Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

First World War Postcard of ‘The Kasr-el-Nil Bridge’, Cairo

« Prev Item Next Item »

1900 - 1915

Overview

A black and white postcard depicting a metal bridge across a large water way with it’s span open to allow a number of Egyptian sail boats (feluccas) through. All the boats have their sails deployed and they are passing through a relatively narrow channel with barges moored either side. There are many other boats moored in the river and several people are watching the feluccas pass from one of the barges. The postcard is in very good condition with slight marking on the reverse. The side edge has perforations that suggest it was separated from another card. The front is printed with a description of the image, and the reverse has proforma printing.

Historical information

Between 1869-71 what amounted to a narrow iron causeway across the Nile was constructed linking Princess Nazli's palace and the uninhabited island of Boulac. The bridge was opened to traffic in February 1872. With the arrival of the horseless carriage the Egyptian Department of Public Works found it necessary in 1913 to commission Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co. to give the aging crossing a badly needed facelift. In July of the same year floorboards reinforced with concrete blocks were added to the bridge and its narrow sidewalks widened. It was finally replaced in 1933 and is now known as Qasr El Nil bridge.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2022.1.165

Item type

Postcards

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Card

Width

87 mm

Height or length

136 mm

Inscriptions and markings

In machine printing, on the front “CAIRO. – The KASR-el-Nil Bridge open”. On the reverse “POST CARD / EGYPT / L.C. - 393 / LE CAIRE. – Le pont de Kasr-el-Nil ouvert.”.

Keywords

First World War

Egypt

Place made

Egypt

Year

1900 - 1915

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Comparative significance criteria

Interpretive capacity

Well provenanced