Cavafy Museum (Poet C. P. Cavafy’s House) in Alexandria, Egypt

Cavafy’s House

Constantine Cavafy (1863-1933) spent the last 25 years of his life in an apartment, “Cavafy’s house,” that opened as a museum on November 16, 1992. Cavafy’s street was known as Rue Lepsius during his time, but people have since renamed it Sharm El Sheikh. In Alexandria, not only have the street names changed, but Cavafy lived in a city that was well-known as a commercial and cosmopolitan center, a centuries-long crossroads of civilizations, and the capital of memories that the poet, along with E.M. Forster, Lawrence Durrell, and Stratis, described so provocatively.

FUN

Cavafy’s house is situated between St. Saba’s Greek Orthodox Church, the Greek Hospital, and the city’s brothels. He referred to these as “the temple of the soul,” “the temple of the body,” and “the temple of the flesh.” After Cavafy’s death, someone transformed the flat into a low-cost hospital. The Cavafy International Committee leased the flat in 1991, but people were still using it as a pension.

FUN

Famous scholar Professor George Savidis preserved Cavafy’s library. They brought it back to the flat, along with materials from a modest collection dedicated to the poet. They originally kept this collection at the Greek Consulate General in Alexandria’s Shatby neighborhood. After Cavafy’s death, someone sold most of his belongings. However, some of his friends who were still alive helped reproduce the ambiance of his house. Numerous pictures also help to conjure the mood of his period. His work has been translated into numerous languages, and his books and essays give a unique glimpse into the poet’s life and times.

10 Luxury Hotels in Cairo: Pyramids, Nile, and Downtown

Explore the top 10 luxury hotels in Cairo, precisely categorized by location and prestige. Choose...
Related post
FUN

Cavafy Museum Reviews

Cute Cavafy House:

A small and cute museum, the house of the big poet. For people who love Cavafy, it is a very nice place with a great collection of his works. It is not very easy to find it as there are no signs, but if you are lucky, you will meet a very kind local man (who sells cute souvenirs) who will show you the staircase to the museum. As Greeks, we were truly enthusiastic that the man in the museum spoke Greek!

Everything Cavafy:

Constantine P. Cavafy is most probably my favorite poet, so you can imagine my excitement when visiting his former home, where he lived for the last 25 years of his life. Most of his furniture, – seen in the old photos of the apartment, has gone, although there are still a lot of beautiful pieces, along with many writings and photos. Unfortunately, they do not sell any books. The museum didn’t have much in English, so I recommend using a translation app to scan the text into the language that you need. On the day I visited, it was free although donated. If you are trying to tap into a former vision of Alexandria, a former-century, nostalgia, then you will find it here.

Cavafy’s House, the home of the great Greek poet:

The house where the great Greek poet lived! In the rooms of the house, there are all the objects and books of Cavafy! His office, his bed, his collections! A visit to the museum is worth it, especially if you are Greek or admire the work of the poet!

Where poets create greatness:

Cavafy’s  House is located on the second floor of an old turn-of-the-century house on a small side street. This is where the great poet lived and created. At his time, Alexandria was a multinational city where Greeks, Jews, Armenians, and others lived and prospered. The Arabic element was a minority. This district once provided nighttime entertainment for a man’s darkest desires. Here, Cavafy found inspiration and lived. There are so many pictures in the apartment from his younger and later years, his handwritten will, his birth certificate in Greek, and many scripts and books. They also sell some publications to provide an income for the preservation of the place. The furniture is not antique but a true replica of the original, except for a couple of pieces. It is worth a visit, as from this place stems part of the world literature that belongs to all people.

Pyramids Visitor’s Guide: Expert Tips, FAQs & Logistics

Master the mysteries of the ancient world with this essential guide to Giza Pyramids Visitor’s...
Related post
FUN

The Nile River: The Eternal Lifeline of Egypt and Its Civilization

Explore the Nile River, the beating heart without which Ancient Egypt would not have existed....
Related post
FUN
Enjoy every moment spent in Egypt exploring wonders and marveling at wonderful places....
A wonderful chance to marvel at the wonders of Egypt....

Amazing tour to the pyramids of Sakkara and Dahshur

This week we had a great tour with Mohamed to the pyramids of Sakkara and Dahshur, as well as Memphis. He tailored the tour to our preferences, took a lot of time with us, and gave us detailed background information on everything. It was also great that he never tired

More »

Layover Tour in Cairo

This August, my boyfriend and I had quite a long layover in Cairo, 9 hours to be exact. Instead of wasting our time at the airport, we decided to do a layover tour of the city. I had been before, but my boyfriend hadn’t, so we wanted to hit the

More »
13-day Egypt guided tour package - Egypt Fun Tours

Easily the best two days of the year!

We were doing the 14-day Mediterranean cruise and were in Egypt for two days. I was searching the internet for about 4 days and finally found Egypt Fun Tours as my guide in Egypt. It ended up being the best 2 days of the entire cruise trip. Since this is

More »

Absolutely the best

We visited Cairo over a 15-hour layover. Egypt Fun Tours organized a customized and wonderful experience for us. We could not be happier. The day included a visit to all the great sites, the marketplace, dinner, a boat ride on the Nile, and a host of other special requests. I

More »
Isis with wings

Top-rated Tour Packages

Isis with wings