Features

Iconic Tower: Redefining Africa’s Skyline

The 77-storey landmark is located in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.

Updated on

January 20, 2026

Iconic Tower Egypt — The Iconic Tower in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: Courtesy)

The Iconic Tower is a 394-metre, 77-storey mixed-use skyscraper located in the Central Business District of Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, east of Cairo.

Construction of the tower began in May 2018 and was completed in 2024, making it the tallest building in Africa and the second tallest in the Middle East, after the Burj Khalifa.

With a total floor area of 265,000 square metres, the Iconic Tower is one of 20 skyscrapers planned as part of the Central Business District of the New Administrative Capital.

Designed by Dar Al-Handasah Shair & Partners, the tower houses offices, residential spaces, and hotels, with architectural references drawn from Egyptian obelisks and cultural motifs.

The tower’s glass exterior represents the Shuti crown of the Egyptian god Amun.

Floors 1 to 40 accommodate offices, followed by ten floors of branded apartments and a further 30 floors that form part of a five-star hotel.

An observation deck on the 74th floor offers visitors an aerial view of the New Administrative Capital from a height of at least 360 metres.

Pharaonic obelisk

The architectural design of the Iconic Tower is inspired by a pharaonic obelisk, with a glass exterior representing the crown feathers of the Egyptian god Ra.

China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), one of the world’s largest construction companies, served as the main contractor for the project.

$3 billion

The cost of building the Iconic Tower is estimated at $3 billion, which was loaned to the Egyptian government by China, according to state officials.

FAQs:

Is the Iconic Tower taller than Burj Khalifa?

At 393.8 metres, the Iconic Tower is the tallest building in Africa and the second-tallest building in the Middle East, after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.