![\"Damanhour2\"](\"https:\/\/d312rsy2t5cgen.cloudfront.net\/2026\/03\/Damanhour2.webp\")
Anwar Sadat and Tawfiq al-Hakim at the Masiri Caf\u00e9<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The caf\u00e9 was one of the most important sources of cultural and literary radiance in Damanhour from the 1930s through the 1960s. Literary and cultural seminars and meetings were held there. It also witnessed the founding of the Damanhour Writers’ Association in 1957, with Anwar Sadat attending as a representative of President Gamal Abdel Nasser. This came after Abdel Muti al-Masiri sent a letter to the president demanding attention be paid to spreading culture in the provinces and that the capital not be the sole focus of the state’s efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khaled Maaroof adds that the Masiri Caf\u00e9 was visited by a number of literary giants, journalists, and pioneering storytellers. They sat within its walls and drew inspiration from its characters and patrons for their ideas and writings. Among the most notable visitors were Yahya Haqqi, Tawfiq al-Hakim, Zaki Mubarak, Anwar Sadat, Mahmoud Amin al-Alim, Amin Youssef Ghurab, Khairy Shalaby, Ragab al-Banna, Yassin al-Fil, and Youssef al-Qaeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researcher Kamel Rahouma says he became interested in the Masiri Caf\u00e9 after learning about it through the writings of Dr. Abdel Wahab al-Masiri. He affirms that its impact on Arab culture is profound and significant, noting that its most distinctive feature was its owner and founder, the “writer-caf\u00e9 owner” Abdel Muti al-Masiri, a self-taught man who became one of the most important writers of his generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Birth of “The Diary of a Country Prosecutor”<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Regarding the caf\u00e9’s transformation from a simple coffeehouse into one of the most famous cultural caf\u00e9s, Rahouma explained that this was due to al-Masiri’s acquaintance with Tawfiq al-Hakim, who was then working as a deputy prosecutor. Al-Hakim would sit in the caf\u00e9 writing his novel “The Diary of a Country Prosecutor.” Through the relationship that developed between al-Masiri and al-Hakim, a significant shift occurred in Abdel Muti al-Masiri’s consciousness and in the character of the caf\u00e9 itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rahouma adds that the Masiri Caf\u00e9 was a comprehensive school in literature, culture, and politics. Among its most prominent patrons were Omar Batisha, Ismail al-Habrouk, Ali Shallash, and Amin Youssef Ghurab. Its influence extended through generations, reaching Sayed Imam, Salah al-Laqani, and Reda Imam. He noted that the caf\u00e9 closed in recent years and expressed his regret, considering the closure a result of attitudes that do not value beauty and culture, and the dominance of unthinking capital, which was directly responsible for ending the caf\u00e9’s role under the pretext of modernization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Author Mohamed al-Laboudi notes that the Masiri Caf\u00e9’s impact on cultural life was tied to the historical context of that era, when formal cultural spaces were scarce. Literary gatherings were often held in the homes of prominent writers and intellectuals. He added that the caf\u00e9 served as an available alternative and continued to play an important role until Waguih Abaza, the first governor of Beheira after the July 1952 revolution, helped establish the Writers’ Association, creating the first private institution with official support to bring writers together in the governorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Al-Laboudi notes that the Masiri Caf\u00e9’s role extended beyond the literary to social, cultural, and political dimensions. This became evident during the events of 1956 and 1967. He points out that cultural caf\u00e9s had a significant influence during that period, before there were cultural institutions that brought writers together. He explained that the nature of caf\u00e9s later changed, becoming more crowded and noisy, no longer suited to playing a literary and cultural role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mohamed Mustafa al-Basyouni, director of the Beheira Culture Branch, says the Masiri Caf\u00e9 represents a rich history in the city of Damanhour. It brought together symbols of culture and literature in Egypt for decades. He added that in a later period, it transformed from a cultural caf\u00e9 into an ordinary caf\u00e9 frequented by merchants and craftsmen. He noted that at the beginning of 2003, the Beheira Culture Branch established a cultural library within the caf\u00e9 containing about 5,000 books, which continued for three years. It hosted one cultural event featuring Dr. Osman Asal, the former governor of Beheira, and journalist Ragab al-Banna, moderated by the late writer and translator Sayed Imam. But it did not last due to the significant change in the caf\u00e9’s clientele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regarding the caf\u00e9’s role and its impact on cultural life, journalist Ragab al-Banna says the Masiri Caf\u00e9 was not a traditional caf\u00e9 in the usual sense. He notes that its founder, Abdel Muti al-Masiri, has not yet received the recognition he deserves. Although he had little formal education, he was a prominent writer who published articles opposing Taha Hussein and al-Aqqad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Al-Banna added that he first encountered Naguib Mahfouz, Yahya Haqqi, Louis Awad, and Dr. Mohamed Mandour at the Masiri Caf\u00e9. These major figures frequented the caf\u00e9 because they felt Damanhour was home to a distinctive cultural experience and a new generation of writers and thinkers. He confirmed that he was one of its patrons, noting that the cultural ferment the caf\u00e9 created within Damanhour has not been replicated since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abdo al-Boulaqi, a resident of July 23 Street, recalls the era of Haj Saeed al-Masiri, son of the late Abdel Muti. He explains that the caf\u00e9 brought together the city’s leading figures and elite, alongside a number of writers and intellectuals. Former governor Waguih Abaza was a frequent visitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jamal Asafir, another Damanhour resident, says the Masiri Caf\u00e9 was one of the city’s landmarks. Because of its importance, the General Authority for Cultural Palaces established a library inside the caf\u00e9, assigning staff to provide cultural services to neighborhood residents. This continued for several years. Asafir expressed his sadness at the caf\u00e9’s closure after the heirs sold the building, bringing to an end stories and memories that remain alive in the hearts of those who witnessed that beautiful era.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For decades, the Masiri Caf\u00e9 in Damanhour was Egypt’s most important literary salon outside Cairo. Tawfiq al-Hakim wrote there. Anwar Sadat visited. Now it is closed, and a generation mourns what was lost. By Mahmoud Dueir The Masiri Caf\u00e9 in Damanhour was once one of Egypt’s most significant cultural gathering places. It was not merely …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":5685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[3830,3831,3832,3829],"class_list":["post-5682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lower-egypt","tag-abdel-muti-al-masiri","tag-cultural-cafes-egypt","tag-egyptian-literary-history","tag-masiri-cafe-damanhour"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Damanhour3\"](\"https:\/\/d312rsy2t5cgen.cloudfront.net\/2026\/03\/Damanhour3.webp\")
Its Role in the Wars of 1956 and 1967<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Naguib Mahfouz, Louis Awad, and Mohamed Mandour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n