Why do many Egyptians live in unfinished houses without roofs (13 photos)
Thanks to its ancient history and rich cultural heritage, Egypt is one of those countries that has always been (and most likely will be) the attention of lovers of secrets and mysteries. 
Travelers, eager to sniff the sands of time and plunge into the charm of an ancient culture, miraculously preserved to this day, flock to Egypt from all over the world to see the majestic pyramids with their own eyes and, at least with their fingertips, touch the secrets hidden in the sands of the Arabian Desert. 
Pyramids of Giza 
Arabian desert
The architectural monuments of Ancient Egypt are absolutely deservedly considered a real Mecca for all lovers of historical secrets and mysteries, but is modern Egypt just as attractive to foreign travelers? 
Temples at Abu Simbel
Of course, yes, because even in the newest period of its existence, Egypt definitely has something to surprise foreign guests. For example, by the fact that numerous citizens of the country live in unfinished houses in which there is no roof at all. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
What is this - a tribute to tradition, an ancient custom or, perhaps, a way of life? Neither one, nor the other, nor the third. Until a certain point, even wealthy citizens - residents of the capital Cairo - lived in this way. But later air conditioners appeared in the country, and the need for ventilation through the missing roof disappeared, just as the desire of wealthy Egyptians to constantly admire the open sky disappeared. They still felt somehow more comfortable and safer with the roof. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
For the rest of the population, for whom air conditioning was still considered a luxury item, roofless houses became the optimal way to escape the summer heat. Moreover, such buildings are not an isolated phenomenon even today: they say, they built and built, but they never managed to finish them. Unfinished residential buildings without roofs are found everywhere in Egyptian cities. Moreover, Egyptians manage to live in such houses for years and, in fact, feel quite comfortable. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
There are several reasons for this dominance of unfinished housing. Firstly, and this factor cannot be discounted, climate plays a big role in the arrangement of housing. Egypt is known to have dry and hot weather. It rarely rains in this area, and winters are warm and mild, so locals consider the roof an absolutely unnecessary burden. At night, when the temperature drops to its minimum, Egyptians cover themselves with thick blankets, and the holes where, according to all rules, the roof should be located, are closed with improvised means. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
Moreover, such houses can be either one-story or multi-story, and the layout of the “apartments,” it must be said, is also distinguished by its chaos and spontaneity. I repeat: the houses of the majority of ordinary residents of Egypt look as if their construction at some point was “frozen” until better times, and people who did not want to wait for the onset of these very times simply moved into an unfinished box. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
Secondly, and this reason is accepted by many as the main one, Egyptians refuse to finish building their houses and crown them with a roof only because they do not want to pay property taxes. According to the laws of the country, if a house, no matter how many floors it has, does not have a roof, it is considered unfinished and, sort of, not residential, which means it is not subject to taxation. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
Guided by this gap in the law, enterprising Egyptians often manage to build multi-story houses for themselves and their families,having arranged for a comfortable life only the first floor, which, for obvious reasons, has a roof. The remaining floors remain “unfinished”, uncovered by a roof, which automatically equates the entire building to unfinished construction and deprives its owner of the need to pay taxes. And people manage to live in such houses for decades. Fortunately, the climate allows... 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
Well, the well-known saying “The need for invention is cunning” can best describe this situation, since most of the Egyptians, forced to live in unfinished buildings, simply convinced themselves that a house without a roof is normal, it’s familiar, and in this There is nothing wrong. In fact, the main problem with the appearance of such houses is the banal poverty of the local population, who are unable to provide themselves and their families with affordable housing. This is sad… 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
Moreover, the aesthetics of Egyptian cities suffers from the dominance of unfinished houses. Buildings without roofs, with metal rods protruding into the sky, turn city streets into a global construction site, spoiling their appearance and hiding the already not very rich natural beauty of Egypt from the eyes of travelers and local residents. 
Houses without roofs in Egypt
