The
Bab Zuwayla is a symbolic and historic site in Cairo that once functioned as the southern gate (
bab) to the city's original settlement of al-Qahirah when it was founded in the late 10th century CE. Its location today, in a densely populated area, exposes it to risks from congestion and human activity. In 1998, the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) spearheaded a five-year conservation project, during which restoration revealed two massive doors, each weighing almost four tons, that moved on ball bearings.