Faten Hamama’s former apartment in Cairo’s iconic Lebon Building reportedly sold for around EGP 75 million, but the price tag is only part of what makes this address so fascinating. Long before it became a headline-making piece of real estate, the Zamalek building was home to some of Egypt’s biggest stars. Faten Hamama, Samia Gamal, Lobna Abdel Aziz, Leila Fawzy, Farid al-Atrash, Rushdy Abaza, Sherihan and Moharam Fouad all reportedly lived there at different points.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the building itself also found its way onto the big screen.
Welcome to the Lebon Building
Designed by architect Antoine Selim Nahas, the Lebon Building on El Gabalaya Street was known for its spacious entrance, internal garden and Nile-facing location. But what really gave it legendary status was the people living inside it.
Faten Hamama & The Libon Building
Faten Hamama lived on the 12th floor, in apartment 122, first with her husband Ezz El-Dine Zulficar and later with Omar Sharif. Her apartment had a large reception area, rooms for her children Nadia and Tarek, a nanny’s room and even a study room for Nadia.
The only problem? The elevator.
When it broke down, Hamama reportedly wasn’t about to tackle the insane number of steps to her apartment, so she’d retreat to her mother’s nearby home until it was fixed. Honestly, fair enough.
Other Stars Who Lived in Lebon
Lobna Abdel Aziz lived on the eighth floor, while Laila Fawzy and her husband, broadcaster Galal Moawad, lived on the third.
Samia Gamal was one of the building’s earliest celebrity residents, reportedly moving in around 1951 and choosing a second-floor apartment. Her rent was reportedly just 35 Egyptian pounds, and she divided the apartment into spaces for sleeping, dressing and dining, with the rest used for sitting and entertaining. A huge painting inspired by the ballet Swan reportedly stood prominently in her home.
Then there was Rushdy Abaza, who lived in the building while married to Samia Gamal. After the couple married in 1962, their Lebon apartment became their home — adding another very cinematic chapter to the building’s history.
Sherihan also lived on the ninth floor with her mother and brother. During Ramadan, she reportedly led Ramadan charity iftar tables set up beside the building, giving the glamorous address a very everyday Cairo touch.
The list also includes Farid al-Atrash and Moharam Fouad. At this point, spotting a famous face in the elevator must have been completely normal.
When the Lebon Building Hit the Big Screen
Most of the films associated with Lebon relied on sets for their interiors, but the building’s real entrance, elevator areas or other exterior scenes were sometimes used on location — making the actual building a small but memorable part of these films.
Bayn El Samaa Wa El Ard (The Movie)
This is probably the building’s most famous cinematic connection. In Salah Abu Seif’s 1960 classic, a group of strangers become trapped inside an elevator, with scenes around the elevator filmed inside the actual Lebon Building.
The elevator interior was recreated as a set, while the real building provided some of the surrounding locations.
Which makes the whole thing even funnier: Faten Hamama was reportedly avoiding Lebon’s stairs when its elevator broke, while Egyptian cinema was busy turning that same elevator into one of its most memorable movie settings.
Hikayet El Omr Kolo
Farid al-Atrash stars as a hugely successful singer and songwriter whose carefree nightlife-filled life changes completely when the daughter of an old family friend, Faten Hamama, enters it.
The Lebon Building is associated with the film, adding another little connection between Hamama and the address she actually called home.
Aroos El Nil
In Aroos El Nil, an engineer working for an oil company tries to search for oil in an area filled with ancient Egyptian tombs. His plans change after meeting Hames, the so-called Pride of the Nile, who makes him rethink digging through the ancient valley.
The film, starring Lobna Abdel Aziz and Rushdy Abaza, is also linked to the Libon Building, with the address appearing among its Cairo locations.
Ragol Faqad Aqluh
This one follows businessman Ahmed Saad, whose many relationships create serious trouble at home. When he becomes involved with the artist Suzy and promises to marry her, his son Zaki — a famous football player — decides to marry her himself to protect his family, even sacrificing his relationship with his fiancée.
The film is another title associated with Lebon, with parts of the building reportedly used for location shots rather than as a complete filming set.
From Celebrity Home to Cairo Icon
The Lebon Building’s story goes beyond its architecture. It was home to some of the biggest names in Egyptian entertainment, witnessed marriages and everyday life, and eventually became part of the cinematic landscape itself.
And the fact that Faten Hamama’s former apartment reportedly sold for around EGP 75 million is a pretty fitting reminder of just how much history is packed into that address.
Some buildings become landmarks because of how they look. The Lebon Building became one because of the people who lived there, the lives that unfolded inside it, and the moments it quietly lent to Egyptian cinema.
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