When you pass Sharif Street, the former “Khadewi”, in the Mina Al-Basal area, west of Alexandria Governorate, you see 2 buildings inside the courtyard of Dar Ismail Maternity Hospital, the length of each of which does not exceed 3 meters, and that below them is an ancient cistern extending to the main street, consisting of two floors underground, which was used as a hideout In the world war for the people of the region.
The “Dar Ismail Archaeological Cistern” dates back to 108 years. It consists of two floors and a two-domed building used for ventilation. The Dar Ismail cistern is located inside Dar Ismail Maternity Hospital in Alexandria, on Sharif Street, “formerly the Khedive”, to the north and east. It was built inside the hospital and the western side of Sharif Street. And the extension of Sidi Emad, and registered by a decision of the Permanent Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The structural building of the Dar Ismail cistern consists of two underground floors, and two ventilation buildings. It is a rectangular building, and it has two entrances with a corridor in the form of a spiral designed with stone stairs, and it contains many weepings and bathrooms, and in the middle there are many granite and marble columns from the Islamic era, Before the Islamic era, it was of the “Corinthian-Ionian” style, limestone, and the walls and ceiling were made of pink plaster, and it was supplied with one of the underground channels to supply it with water in the ancient era.
There are also in the cistern, about 45 pijan columns between “Cornet and Inoue” that take decorative forms consisting of braided plant elements, and they are columns brought from previous buildings of the Islamic era.
For his part, Mohamed Metwally, Director General of Antiquities of Alexandria, told “The Seventh Day” that the Dar Ismail cistern witnessed an important historical period in the history of Egypt, because of its architectural and historical style, and also a witness to Egyptian history since the World War, and it was registered as antiquities at the Ministry of Antiquities. By Resolution No. 639 of 1999, and it was given this name because it is located within the walls of Dar Ismail Maternity Hospital.
Dar Ismail archaeological cistern
Dar Ismail Cistern’s photo
He is 108 years old