Summary
- The Gayer Anderson Museum, situated near Cairo’s Ibn Tulun Mosque, is named after Major R.G. Gayer Anderson Pasha, who resided there from 1935 to 1942.
- It comprises two ancient residences showcasing exquisite 17th-century Cairo architecture and a collection of carpets, furniture, and artifacts.
- Established in 1937, the museum combines the Beit Amna Bent Salim (1540) and Beit El-Kiridiliya (1632), preserving Islamic monuments cleared by the Egyptian government in 1928.
- Gayer Anderson’s career spanned military and administrative roles in Egypt before retiring in 1924 to focus on Oriental studies and Egyptology.
- The house is associated with legends, believed to be built on ancient remnants, and holds a well with mystical properties.
- The museum, managed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, enforces strict regulations for preservation.
- It boasts a stunning gallery featuring diverse artifacts and rooms, making it a must-visit during an Egypt vacation, offering guided tours for an enriching experience.
This is a wonderful art museum that is located in the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood adjacent to the Ibn Tulun Mosquein Cairo. It was named after Major R.G. Gayer Anderson Pasha, who resided at the house from 1935 to 1942 with permission from the Egyptian government. His house in the museum is considered the best-preserved example of the bewitching 17th-century architecture that was left in Cairo and also for the incredible objects, carpets, furniture, and everything inside.
Gayer Anderson Museum was established in 1937 based on two ancient residences which are The Beit Amna Bent Salim from 1540 and The Beit El-Kiridiliya from 1632. You will find inside the museum the private collection of the major in addition to lots of precious carpets, glassware, silks, Arab costumes, and furniture.
Gayer-Anderson Museum History
The majestic Bayt Al Kritiliyya is one of the most magnificent examples of incredible Muslim domestic architecture in the golden city of Cairo. The house is known to date all the way to the Mamluk period, around 1631 AD, which was constructed by Hagg Mohamed Salem Galmam el-Gazzar. It is made of two marvelous houses where Ibn Tulun mosque’s outer wall was used as a form of support. The bigger house is found on the far east side, which was constructed around 1632 AD by an order from Hajj Mohammad ibn al-Hajj Salem ibn Galman al-Gazzar. Then its ownership was transferred to a rich Muslim lady called Crete, which explains why the house became known as the House of the Cretan Woman “Beit al-Kritliyya“. The second house found on the far western was created by Abdel-Qader al-Haddad around 1540 AD which late on was known as “Beit Amna bint Salim“. Again, the two amazing houses were merged by a great bridge across the 3rd floor, thus forming the current shape of the house museum which became known as Bayt al-Kritliyya.
The creation of private homes across the great outer wall of the mosque was seen as a common practice. The Egyptian government in 1928 began to clear all the homes that were in poor condition in order to make space dedicated to the preservation of all the other significant Islamic monuments while making them more accessible. The rise of the museum came around 1935 AD by the hand of Major Gayer Anderson who was a self-described orientalist and a retired art collector who was given permission to leave the house after it was completely restored. He furnished the entire house with his entire collection of artifacts after he installed the house with the most modern plumbing and electricity plus he resorted the entire interior of the house-museum plus all the pavements and the fountains. The house and all of its content in 1942 was transformed into a museum by an order gayer-anderson who became ill and had to lead the country.
Who is Gayer Anderson Pasha?
Gayer Anderson joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1904, and then he joined the Egyptian Army in 1907. He was promoted in 1914 and became a Major, and in the same year, he became an Assistant adjutant General for recruiting in the Egyptian Army.
Gayer retired from the army in 1919, and he became the senior inspector in the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior. After that, he became the secretary of the British Residency in Cairo. Finally, he retired in 1924, and he spent the rest of his life in Egypt trying to expand his interests in Oriental studies and Egyptology.
Legends Attached to that House
There are some amazing legends that are closely associated with the house of Gayer Anderson, including:
The House was built on the remnants of an ancient mountain called “Gebel Yashkur,” and it is believed that the Ark of Noah rested there after the Deluge. It is believed that that house was built on the spot where Moses was spoken to by God.
His house and his small sailing boat were protected by Haroun El-Husseini, who had actually been buried under one corner of the house. It is believed that the well of the house has some miraculous qualities, and if a lover looked into it, he wouldn’t see his reflection, but instead, he would see his beloved reflection.
The Apartments inside Gayer’s House
The House Museum has a magnificent and truly enchanting architectural design on both the exterior and interior. The house museum is divided into the guest house Salamlik and the Haramilk, which acted as a center for all the family residences and provided an exclusive entrance for all the family members, close friends, honored guests, and the master.
The house contains five main entrances, each with its own goal, as there is an entrance for the ladies, the garden, and the guests of honor. The amazing court is known for its marble floor that acts as a central hub for the entire house. The haremlik has amazing windows that open to the courtyard, plus a staircase that connects it to the family residence.
The courtyard contains a 15 m deep wall known as the Bats’ Well, also known as Bier El-Watawit. The reception room of the maqam has a gateway open to the outdoors, which is adorned with brass bowls that date all the way between the 14th and 17th centuries. It also has a marvelous pathway called a traditional “Durkah” where all guests can remove their shoes before entering the house.
The haremlik has the beautiful Qa’a which is the space where the marble tables are known to take center stage. The room is incredibly adorned with marvelous flowers, fruits, and beverages that follow a great, rich tradition. It is part of a holy carpet made of green silk. The service room stands out with all of its cupboards and well-crafted dresses inspired by marvelous Turkish styles. The safe room, or the Khazna, is found between the women’s and men’s quarters. It is known to be the place for preparing coffee and contains a number of miniature Persian paintings.
The great harem room is supported by 4 great columns and beautiful windows on all sides containing epic cupboards from the incredible Persian Teheran palace. Above the magic well is the secret chamber where people hide themselves and objects during times of danger. The main stairs are not typical of Islamic architecture as these stairs are only found in houses like this one.
The main stair walls are decorated with Persian Kashan, which are velvet prayer hangings. The small reading room has a magnificent Islamic design window seat and shelves. Across the walls are decorations of a Chinese flower painting on rice paper. The writing room has become known as the museum’s curator’s office and study held long benches and tables which possessed various ancient Egyptian writings and drawings across the walls.
The magnificent flat roof of the house was transformed into a magical roof garden which was surrounded by Mashrabias that carry incredible Christian symbols like the cross. The phenomenal Persian room contains objects dating from the later Persian age. The Byzantine or Bridge Room is known to connect the Byzantine room, which showcases a marvelous collection of epic Christian objects.
The ancient Egyptian room has a number of extraordinary ancient Egyptian artifacts, which include a magnificent map of Egypt engraved on an ostrich egg, a bronze Ancient Egyptian cat adorned with gold earrings, and a gold & black mummy case from the 18th century BC. The Mohamed Ali Room is a beautiful ottoman apartment that contains green and gold decorated walls, furnished with great Rococo-period furniture like an exquisite throne chair. The room is home to two portraits, an Istanbul harem toy, and a mechanical singing bird located within a cage.
The Damascus room was made around the 17th century. The room has three windows with three sides and cupboard doors on the fourth that has an incredible ceiling inscribed with a magical poem that praises the prophet. The decorations in the Damascus room are highly colorful walls and candlesticks across the room.
Gayer Anderson Museum Rules
The entire museum is totally run and handled by the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The museum has a number of regulations and rules that everyone should follow in order to ensure the safety and preservation of all the architectural structures and historical artifacts of the museum.
These regulations include no touching any of the displayed works of art, not eating or drinking within the museum and in front of the artifacts, and no camera flash in order to provide the most safe environment. It is advised to hire a guided tour so everyone can move with ease and caution.
