofit initiative “Egyptian Tombstones,” which he started in 2021 to clear historic sites of debris. Now, Azim and his team focus on selecting and documenting graves that possess unique architectural design, artistic value, and historical significance. They employ costly 3D laser scanning technology to capture the details of these artistic sites. Recently, Azim cataloged the courtyard of Ali Pasha Fahmy, a prominent leader during the 1881 Urabi Revolution, preserving the centuries-old artwork of the mausoleum which now faces demolition.
So far, volunteers have rescued 24 archaeological relics, including tombstones that date back thousands of years. Some of these artifacts have been transferred to Cairo’s Islamic Museum for safekeeping. In some cases, volunteers have personally transported artifacts in their own vehicles to the antiquities office. “I’ve moved tombstones that are over 1,200 years old,” Abdel Malek stated. Recently, they rescued parts of the courtyard and water fountain from a tomb built by Prince Ibrahim Helmy 120 years ago, just before government bulldozers were set to destroy it.
In 2023, photos and videos of heritage sites being demolished circulated on social media, sparking outrage among residents. In response, Egypt’s government formed a committee of archaeological and engineering experts to evaluate how to preserve the City of the Dead, considering the potential relocation of some historic mausoleums.
Committee reports indicated that constructing roads through the City of the Dead would not significantly ease traffic issues, estimating that the demolitions would only “save 2 to 2.5 minutes in commuting time.” The committee concluded that existing roads were sufficient to alleviate traffic, recommending that demolitions should be stopped altogether. Unfortunately, their advice has largely been ignored. “We made a decision to stop the demolitions, but what happened on the ground was completely different,” a committee member, who wished to remain anonymous, told local media. “We sought an alternative solution, but the government unilaterally decided on demolition, especially concerning Imam Al-Shafi’i and Al-Suyuti,” Tayea noted, referring to two main mausoleums that face the threat of destruction.
For the volunteers, the challenge is immense. There is simply too much to document and save, while not enough people are willing to volunteer their time and effort to document each grave individually. Many lack the expertise and equipment required for such tasks. Experts estimate the number of graves in the City of the Dead could reach hundreds of thousands or even millions. Volunteers often face tough decisions about which graves to prioritize, as many remain undocumented.
Additionally, Egypt’s stringent security measures complicate their volunteer efforts. Archaeologist Azim must be granted an official permission from the authorities to continue working at the Imam Al-Shafi’i graves. Photographing sites before their demolition can be quite challenging too. “The biggest obstacle to documenting these locations is the security personnel who prevent us from taking pictures,” said Adel Malek. He stores his photos on six different devices, uploads them to his Facebook account, and creates three backups to guard against technical issues like hacking or malfunctions.
“Photography helps preserve the memory of a place,” explained Abdel Azim. “If the site is demolished or something happens, the image remains, allowing the memory to live on.”
This piece was published in collaboration with Egab.
