A library specialized in Islamic studies is not something you wouldn’t expect to see in Cairo, but what if I told you this library was established by Dominican friars?

When, in 1937, Dominican friars decided to dedicate themselves to Islamic studies, Cairo seemed to them like the ideal location, what with it being the home of al-Azhar and a place of great culture.

The library opens its doors to all students holding a Master’s degree and above. It contains over 150,000 monographs in the field of Islamic studies. IDEO also offers a home for researchers and students looking for a calm and quiet place to study and that is the scholar’s home in which you’d have access to their library and the institute’s garden all for a reasonable price.

Furthermore, the institute often organizes lectures and conferences for research seminars. The beautiful church that belongs to the institute also welcomes visitors and everyone there is friendly and welcoming. I love the atmosphere of knowledge and great love there.