Anton Laščak bey

A biography of the king's architect

Abstract

Anton Laščak (Antonio Lasciac) (1856–1946) was the court architect of the Egyptian king and one of the most important artists of neoislamism in architecture. He created a line of luxury palaces in Cairo and Alexandria, and in Slovenia the park and villa at Pristava (Rafut) in Rožna dolina. The genealogical research proves he was the son of Slovene parents, married to a Slovene woman. Expert literature knows him as Italian artist Antonio Lasciac. Although he considered himself a Friulian and Italian patriot, Lasciac spoke Slovene as well. For his merits he received from the Egyptian king the noble title bey, which corresponds to baron.