Fez – The relatives of the late Egyptian icon announced a new project to preserve his legacy by preparing the “Halim House” for nomination to UNESCO’s heritage lists. They are also welcoming fans back inside the Zamalek residence he occupied in his final years.
The family asked supporters to reinforce the home’s digital footprint by leaving ratings and reviews on platforms such as Google and Facebook — part of a visibility drive to bolster their submission, even if it is not a formal requirement of UNESCO’s process.
Public visits have resumed on a regular schedule. According to notices shared by the family and local outlets, the apartment is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., except Wednesdays and Fridays, with the option to book private appointments by direct message through the family’s official pages. Entry remains free, honoring Hafez’s oft-cited wish that his home stay open to admirers.
Beyond routine visits, the family is planning a special open-house celebration in October or November, a reiteration of last year’s popular remembrance. Organizers say the aim is to raise the profile of the site and share the artifacts that trace Hafez’s career and life whether its the intimate setting of a private apartment or the personal artifacts that trace Hafez’s career and life. The push comes amid a wider cultural effort in Egypt to protect modern-era artistic landmarks.
In recent weeks, relatives also moved to tamp down viral rumors that the property was sold to a businessman. They called the claims “fabrications,” stressing that the unit and all its contents remain registered to the family in official records and that they alone shoulder maintenance costs. Statements from Muhammad Shabana, Hafez’s nephew, emphasized that no donations or gratuities are accepted for visits and that the apartment will continue to receive the public “as long as we are able.”
Nicknamed “the Dark Nightingale,” Abdel Halim Hafez remains a towering voice of 20th-century Arab music whose recordings, films, and televised concerts continue to circulate widely across the region. Keeping his home open — and potentially securing UNESCO recognition — would formalize what fans have treated it as for decades: a living museum.Visitors should arrive in the late morning on designated days, expect a modest line, and step into a preserved slice of Egyptian cultural history in the heart of Zamalek.
