Basilica of Heliopolis

This large basilica in the planned suburb of Heliopolis was built in the early twentieth century as its founder envisioned a grand religious monument for the new district. Its design echoes the domed silhouette of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, adapted in reinforced concrete on a monumental scale. The Belgian industrialist who developed Heliopolis and members of his family are buried in a crypt beneath the church. It remains a landmark of the neighborhood and an unusual example of early modern religious architecture in Egypt.