Last week, we explored the different halls in the salamlek in Abdeen Palace. This week, we’ll take a look at the haramlek, where members of the royal family lived.
The King’s suite was designed by Verrucci and added to the haramlek in 1929. It consists of a recep¬tion area, an office, a bedroom, a boudoir and a bath¬room.
As you enter the suite, you immediately notice a private salon, decorated in the typical Louis XV style; it features a marble fireplace surmounted by a built-in gilded mirror.
A small antechamber then leads into the King’s office. It contains the famous early 20th century desk designed by Linke. The monograph ‘F’ is repeated on various panels of the walls.
Then there is the bedroom, whose focal point is the King’s double bed, elevated by a couple of steps and placed within an alcove. The bedroom leads into a paneled Art-Deco style dressing room, which in turn leads into an alabaster-clad, compartmentalized bath-room. The bathroom has a sunken bath in its centre, topped by a huge cupola with indirect lighting.
The Queen’s suite comprises a small lobby, which leads to a square salon with a Neo-Baroque cupola in the centre. There is also a marble fireplace. The salon leads into a small office, which in turn leads to the bedroom with a curtained bed in the centre.
The room is in the Louis XVI rectilinear style. On either side of the bed, there are double-leaf doors lead¬ing into the boudoir which in turn leads to the bath-room. The Queen’s room was occupied by Queen Farida and later by Queen Nariman, King Farouk’s second wife. Queen Nazli played a central role in the life of the Egyptian monarchy. First as Queen of Egypt during the reign of her husband King Fouad I, and later as Queen Mother during the reign of her son Farouk.
Her suite consists of a bedroom approached through an antechamber, leading from one side to an office which in turn leads to the Byzantine room and in the other direction to the dressing room and the bathroom. The bedroom is in the Louis XVI style with the bed elevated a couple of steps.
A pair of double doors leads from the bedroom into an empire-style dressing room, which in turn leads into Queen Nazli’s bathroom. This bathroom is one of Abdeen’s most extravagant.
The Byzantine chamber is in the reception area of the haramlek. It is in two parts, separated by a triple ornate marble arcade. The chamber is excessively ornate in a different style to the rest of the palace. The chamber is predominantly in the Byzantine style with Neo-Islamic, Neo-Gothic and Art-Deco elements, making it look dazzling. The chamber also includes a mosaic with festive themes and a fountain flanked by oriental dancers.
