Cairo Tower

The Cairo Tower (Egyptian Arabic: برج القاهرة, Borg El-Qāhira) is a free-standing concrete tower in Cairo, Egypt. At 187 m (614 ft), it was the tallest structure in Egypt for 37 years until 1998, when it was surpassed by the Suez Canal overhead powerline crossing. It was the tallest structure in North Africa for 21 years until 1982, when it was surpassed by the Nador transmitter in Morocco. It was the tallest structure in Africa for one year until 1962, when it was surpassed by Sentech Tower in South Africa.

Cairo Tower
Arabic: برج القاهرة
Borg El-Qahira
Cairo tower in 2012
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeCommunications, observation, restaurants, visitor attraction
Architectural styleAncient Egypt
LocationCairo, Egypt
Coordinates30°02′45″N 31°13′28″E
Construction started1956
Completed1961
Opening1961
CostAround $US1-3 million
OwnerGovernment of Egypt
Height
Architectural187 m (613.5 ft)
Antenna spire187 m (613.5 ft)
Roof160 m (524.9 ft)
Top floor143 m (469.2 ft)
Observatory143 m (469.2 ft)
Technical details
MaterialConcrete
Floor count16
Lifts/elevators3
Design and construction
Architect(s)Naoum Shebib
Website
cairotower.net
(requires Adobe Flash; in English)
References

One of Cairo's well-known modern monuments, sometimes considered Egypt's second most famous landmark after the Pyramids of Giza, it stands in the Gezira district on Gezira Island in the River Nile, close to downtown Cairo.

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