Built during the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser with Soviet assistance, this 187m-high slender tower on an island in the Nile offers spectacular views of Cairo. Its concrete lattice work with a fluted lotus flower finial is unique, but makes the tower look somewhat like an elongated rubbish bin.
There is an overpriced restaurant that occasionally revolves, but its better to skip it altogether in favour of the roof deck and its fantastic panoramic views. Telescopes are available.