CAIRO — Just as they form an inseparable part of the building's facade, ancient doors also reflect the social and economic life of those who lived in those buildings. The distinctive decorations of those doors, in terms of architecture, shapes or engraved writings, represent the culture of the era in which the door was designed and the building was constructed.

The architect behind the “Doors of Cairo” project, Sarah Ayman, told Al-Monitor, “During my studies at the Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams University, I would go on tours in Cairo to check out the various architectural styles. But when I visited the Religious Complex in the Old Cairo neighborhood in southern Cairo, I wanted everyone to wander the streets of Islamic Cairo, Khedivial Cairo and other neighborhoods of Cairo to see their beauty and splendor. I started taking photos of doors of buildings there to document the different architectural styles in Cairo."

In August 2019, Ayman launched "Doors of Cairo" on Facebook and Instagram. She explained that when some photographers saw the project's photos on social media, they began sharing their own photos of doors in Cairo to encourage people to learn about the features of architecture in the city.

Ayman pointed out that Cairo is home to various architectural schools, most notably, the Coptic, Islamic and several modern schools. “In Cairo, architecture was inspired by most schools of Islamic art, such as the Fatimids, the Mamluks and the Ottoman Empire. Each of them had its own distinctive features and characteristics, and this is reflected by the architecture of doors. This diversity of door shapes is due to the accuracy of the Islamic architecture and its keenness on reflecting the features of its era.”