Tomb of Sulayman al-Faransawi

Tomb of Sulayman al-Faransawi Review

Sulayman, a Frenchman, was born Octave de Sèves in Lyons, France. An officer in Napoléon's army, he came to Egypt when Muhammad 'Ali was in need of European trainers for his army. After facing dissent among the ranks, he converted to Islam and took the name Sulayman. Popular with the khedive Ibrahim for his role in victories in Arabia, Crete, Syria, and Anatolia, he died in 1860 a rich man. His tomb was designed by Karl von Diebitsch, the architect responsible for the palace that is now the Marriott Hotel in the suburb of Zamalek. Like the hotel, the cast-iron pavilion manages to combine Orientalist kitsch and elegance.