Agouza

Agouza (Arabic: العجوزة‎, al-ʿajuza) is a small suburb of Giza district, in Giza Governorate, on the western bank of the Nile River. It is situated between 6th October Bridge and 15th May Bridge and is north of Dokki and south of Mohandesin suburbs. Because the British Council is situated there, many expats choose to live in its leafy and fairly quiet streets. Frequenters of the infamous Cairo Jazz Club, a fixture in Cairo's exceptional nightlife, the area is also seen as highly affluent.

The Egyptian National Circus and the adjoining Balloon Theater are on the Agouza Corniche. The British Council main centre in Egypt is also on the Corniche.

History

Origin of the name

There are two contesting stories explaining the origin of Agouza's name.

The first is that in the 1940s and 1950s, an old woman (agouza in Arabic) sat alongside the Corniche and sold coffee to cars passing by. When people wanted to meet up, they would say "I'm at the agouza," and the name just stuck. The story is unverified however.

The second, perhaps more likely story, is that the name refers to Nazly Hanem, the wife of Sherif Pacha who was Prime Minister at the time of Mohamed Ali in the 1800s. At the age of 80 she decided to build a mosque to fulfill her husband’s wish after his death. Given her old age people referred to the mosque as Al Agouza which later became the name of the whole district.

Nawal Street

After Abdel Rehim Pacha Sabry's daughter Nawal died at the age of 6, he named his palace (now the Military Nasr Academy) after her, which led to its street being named Nawal Street.

Notable places

Restaurants and Night Life

• Niema, Shawerma and typical Egyptian food: situated at the junction of Naguib Mahfooz Street and the Corniche
• Flying Fish: situated on the Corniche
• Sea Gull: situated on the Corniche
• Cairo Jazz Club[1]

Hotels

• Hotel Shahrazad

Libraries

• 6th of October Public Library

References

1. Cairo Jazz Club