A flamboyant 1928 mansion designed by an Italian architect for a wealthy Egyptian cotton merchant — marble floors, frescoed ceilings, mirrored halls, and ornamental ironwork throughout. The interior combines the European eclecticism fashionable among wealthy Egyptian families of the period with local architectural details that ground it in the Delta rather than in Europe. It is considered one of the finest examples of this hybrid style in Egypt.
The palace is in the older quarter of the city and occasionally opens to visitors; check locally about current access and hours, which vary. Even from the street the ornate facade is worth seeing. Its survival in reasonable condition, in a city that has not always treated its historic architecture well, reflects some combination of local pride and the building's genuine quality. It pairs naturally with a walk through the nearby Touryel Villa district, where other cotton-era mansions line the streets in various states of repair.