LAST week, we looked at the history of Abdeen Palace, how and why it was con¬structed and the different Egyptian mon¬archs who resided there. The palace, as we mentioned, was composed of two parts; the salamlek and the haramlek. In this article we are going to explore the salamlek, which contains the following:
1. The Throne Hall. This hall was refurbished by Verucci during the reign of King Fouad. It is the largest and most decorative area of the palace. It was designed in an Islamic style, displaying a symmetrical composition focusing on the throne chair.
2. The Conference Hall. This hall was reserved for the King’s regular consulta¬tions with special councils and for official meetings. It has a large oval table at its centre seating about 20 persons. There is also a reddish marble chimney with appropriate accessories.
3. Salons of various colors. These salons all contain marble fireplaces and they are distinguished by the different colors of their walls. The Green Salon was designed in the Louis XVI style. There are also the Blue, Green and Red Salons, all named after the colors of their walls.
4. The Mohamed Ali Salon. This salon dates back to 1874 and the reign of Khedive Ismail. It is the grandest ceremo¬nial reception hall in the palace. Its deco¬ration is like the famous Sarays of Istanbul. Executed in Neo-Baroque Italian style, the hallway to this salon boasts niches containing gadded scallop shells. There is a paneled ceiling and a vaulted recessed with a pair of Corinthian-style columns.
5. The White Salon. This was designed as the official royal reception area, reserved for special guests and digni¬taries. The covered sky-lit petit jardin d’hiver (small winter garden) joins the salon via an ornate arch supported by a pair of Ionic-style marble columns. There is a marble fountain in the centre. There is an outstanding 18th century tapestry on one of the walls and a 19th century copy of the commode originally designed for Versailles against another wall. Medallions, coins and the mask of a woman are carved into the commode.
6. The Suez Canal Room. This was originally the official salon and was later used by Khedive Abbas Helmi as a throne room, long before it became the office of the President. Today, it features three large oil paintings commemorating the opening of the Suez Canal after which it was renamed.
