El-Kobba Palace

The Dome Palace is considered the most magnificent royal palace of the Muhammad Ali dynasty. It was built by Khedive Ismail on the ruins of an old house owned by his father, Ibrahim Pasha. The construction process lasted for 6 years, from 1867 to 1872, and the wedding of Crown Prince Muhammad Tawfiq was the official opening. For the Dome Palace, the palace became forever associated with the lavish weddings of the royal family. The palace extends over an area of 190 acres, and became known as "the dome" in reference to an ancient building from the Mamluk era. The palace was swept by a lake that attracted many noble families and aristocrats for walks and hunting trips, and today its gardens are home to orchards and rare plants dating back to the era of Khedive Ismail.