Clay skyscrapers of Mit Ghamr: how ordinary pigeons became the architects of an Egyptian city (6 photos + 1 video)

In a country where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, people have learned to build upward. But not for themselves.





Imagine a street where, instead of the usual houses, dozens of brown towers rise up, resembling giant honeycombs. This is Mit-Ghamr, a city where dovecotes have become part of the urban landscape, tightly intertwined with the fabric of the metropolis. Built from Nile clay and straw, these structures rise 10-15 meters, eclipsing modest residential buildings.

Birds that feed the nation



Here the pigeon is not a winged rat, but a valuable resource. Its meat is a delicacy for any table, and its droppings replace expensive fertilizers for Egyptian farmers. In addition, flocks provide beneficial shade in the heat - they create a natural canopy from the scorching sun

Architecture of Life





Each dovecote is a masterpiece of folk architecture:

inside - a labyrinth of hundreds of nesting niches;

walls - breathe, maintaining an ideal microclimate;

shape - a conical tower protects from the desert winds.

These clay colossi are not monuments, but real working factories of life in a country where most of the territory is a lifeless desert.

A city where birds are more important than cars



Surprisingly, in Mit-Ghamr dovecotes are included in the urban development plans. They cannot be torn down - they are part of the cultural code, like miniature pyramids. When thousands of birds return home at sunset, it seems as if the walls themselves come to life, filled with the rustle of wings.



"We build for them, and they feed us," say locals who have kept the secrets of pigeon architecture for generations.



Plus, pigeons are also bred for hobby, mainly for pigeon racing. Training them requires impressive knowledge of ornithology, as well as colossal patience. The birds are trained in a complex system of whistles and gestures, sometimes with flags, to signal them and command them to fly higher or return home.