Wednesday, January 18, 2006

New museum in Rosetta

http://www.algomhuria.net.eg/gazette/2/
"In the coming few days, the Rosetta National Museum will be inaugurated. It will be one of the most impressive museums in Egypt, enjoying a wonderful location near the River Nile.The museum is surrounded by about 50 beautiful old houses. In fact the Rosetta National Museum is located in Arab Kulli House, which is being comprehensively developed and restored. The Supreme Council of Antiquities Secretary-General Zahi Hawass stated that, in collaboration with the Rosetta (Rashid) City Council, two feddans of land have been annexed to Arab Kulli House, where a park and a centre for visitors will be created. The surrounding area has already been developed. The developments include a new hotel. Hawass noted that Arab Kulli House, which has been turned into Rosetta National Museum, consists of three floors, with a number of shops beneath the building. He added that the British Museum is going to make an identical copy of the Rosetta Stone, which will be exhibited on the first floor, along with a display of graphics, explaining the history of the Stone and how it was discovered. "The Rosetta National Museum project has been completed in two years at a cost of LE7 million ," said Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, head of the Museums Sectors, adding that the project also includes developing the surrounding houses and providing them with adequate security. The house was named after a Turkish trader called Hussein Arab Kulli, who lived there in the early 18th Century. It was the largest house in Rosetta. The first floor was used for receptions; the second was where the family lived and where Kulli had his office and the third contained the haramlik (women's quarters)."

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