Personally, I love taking photos for purposes like documentation, archiving and remembering the good old days. As a local guide, taking photos is one fundamental part of my contribution to Google Maps not just because showing how a place is like is important to prove it exists but also because it helps people decide whether or not it’s worth a visit based on their own preferences.
In many places that I visited, I was always free to take whatever photos I wanted as long as it is an open place. Sometimes, I have to ask about permission if I happen to be somewhere that belongs to someone, I mean as in their workplace, studio, Cafe, etc. But when it comes to public places, I just have to ask whether or not photography is permitted!
In some places in Egypt, taking photos is entirely prohibited. Sometimes, I can understand why but in other times I dare to day the authorities are just making things complicated! Today, I will talk about 3 places where photography isn’t permitted so it you happened to go to any of these places, you must be careful.
1. Old Cairo Churches
This is a beautiful holy place I visited about a year ago in the heart of Cairo. It’s importance comes from the fact that all there religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, were/are worshiped at an circular area of about 2 kilometers of diameter. Once you get out of the metro station, you will see the Hanging Church and the Coptic Museum then a seven other churches located in the same street. While it’s permitted to take photos in the museum at a charge of 50 EGP, which is quite high by the way, photography is completely banned in all the churches.
- Gamal Abdul Naser Museum
The home of the former Egyptian leader Gamal Abdul Naser which is located in Heliopolis, Cairo was recently turned into a museum. I got the chance to visit this amazing place in November 2018 and the it is really stunning! While the actual house (which was his personal house not the presidential one) was kept as is for visitors to see their dining room, the president’s office, his bedroom, etc, another building was added to this architecture to complete the museum.
In this building, you can see exhibits and personal items kept in glass boxes. They entire story of his life before presidency is told on boards hung up on the wall as well as TV screens that play parts of his famous speeches and major events that followed them!
I don’t really understand why but photography is also prohibited here! I do have a strong argument against such a decision but I don’t think this is the right place for it!
P.S. The photo attached to this post is from the outside of Naser’s Museum where it was fine to take it.
3- Nubian Museum
Another place where taking photos means breaking the rules is the Nubian Museum in Aswan, Upper Egypt. This is a large museum that lies on an area of 15 acres (around 60702 square meters!)! It tells the full story of ancient Nuba and the relationships it had with ancient Egypt until both were unified some time in history!
Nuba, which was relocated when the High Dam was built, is a real crucial part of our heritage. Maybe such a fact influenced the photography banning rule, which I can totally understand, yet it does sound like a big loss for any passionate local guides not to have photographic memories in this amazing place.