Cavafy Museum: the museum for poetry enthusiasts

CAIRO – 12 April 2017: Museums in Egypt are not just all about ancient artifacts and Mummies; Cavafy museum, located in Alexandria is one of the few Egyptian poetry museums in Egypt yet it remains unnoticed.

Greeks have lived in Alexandria for ages shaping up its civilization and tradition to this day, Greek Alexandrian Constantie P. Cavafy was a vital factor in Greek and western poetry who gained popularity after his death. Cavafy’s poetry were all written in Greek although he lived in Alexandria for decades; making him popular between the west rather than Egyptians, as reported by Al Ahram.


Street sign of his apartment - Photo courtesy of Cavafi Museum facebook page

This concealed museum used to be the residence of Cavafy where he spent his last 35 years. The museum stands as an emblem of cosmopolitan Alexandria and all its distinguished history.

The museum is considered to be an intimate journey for any poetry lover or Cavafy fan, as it contains his personal library and some private belongings. The museum also provides different editions of Cavafy’s poetry translated into more than 20 languages and some articles from his work as journalist, The Greek Organization reported.




After his death in 1933 due to a battle with cancer, Cavafy’s apartment got turned into a hostel for years. According to the Greek Organization, Cavafy International Committee bought the apartment turning it into a museum showcasing his major contributions to western poetry.