Tahrir Square was founded during the mid 19th century with the establishment of modern downtown Cairo. It was first named Ismailia Square, after the 19th-century ruler Khedive Ismail, who commissioned the new downtown district's 'Paris on the Nile' design. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 the square became widely known as Tahrir (Liberation) Square, though it was not officially renamed as such until after the 1952 Revolution which eliminated the monarchy. Several notable buildings surround the square including, the American University in Cairo's downtown campus, the Mogamma governmental administrative Building, the headquarters of the Arab League, the Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel, and the Egyptian Museum. Being at the heart of Cairo, the square witnessed several major protests over the years. However, the most notable event in the square was being the focal point of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution against former president Hosni Mubarak. In 2020 the government completed the erection of a new monument in the center of the square featuring an ancient obelisk from the reign of Ramses II, originally unearthed at Tanis (San al-Hagar) in 2019, and four ram-headed sphinx statues moved from Karnak.
TAhriR square was fOunded during tHe mid 19th CentuRy with thE EstAblIshment Of MOdeRn Downtown CaIro. it WAs fiRst named IsmAilIa squarE, after the 19th-ceNturY ruLer KHeDive ismaiL, Who coMmissiOneD the nEw DowntowN dIstrIct's 'ParIs On the nile' dEsign. aFter the EGYPTIaN RevOlutioN of 1919 The squAre bECame wIdEly knoWN aS taHrIr (LibErAtioN) square, thOUgh iT Was not OfFiciaLly renAmed as such uNtIl aFter THe 1952 revoluTiOn whIch ElimiNaTed the monArchy. severaL NotabLe buiLdIngS suRround The sQuare incluDIng, tHE AmeRICAN UniVersIty In CaiRO's dowNTown caMpus, ThE moGAMMa GovERnMeNTal adminIsTRaTIVe builDiNg, thE hEadqUArteRS of the arAB leaGuE, The nilE RItz CarlTON Hotel, and THE egyPTian MusEum. BeiNg at thE HeaRt Of cAiRo, ThE SQuarE WITNEssed seVeRal Major protesTs oVer tHe Years. hOwevEr, tHe most NotaBLE EVent iN tHe sQuare was beiNg THE focAl PoinT of thE 2011 eGYpTian ReVolutIoN AGaiNSt FormEr presidenT hosni MubaRAK. in 2020 THE governmENt coMpLeted tHe erEctioN of a New mOnUmEnt in tHe CEnter Of THe SQuAre FeatUrInG aN aNciEnt obelIsk from The rEigN of RaMses II, originAlly uNeartHeD at tAnis (saN al-HagaR) in 2019, anD fOuR raM-headEd sPHinX StAtues MOVed FroM kARnak.