Established in the 1970s by Swiss artists, Evelyne Porret and Michel Pastore, this school, which trains children and adults in the local potting traditions, is set in a beautiful mudbrick compound. Its architecture – very much in the Egyptian vernacular style – is as attractive as the students’ creations from clay, which are on sale here. From the school, ask for directions to the workshop of Ahmed Abou Zeid, another noted local potter.
Fayoum Pottery School
Al Fayoum
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.2 MILES
This Unesco World Heritage Site is home to the earliest prehistoric whale fossils ever discovered. The more than 400 basilosaurus and dorodontus (both…
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9.05 MILES
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Wadi Al Hittan Fossil & Climate Change Museum
28.17 MILES
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4.53 MILES
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29.88 MILES
About 10km southeast of Hawara are the ruins of this mudbrick pyramid, built by Pharaoh Sesostris II (1880–1874 BC). It’s not worth a separate trip, but…
Nearby Al Fayoum attractions
1. Fayoum Art Center Residency
1.03 MILES
This project run by painter Mohamed Abla hosts classes and resident artists from around the world in the cooler months of January and February; email him…
4.53 MILES
At the western end of Lake Qarun, just east of the village of Qasr Qarun, are the ruins of ancient Dionysias, once the starting point for caravans to the…
8.2 MILES
This ancient city is one of the most isolated in Al Fayoum, but this is part of its appeal, as you’re often alone out in the blowing sand that drifts over…
9.05 MILES
The 'waterfalls' in the Wadi Rayyan Protected Area are a major attraction for weekend picnickers from Cairo. The waterfalls, where one lake drains into…
10.77 MILES
Lake Qarun is a popular weekend spot for Cairenes looking to cool down, and the lake edge is dotted with cafes and wedding pavilions. It’s not a big…
21.51 MILES
Al Fayoum is famous for its more than 200 waterwheels, which have become a prominent symbol of the town and the oasis. These four rather rickety and…
21.85 MILES
This red granite obelisk, dedicated to 12th-dynasty pharaoh Senusert I, stands proudly in the centre of a traffic roundabout overlooking the northern…
26.9 MILES
About 8km southeast of Medinat Al Fayoum, on the north side of the canal Bahr Yusuf, the canal that connects Al Fayoum to the Nile, stands the dilapidated…