Engineer Randa El-Menshawy, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, conducted an extensive inspection tour today of the Fustat Hills Park project, where she reviewed the latest progress across the project’s various components. The development spans 500 feddans in the Old Cairo district of Cairo Governorate and is being implemented by the Central Agency for Reconstruction, affiliated with the Ministry of Housing.
The tour was attended by Engineer Khaled Sedik, Chairman of the Urban Development Fund; Major General Osama El-Genzoury, Head of the Central Agency for Reconstruction; along with ministry officials, project consultants, and representatives of the executing companies.
Engineer Randa El-Menshawy stated that the Fustat Hills Park project is one of the largest parks currently under construction in the Middle East. The project aims to redevelop the historic Fustat area into a distinguished tourism, cultural, and environmental destination while improving the quality of life in the surrounding area.
She emphasized that the project forms part of the state’s broader efforts to revive historic districts, maximize the value of their cultural and heritage assets, and stimulate numerous economic and cultural activities linked to the area.
The minister of housing stressed the importance of adhering to the project’s established timeline to complete all construction works and final finishing touches while accelerating implementation rates. She also instructed that weekly progress reports be prepared and emphasized the need to apply the highest quality standards in line with the project’s historical significance and national value.
The minister also directed officials to preserve the area’s historical and cultural identity while ensuring integration between environmental, recreational, and service elements to create a comprehensive public destination for Cairo residents and visitors.
The inspection tour included the Investment Zone and the Arena Project. The Investment Zone covers 131,000 square meters overlooking Ain El-Hayat Lake and includes 12 restaurants, 4 commercial malls, 4 parking garages, and a dedicated area for major official celebrations and events, featuring a Roman theater, a water fountain, and landscaped public spaces.
Minister Randa El-Menshawy also reviewed progress in the Cultural Zone and the River Zone. Located opposite the project’s main entrance, the Cultural Zone is one of its most prominent sections. It features a main axis connecting it to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and is surrounded by plazas designated for cultural activities, restaurants, and various services. The area is scheduled to host events and celebrations throughout the year.
The minister also inspected the Adventure Zone, which includes a collection of service buildings, lakes, and green spaces. The area features a playground, a 505-square-meter children’s entertainment building, a 167-square-meter service building, and a public restroom building of the same size, in addition to infrastructure works and landscaping across 97,238 square meters.
The housing minister continued her tour by inspecting the Hills and Valley Zone. The Hills Zone consists of three hills of varying elevations, separated by a central waterway known as the River. The landscape is designed with a series of terraces extending from the riverbank to the hilltops, providing panoramic views of the project, the surrounding area, and the Saladin Citadel.
The zone includes the Kasbah Hill, which occupies 13,000 square meters and features a tourist hotel, service buildings, parking areas, an artificial lake, stepped seating areas overlooking a waterfall, a pedestrian bridge, and a cafeteria. It also includes the Excavation Hill, which is being transformed into a fully integrated archaeological, tourism, and cultural destination through the excavation and restoration of the remains of the ancient city of Fustat across nearly 47 feddans.
The development also includes a 1-kilometer promenade surrounding the excavation area to connect service and tourism facilities with the site’s general layout, helping transform the heritage area into a unique tourist attraction. In addition, the area includes the Heritage Gardens Hill, which features terraces, visitor facilities, and restaurants overlooking the lake.
Engineer Randa El-Menshawy also inspected the Market Zone, which covers 60,000 square meters and aims to promote tourism, support the national economy, and preserve traditional handicrafts, including glassmaking, ceramics, candle production, spinning, and weaving. The zone is being developed in three phases and includes 19 retail shops, parking areas, an artificial lake, green landscapes, and a three-star hotel.
Following the tour, Engineer Randa El-Menshawy held a meeting with the executing companies, consultants, and project officials to review the implementation status of the project’s various components. She examined completion rates and progress across different areas and directed that work be intensified and additional labor and equipment be deployed wherever necessary to ensure completion according to the approved schedule.
The Minister of Housing also emphasized the importance of continuous coordination among all entities and companies working on the project, the prompt completion of construction works and final finishing touches in areas nearing completion, and full compliance with the highest standards of quality in both implementation and operation.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the minister instructed officials to closely monitor the project’s implementation through regular follow-up and periodic progress reports. She reaffirmed that the ministry attaches great importance to the project due to its significance as a major addition to Cairo’s map of tourism, cultural, and recreational destinations.