We are pleased to announce the opening of the al-Imam al-Shafi’i Visitors’ Centre!

The al-Imam al-Shafi’i Visitors’ Centre project was inaugurated by his excellency Ahmed Issa, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Ambassador Beth Jones, Chargé d’Affairs at the US Embassy in Cairo on the 10th of October 2023. In the presence of SCA Secretary General Mostafa Waziry, Rafik Mansour, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and a number of senior officials.

The Visitors’ Centre offers an informative and engaging experience for visitors of all ages at the al-Imam al-Shafi‛i Dome. It celebrates the life of al-Imam al-Shafi‛i, the renowned scholar, poet, and founder the Shafi‛i school of Islamic jurisprudence; while exploring the evolution of his tomb in the Qarafa cemetery into a Fatimid shrine and place of visitation, and its replacement with the Ayyubid dome we see today including the many modifications through the centuries. The visitors’ centre highlights the religious, cultural, and historical significance of al-Imam al-Shafi‛i and the dome.

The al-Imam al-Shafi’i Visitors’ Centre project was implemented by Megawra from 2021 to 2022, with funding from the US Embassy in Cairo. The heritage activity kits were funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Egypt in partnership with Imagine IC.