Gezira (Cairo)
Gezira
الجزيره | |
|---|---|
District | |
| Egyptian Arabic transcription(s) | |
| • Common | El-Gezira |
Map of Gezira | |
| Country | Egypt |
| Governorate | Cairo |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Gezira is an island in the Nile, in central Cairo, Egypt. The southern portion of the island contains the Gezira district, and the northern third contains the Zamalek district. Gezira is the Egyptian Arabic word for island. Gezira is west of downtown Cairo and Tahrir Square, connected across the Nile by four bridges each on the east and west sides, the Qasr El Nil Bridge, 15 May Bridge, Al-Gala'a Bridge and 6th October Bridge.
Under 19th century ruler Khedive Ismail the island was first called "Jardin des Plantes" (French for "Garden of Plants"), because of its great collection of exotic plants shipped from all over the world.