The Baron Palace is a mysteriously ornate abandoned building in Heliopolis. The story goes that it was built in the 1800s by an eccentric Belgian baron. The building has been abandoned since 1906. It sits empty and rotting because the Egyptian government and the baron's grandkids have been disagreeing about what to do with it for decades. With a little baksheesh, we got to take a little tour around this mysterious building.

The building is unusual in that it is COVERED in eastern religious symbols, like Hindu gods and little buddahs.

The structure itself reflects that of a Hindu temple. There's a story that the Baron killed all the architects who worked on the building to ensure that no duplicate could ever be made.

The front door.

A closer view of the archway above the main entrance.

The receiving room.

What's left of the grand staircase.

The kitchen.

Looking out from the veranda off the master bedroom.

The beautiful spiral wooden staircase to the roof.

The roof is topped with structures like this, which give it the feel of a Hindu temple.

Looking out at modern Heliopolis from the Baron Palace roof.