Author: Bab Masr

From the symbolic rebirth of sprouted fava beans to the solemn taste of vinegar, explore the deep-seated culinary traditions and spiritual rituals that define Holy Week for Egypt’s Coptic community. By Mahmoud Dowair

Breaking free from the “saviour myth” in Arab music. A critique of imitation, canned improvisation, and why true authenticity is innovation, not replication. By Ayah Samalosy

For decades, the Masiri Café in Damanhour was Egypt’s most important literary salon outside Cairo. Tawfiq al-Hakim wrote there. Anwar Sadat visited. Now it is closed, and a generation mourns what was lost. By Mahmoud Dueir

In Alexandria, a new card game called Komsha is doing something unusual. It uses South Sudanese cuisine to create space for conversation, empathy, and a deeper understanding of a community that has long been part of the city’s fabric. By Merna Gohar

Built in 1938 on the orders of Mussolini, the Italian House in Port Said was never just a cultural center. It was a piece of propaganda carved in stone. A new study reveals the building’s secret political symbols and its journey from fascist showcase to abandoned relic. By Osama Kamal

As Alexandria’s historic tram halts operations ahead of redevelopment, fourteen artists respond with “Between One Stop and the Next,” a photography and video exhibition exploring what the city stands to lose: not just a mode of transport, but a living archive of memory, community, and identity. By Yehia Khalil

 In 1934, Egyptian radio began broadcasting. What followed was the creation of a new art form: a style of Quranic recitation that combined rigorous scholarship with musical genius. A new book explores how it shaped taste, identity, and a nation’s soul.

In 2024, the Nubian village of Gharb Seheil was named one of the world’s best rural tourism destinations. From camel rides along the Nile to handmade crafts and crocodile encounters, here’s what makes it a must-visit. By Wafaa Amin

In Upper Egypt, Eid al-Fitr isn’t complete without salted fish. From Asyut to Luxor to Minya, families crowd the markets for feseekh, herring, and a local specialty called molouha. This is the story of a tradition that refuses to fade.

In Damanhour, the scent of salted fish announces Eid as surely as the new moon. Families crowd the narrow alleys of the city’s famous feseekh market to buy what many call the “fruit of Eid”,a tradition stretching back to the pharaohs. By  Mahmoud Dueir