Cairo
A city of million secrets and stories!
Name; Greater Cairo, or in Arabic Al-Qahira, the largest city in the Arab World and most populous one in African countries, It has been known and famous among Egyptians in history by The City of A Thousand Minarets, though the word of Al-Qahira means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant", the name informally used by most Egyptians is "Masr" (Egyptian Arabic name for Egypt), Al-Qahera was named and founded in 969 A.D., it is also known as the Greater Cairo being now an administrative entity including a semi-official addition to the Cairo city , Giza Governorate , and Shubra Al Khaimah- Qliubia, "New Cairo"- Maady to which is joined Helwan city, the newest component of Greater Cairo. Our guide here was Dr. Gamal Hemdan remaining words for his beloved Cairo;"as if all Egypt history was summarized in Cairo or captured in Cairo". While others foreigners used to called this city ; (City of Empires, Servant of Empires, or the empires Vanquisher, Paris on the Nile)

Location
Cairo governorate is located along 41,542 km on the east bank of the River Nile having boundaries to the north with eastern provinces of Qaliubia, to the south with Helwan, to the west with Giza governorate, to the east with Suez. Covering an area of 214 square kilometers, Cairo Total area of agricultural land is 10.89 thousand acres and the total crop area is 15.19 thousand acres. Main industries include building materials and refractoriness, Metal machinery equipment, transport equipment, wood and its products, spinning and weaving, paper industries and other industries. Greater Cairo is formally divided into two different areas (Cairo & Giza), but the fact that they are very cross-cutting and harmonies in one entity only separated by the River Nile. Cairo is the place where East meets West combining charm of the East and modernity of West, where thousands of minarets adorn the sky altogether side by side with sky reaching modern style buildings. It is no doubt one of the largest cities in Africa, located in the heart of the Arab world with a population of 17 million. Cairo is an eastern colorful bazaar on the banks of the Nile.

Cairo History & geography in brief

Near by Cairo, you'll find now the ruins of Memphis, the beginnings of what is called greater Cairo, in the center of Egypt, also the center of the 2 deserts, between the Delta of the River Nile and the main body of the Nile, located now 14 miles southwest of Cairo, it was a metropolis 5,000 years ago, and then moved to the north 2,000 years ago to a part of the Romans occupied town on the same site of Cairo called Babylon (now the Misr Al-Qadimah quarter), becoming afterwards the foundation of the contemporary city al-Fustat, founded by 'Amr ibn al-'As as a military encampment in 641 A.D., taking the name of Al-'Askar in 750 A.D. by the Umayyads; continuing to expand to become Al-Qata'i or EL-Kattai3? , the city founded in 870 A.D. by Ahmad bin Tulun, only Little remains of these early developments in the southern part of the city are still standing as a proof of such cities exisiting : the mosques of 'Amr ibn al-'As (641)& Ahmad ibn Tulun (878), then came the rising power of Fatimid's period & invading Egypt coming from the region called now Tunisia, with a purpose to embellish the city giving it its new now remaining forever name, "The Vanquisher", The Conquering general, "Jawhar the Sicilian" established a new rectangular walled city northeast of existing settlements. Initially named al-Mansuriyah, the city was renamed al-Qahirah in 973-974 A.D. when the Fatimid caliph Al-Mu'izz moved with his family from Tunisia making it the capital of his dynasty for 200 years.
Then came the era of the Crusades when Cairo Al-Qahirah (1168 A.D) unfortified was set on fire to protect Cairo from the crusaders. The crusaders were driven off by a Sunni (orthodox Islamic) army from Syria, then Cairo witnessed the victorious commander-- Saladin, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, who controlled and ruled the vast Arab empire taking Cairo the capital of his kingdom .
Then Cairo transformed at the end of the first millennium from a royal enclave into an imperial metropolis. creating a big change, Saladin further extended the 11th-century walls built by a high official called Badr al-Jamali (the northern and southern walls and three main gates, al-Futooh Gate, Al-Nasr Gate, and Zuwaylah Gate) to protect all Cairo by constructing of what later famous by his name Saladin Citadel on the edge of the Muqattam spur (now dominated by the Muhammad 'Ali Mosque).

After 1260, time & people have changed but Cairo remains witness of the big changes not only in Egypt but also in all arab countries when "Baybars" became the first Mamluk sultan of undisputed legitimacy, Cairo became a city where slaves ruled an imperial Cairo served as the capital of the Mamluk empire, which governed Egypt and the Fertile Crescent until 1516, Medieval Cairo reached its apogee during the Mamluk era. By about 1340, it has become the biggest city in Africa and Arab countries, almost 500,000 persons lived in an area five times greater than the original Fatimid walled Old city, it became one of the greatest cities compared to other European and Asia Minor cities of the same epock. At all times, Cairo played her role and not only witness history changes but act and give reaction sometimes as a Vanquisher and sometimes as a victim however always giving lessons and remaining to be seen by travelers along eras Cairo gave us Al-Azhar University, the main center of Islamic learning. Cairo was the key link in the profitable East-West spice trade same as Silk Road the recipient of tribute from a wealthy empire. Most of Cairo's greatest architectural masterpieces were built during this epoch. As alwayswith life, Cairo also witnessed hard times naming mainly the Black Deathin 1348. The spice trade monopoly was broken by Vasco da Gama's voyage from Portugal to India (1497-99). Finally, political autonomy was lost to the conquering Turks, who, after 1517, restricted Cairo influence to be only a provincial capital. In 1798, conquered by Napoleon and his troops arriving to Cairo, the Turks returned after Napoleon's defeat in 1801.
In 1805 the Macedonian Muhammad 'Ali, commander of an Albanian contingent in the Turk army, was appointed pasha, the first to be selected by Egyptians following hundred years of the Arab ruling, he founded his dynasty that ruled Egypt going along till the success of the throne by his great-great-grandson, Farouk I, abdicated in 1952 by the Egyptian modern army
Cairo grew even so much more, its role became moreimportant not only as the biggest African and Arabian City but as a political center and a strategic battleground where first the French
Then Cairo getting out from narrow Valley of Nile River to the wide desert, first it was Abbasya, Maady then Heliopolis which refers to the modern day city by the same name created in 1906-1907 by Baron Edouard Empain, During the project's dream-up phase, Heliopolis also known as The Oasis. This is how it was described in the 1906 prospectus put out by Belgian developers who had incorporated themselves into The Cairo Electric Railways & Heliopolis Oases Company. The new company's share issue was oversubscribed even before the first stone had been laid in the desert, nine kilometers north of Cairo.
World famous architectures came to build the new Cairo bringing with them merchants, speculators, artisans, adventures and even landless, Italian architects and technicians were employed in Egypt's Ministry of Public Works, Italian peasants to a city where the corner grocer was Greek, the mechanic Italian, the confectioner Austrian, the pharmacist English, the Hotelier Swiss and the department store owner Jewish. Names such as Francesco Botticelli, Giuseppe Garozzo, Carlo Prampolini, Carlo Virgilio Silvagni, Pietro Avoscani, Augusto Cesari and Luigi Gavasi among these, was the Sicilian Giuseppe Garozzo, and later his sons, who were involved with many of Cairo's major buildings, including the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, the Abdeen (Abdin) Palace, the famous Shepheard's Hotel and the Cairo Fire Brigade Station in Ataba Square.

The most obvious was the city that Khedive Ismail built, with the help of his mater builder and Minister of Public Works, Ali Mubarak, with the European money that would eventually steal the common Egyptian's freedom and give it to the great banking empires of the west. They were built during a time that ruthless European powers vied for Egypt, and it was Baron Haussmann, who had created this new Paris, that personally received and entertained the khedive and his entourage. Ismail hungered to be a part of the civilized Europe, he set about to fulfill this dream with the short-lived money from his cotton bonanza. He would build his Paris along the Nile, but rather than simply pull down old districts as Haussmann did in Paris, Ismail decided to build an entirely new city just west of the old one. Egypt has money and wealthy full of prosperity the silky exported cotton of Egypt and the money that it generated all these constructions lead to what travelers could see of Cairo Architecture between 1870 and 1930, with a mixture of baroque, art deco and expressionism, including well known landmarks of downtown Cairo, but also the less familiar landscapes of Garden City and Zamalek. Even if this is not the Cairo of today, but the headiest day's parties and social magic, and many of the buildings and houses built during this period remain. While Khedive Ismail and Ali Mubarak drew up the plans for modern Cairo, they founded the School of Irrigation and Architecture in Abbasiya, which became what, is today, the Cairo University's Faculty of Engineering. Then School of Arts and Crafts in Bulaq that would later become the Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams University. It was said that Cairo as a pretty old woman still own warm heart, she is noisy, crazy with flamboyant cloths smell like a spices.

Cairo Major Tourist attractions

Cairo is city-lover's city; you can enjoy sipping tea at Naguib Mahfouz's favorite hangout places not far from the romantic Beit el Sennari, or take felucca under the famed Nilo-meter, or even tearing around it in a rickety taxi. The fascinations of this city are many, and you have to Choose between the most adorable sightseeing to visit, and Which sightseeing must be remain to be visited in the next time of your visit? Weather in Cairo is fine all over the year. It's mild cold in winter, sunny, hot in summer but with nice breeze, during spring and autumn weather is great and perfect for outside activities and traveling within the country. a tour in Cairo is virtual time travel: from the oldest monuments all kinds of majestic Pyramids passing by oldest Churches & mosques with special places close to Muslims and Christians heart, places like the Virgin Mary's Tree, Al-Azhar, EL Hussen Mosque, etc… Cairo had a charm which attracted travelers, men of letters and artists, arouse the fever and attraction of the desert, and inspire of the romance from her endless Nile River. Cairo a city of "one thousand and one night" a city of truly Arabian Nights which inspired travelers to draw vivid, lively scenes of contrasting colors and shades of the society of her beautiful ages. In a city bearing about 16 million inhabitants, Cairo is a complex blend of different civilizations and therefore is unique to live in. its most obvious asset is the river that runs through it. Cairo is home to some of the world's most splendid Islamic monuments, museums and galleries! There are plenty more than those listed in the most guidebooks. A unique array of shopping, the opera complex, a" neighborhood" feel, contrasted galore. The problem is one of an embarrassment of riches, among which one must learn to pick & choose.

Entertainment in Cairo

Cairo is a tireless city, sleepless city, with a lot of tourist facilities and hotels of all categories, theaters, cinemas, On any given day, you can go to see a new foreign film, visit a contemporary art exhibition, and while away the evening at a nightclub, or to watch Oriental dancing. Especially during the summer as a time of polarization of tourists, also for shopping lovers.
Cultural centers & Theatres
Most of the live theatre you will see in Cairo is performed in Arabic whoever sometimes no need to understand the language to enjoy the performance. The American University of Cairo puts on several theatre performances during the school year at the Wallace Theatre many of the shows are in English. Here are the most popular places to go;

- The new Cairo Opera House is the premier performance space in Cairo. From classical, opera to jazz & Arabic music, performed by both local and international artists. Both Cairo Opera house & Cairo Symphony make regular performances during the season.
Cairo Opera House Ticketing Office: 27390114 - 27398114

- The Balloon Theatre has performances of traditional Egyptian music & Circus
The Balloon Theatre, Sharia El Nil - Agouza, Cairo, From 15th May bridge, leading to maidan Sphinx, turn left on Shariah el Nil, about half way along the first block is the Circus and nearby the Balloon Theatre Phone: +202-392 63 36

- The Gumhuriya Theatre "State Theatre", a smaller venue than the Opera House, often has music performances. CairoDowntown, 27 Abdel Khalek Sarwat Street +2-029363392
- Cultural Palace Sector Cairo, Agouza,+2-022037172 +2-022271730

- Al-Ghouri Mausoleum cultural centre, where you can watch Spiritual dance practiced by Sufis, can be seen on Wednesday and Saturday there near by Khan el Khalili. The performance is free and usually fills up quickly, but it is well worth waiting in the queue.

- Hanager Arts Centre Opera House Grounds, Gezira, Cairo, +2-026168340

- El Sakia, Cairo. Cultural centre in Zamalek "Sakkiat Al-Sawy", full name is El Sawy Cultural Wheel, hosting folkloric music and drama plus unusual fusions like Egyptian Rap and heavy rock covers. & Cairo Jazz Band, Add.;26 July st., Zamalek+20 , web: http://en.culturewheel.com/
The center gets more than 20000 visitors monthly and its website receives approximately 150000 visitors/month.
Thewheel was established in 2003 by Engineer Mohamed El-Sawy. Prior to its construction, it's named El-Sawy in honor of his father's -Abdel Moneim El-Sawy, an Egyptian novelist and a former minister of culture- five-part novel series: "El-Sakkia" or (The Wheel) Entry ticket: 5 L.E, There are parties all days which begins from 6pm to 8pm or 8:30to 10:30pm, but you must be a member to attend all parties or go there with a member

- Storyteller Sherine El-Ansary, who performs in Arabic and English, does shows at the end of the month at Beit Zeinab Khatoun near Al Azhar Mosque.

Cairo Live Music, Clubs & Discos

- Cairo Jazz Club, where you can hear variety of Western-influenced music including classical, Wednesday nights are the favorite and most crowded, There they have the best live music in the city. It's not the finest place but you should dress up and enjoy some great music and have some drinks +202-3459939 Add.: Midan Sphinx, Mohandiseen197 Shar'a 26 July, near 15th of May Bridge Provide international cuisine with live music, meals are healthy from vegetarian dishes to pizza.
Every day from five to seven PM. You can ask for your favorite drink and gets one free.
Daily from 10 am - 3 am http://www.cairojazzclub.com
- Buddha Barat Sofitel El Gezirah Hotel, PO box 732 El Orman, Giza, Tel: (202) 2737 37 37
web: http://www.buddha-bar.com
- After Eight in Downtown Cairo you're just as likely to hear a stringed oud as an electric guitar. Book ahead if you want a decent seat. Add.; 6 Kasr el Nil Street, tel.;
- Bulls Eye Pub a typical English pub set in the heart of Cairo.With variety of entertainment every night with great pub grub, English breakfast served every Friday and Saturday, fantastic value for money. Add.;32Jeddah St.,.Where you can listen to Samba,
- UPSTAIRS for dance lover at Cairo World Trade Center building at the Cournich El-Nile st. tel.;
- JAKIE'S JOINT; very nice nightclub, it's crowded with all types of people and age groups for a fun night in the city at Nile Hilton Hotel Midan Tahrir in Downtown+2-025780444
- Jazz up in the Nile Hilton Hotel is a great venue to see both jazz and other music live. A house DJ here spins salsa and visitors will enjoy the cozy, albeit quite loud atmosphere.
- Crazy House Exit Salsa loud music & lots of dancers, bars and very.
address:Salah Salem Road, Tel:
- L'Aubergine-Zamalek Add.: 5 Sayed El Bakry St. Zamalek, tel.: +2-027380080, Opening Time: 10 AM - 2 AM, Min. Charge: 65 LE Cuisine for Bar & Snacks
- El Morocco-Zamalek classy pub, For a mix of Eastern and Western beats. be sure to reserve a table or arrive before 10 pm if you want to have a table, Add.: 9a Saraya El Gezirah St. Zamalik, Blue Nile Boat, tel.:+2-02 7353114 - 012 3900256 - 012 3900257, Opening Time: 8 PM - 3 AM An expensive
- Absolute Nile view with Minimum Charge: 110 LE,Add.: Casino El Shagara Opposite To Conrad Hotel, tel.: +2-0257 96511 - +2-025796512, from afternoon - to 3 AM
- Hard Rocks Café American style brand name, with Bar Snacks, and souvenir T-shirts shop & rock 'n' roll museum, charges about 135 per person, among all the Hard Rocks in the world, it has one of the most impressive locations - on the shore of the River Nile. The view is breathtaking. It maybe the best place for new year eve or the best place to meet friends and celebrate with dance Add.: Grand Hyatt Bldg, Corniche El Nile, Garden City.Tel.: - - . Opening Time; Noon to 4 AM
- LA BARRACUDA Meridian Heliopolis 022905055

Belly dance in Cairo

Places where that Egyptian called it local dance night club or Baladi/Beledi, Sha'abi and Sharqi, also sometimes has Tanura show. We recommend that you go to see dance & Tanura shows at floating boats in The Nile as it is known limit budget with pre-paid way than others night clubs or Dance show. Nothing compare with a night spent on the Nile or at least an evening in one of floating restaurants in Cairo with dinner and dance show, the cruise lasts two hours.
- Nile Crystalwith budget $60 with transportation.; at Maadi Nile Rd., Tel: 02-23639047 02-23639047
- Marriott Nile Maxim. Zamalek. Tel: , $65 with transportation.; Saray El Gezirah St
- The Nile Pharaos; docks in 138, Al-Nil Street, Giza, Tele: , $70 with transportation.
- Nile Peking; S/S (Steam Ship), it is said that this was same boat of Agatha Christie's [Death On The Nile] film, embellished with traditional Chinese ornamentation, with restaurant, pub, and a Mongolian barbecue, every day 1:00 am and 1:00 pm docks in Old-Cairo, near to the south tip of the island El-Roda. Tele: , If night sail with dinner show about $60 with transportation.
- M/S Scarabee;docks in Cornich El Nile St., Garden City, tel.; +20-2-3554481, a la carte lunch without sailing, evening Dinner from 20 hr. to 22.00 hr, then from 22 hr. to 00.30 hr. $60 with transportation.

For other choice dance performances in hotels or other night clubs usually don't begin until the wee hours of the evening - 1 or 2am, Most of the Famous dancers like Dina give performances sometimes at nightclubs in the big hotels, and the cover/minimum charge reflects their popularity. Downtown nightclubs like Palmayra are less expensive-and the dancers are not as skilled.
- Pyramids Road night clubs also feature belly dancers with food & beverages.
- Haroun Al Rashid belly-dancing night club at InterContinental Hotel, Corniche El Nil 11511, tel.: +2-02-259721717
- Africana Pyramids Road, Giza, is something very different, a noisy, crowded, energetic if somewhat scruffy place with the music and most of the clientele coming from sub-Saharan Africa.

- About Sphinx Festival 2010

No one could forget famous Egyptian dancers like Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka, Naima Akef during the golden years of the Egyptian film industry. Or even Sohair Zaki, Fifi Abdou, and Nagwa Fouad
The Sphinx Festival is a special 5 day event held in Cairo focus on Egyptian folkloric dance arts, ethnic costume, music, culture and philosophy. Guests include Mahmoud Reda (dance theatre), Farida Fahmy (folkloric dance and costume), Dr Randa Baligh (Egyptian Art Histrory), Shahira Mehrez (ethnic costume preservation) and numerous artists who work in collaboration with them. Topics explore the historic evolution of provincial folk arts in Egypt from source to stage.

Dance teachers available - private lessons or classes by request:
Raqia Hassan -web site www.raqiahassan.net
Aida Nour; - web site: www.welcome.to/aidanour
Ashraf Mahdy;-web site: www.ashrafmahdy.bravehost.com

Casinos in Cairo
Gambling Rules in Egypt;
Rule No.1; Minimum Gaming Age: 21, Entrance Fee: Free, ID/Passport: Required, Dress Code: Smart/Casual
Rule No.2; No camera allowed inside
Rule No.3; only Use U.S.$
- Casino El Gezirah Barrière, Sofitel El Gezirah hotel, 8 Jackpot Slots/Video Machines, 27 Touch-bet Roulette; Live table games (13): 5 American Roulette (min. $1), 3 Blackjack (min. $5), 2 Stud Poker (min. $5), Holdem Poker (min. $5) El Orman, tel.: , Web: www.lucienbarriere.com
- Semiramis Casino, on the third floor next to the Night Club at Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel, Garden City, Cairo tel.: , website: www.casinosaustria.com 34 Jackpot Slots/Video Machines; Live table games (13): 5 American Roulette, 6 Blackjack, 2 Caribbean Stud Poker, The minimum bet at roulette is from $1 and card games from $5.,
- Conrad Casino, 1191 Corniche El Nil, Cairo, 11221, Egypt. Tel: , Guest Fax: 20-2-2580-8080, Website: www.hilton.com
- Kings & Queens Casino at Fairmont Heliopolis Hotel, Heliopolis, Cairo, tel.: +202 2267 7730/40, Web: www.fairmont.com with 26 Jackpot Slots/Video Machines; Live table: 3 double zero American Roulette (bets from $1), 3 Blackjack (bets from $5), Stud Poker (bets from $5), Holdem Poker (bets from $5)
- Midway Casino Concorde El Salam Hote,56Abdel Hamid Badawi St., Tel: , Web: www.cairo.concorde-hotels.com
- OMAR KHAYYAM at the Cairo Mariott in Zamalek, 24H casino, 16 Saraya El Gezira St., 33 Zamalek, tel.: , Web: www.marriott.com
- Pyramisa Cairo Casino, 60 Giza Street, Dokki, tel.: / 8000 / 9000, Fax: (+2)(02) 37605347, Website: www.pyramisaegypt.com
- Radjah Grand Casino, British-Indian colonial-style at Sonesta Cairo Hotel, 3El Tayaran St., Nasr City, Tel.: www.sonesta.com/cairo Jackpot Slots/Video Machines; Live table games: American Roulette, Blackjack, Stud Poker.
- Rendezvous Casino, Nile Hotel, Corniche El Nile, tel.: + 2025760808, www.london-clubs-cairo.com open 24 hours, Table games open 5pm to 09am, Jackpot Slots/Video Machines; Live table games: American Roulette (00), Blackjack, and Poker.
- Shepheard Casino, Cornishe El Nil, Garden City, Shepheard hotel, tel.: , Web: www.shepheard-hotel.com
- The London Club Casino, Ramses Hilton Hotel, Corniche El Nile, Cairo tel.: +202 576 0808 Web: www.london-clubs-cairo.com

Famous Restaurants in Cairo
Egypt has plenty of restaurants with chiefs came from world wide cultural and several method of cocking, most popular is local food restaurant then series of world famous fast food restaurants, then the classy restaurants like Italian food, Chinese, Japanese, Thai food, and Indian etc. here is some of Egyptian famous restaurants;
1- Koshary Abou Tarek
16 Maarouf St., Champollion, Downtown, Cairo Tel:
Fax: 02-25761911 Phone / Fax:
2- Abou El Sid-Zamalek
Cuisine: Egyptian, Oriental, Charge Rate: Expensive
Address: 157 26th July St. Phone Number: 273 59640, Opening Time: 1 PM - 2 AM, Minimum Charge: 100 L.E
3- Peking
43 Rd. 250 New Maadi, Cairo, Delivery Call: 0800-700 0800 Tel:
4- El Shabrawy Restaurants Co. - Arabiata
1Zaker Hussein St. Nasr City, Tel.: hot line: 16919, +2-22712943, recommended for vegetarian guests, Indian guests, offer oriental delicious dishes. Catering to banks, hotels & companies, & Delivery to homes.
5- Le Pacha 1901 is one of Cairo's landmark dining and entertainment venues, with several restaurants, and one of best Egyptian restaurants with history & Nile view, hotline; 19982, Le Pacha 1901 Address:
Saray El Gezirah Street, Zamalek, Tel: , web: http://www.lepacha.com
6- Nile Lily; Floating restaurants serve International cosine, French, Italian, Mexican, Indian and Thai dishes. Enjoy soothing vibes of lounge, & world music on yacht cruises.70 Abdel Aziz Al Seoud St.
El Manyal, Tel: , hot line 19412
7- Aubergine; stylish Vegetarian restaurant, delicious food and attractive presentation, 5al Sayed El Bakry Street, Tel: +20 2 735 6550
8- Naguib Mahfouz; coffee shop and restaurant, cosy atmosphere, nice environment, with quality service, Located at Khan el Khalili, 5 sikkit el badistan, tel.;
9- Johnny Carino's; Italian style, Saray el gizierah Zamalik +202-738-0651 Ext.106 Web: http://www.carinos.com/
10- Felfela cheap Egyptian style food 15 Hoda Sharawi St., Tel: +20-23922833
11- Al Tazaj one of Egyptian Arab stylish quick food, 30 Talaat Harb St., Downtown, Cairo
Tel: 025744383 - 025745122 - hot line 19018
12- Cook Door at Hoda Shaarawy St., Downtown, Tel: 023923716 - 023924641 - hot line 16999 Try the Viagra it is their special sandwich. Also chicken cordon bleu, & chicken fajitas or are yummy. Hot line 16999, Web: www.cookdoor.com.eg
13- El Embrator at 33 , 26th July St., Downtown, Tel: 025746604
14- El Tabei El Domiaty Restaurant for local Egyptian food, 1Talaat Harb St., Downtown, Tel: 025761166 - 025776699- 025754211
15- Gad Restaurants; at13 Fouad St., Downtown, Tel: 025763353
16- KFC a lot of restaurants series hot line 19019
17- McDonald's (Man Foods Egypt) hot line 19991 service entire Cairo
18- Pizza Hut service entire Cairo hot line 19000
19- Hardees; 30 Talaat Harb, Talaat Harb Mall, Tel: 7951793 / 7951294
20- El Haty 8-A 26th July St, Tel:
21- Arabesque; one of Cairo unique and elegant restaurants, at 6 Kasr El Nile St Tel:
22- Cairo Capital Club; Cairo elite 3 restaurants at Cairo Capital Club, 9 Rostom St. The Cairo Capital Club is situated in the heart of Cairo. Located on the 18th, 19th & 20th floors of the building, first Le Pavilion an international restaurant (pianist daily from 8.00pm(, second Conservatory, cocktails and private hire, and Le Jardin: Roof Top dining with magnificent views of the Nile Formal for 18th & 19th floors, smart casual on 20th floor,access for RDS Members, RDS Members must present a letter of introduction, RDS Members' guests are welcome, website: http://www.cairocapitalclub.net ,Tel: ;
23- Food Court; Nile Hilton Hotel, El Tahrir Sq.,
24- Bird Cage; Far Eastern style from 40 to 85 L.E. / has parking. inside Semiramis Inter Continental, Corniche El Nil, Tel:
25- Lebanese B.B.Q. , Semiramis Inter Continental Cairo, Corniche El Nil, tel.;
26- Night and Day; International restaurant at the Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel, Corniche El Nil St., Tel.: +20-2-3557171
27- After Eight; at 6, Kasr el Nil Street, Tel: 02-0103398000
28- Nubian Village; Le Meridian Cairo Hotel, Corniche El Nil, Tel;
29- Maison Thomas157 26th of July Street, Tel: +20-27350415
30- Abou Ramez El Souri, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, tel.; +2.02.3367229, 62 Mussadak St.
31- Al-Omda; +2.02.3368320 Middle Eastern, 131 Tahrir St.
32- Bon Appétit; Deli / Sandwiches, Shooting Club +2.02.3350995
33- Cortigiano; elegant, style restaurant, Italian, 44 Michel Bakhum St., Tel.; +20-2-337-4838
34- - Planet Africa; Planet Africa is one of the unique restaurants in Cairo as if you are in the jungles of Africa, of course, they provide rich menu include dishes & drinks, 94 Osman Ibn Affan, Triumph, Heliopolis.

Cairo famous coffee shops (café shops)
Cairo knows as the city of coffee shops, name coffee "Ahwas" in known very well as you could find it almost in every street, especially in the old districts in Cairo. The cultural of the Ahwa is very popular here, as Egyptian like to talk and like to meet friends out side of the home atmosphere, also Cairo in summer time has a nice weather so most of Ahwaas are usually open to late night, they always inexpensive, crowded, very noisy, social
People are playing several oriental games shouting back and forth, some evening there is a radio or television playing loudly Songs from the fifties of last century in the background at all times. Cairo has a café name el feshawy located in Khan el khalili area

El Feshawy Coffee
It is said, Cairo's only place which did not have a door ever, and it was a place never close it's door for two hundred years, nothing special in this café but it's history and people who set there before, established by Hajj Fahmy Fishawy in 1797 AD, for more than two hundred years. And, therefore, is the oldest coffee in the Middle East, and perhaps in the whole world. Haj "Fahmi Fishawi" Allah's mercy his soul had a vision and a special method of working, though he did not receive any education. He Established his coffee in a small place. Just a small buffet frequented by people to comfort and calm, also to watch his show with his dancing Horse.
"Coffee Fishawy" reported in some foreign books and references by name "mirrors Coffee" view as it contains a lot of mirrors, business in coffee managed now by Professor Zia Fishawy who graduated of Faculty of Fine Arts in 1986, he think mirrors could help directing the services especially coffee outside narrow part in the street, also to facilitate in the care guests need, sitting in place can see every corner of the elements very clearly that in addition to being larger and give aesthetic form of the place. You can feel the friendly atmosphere and have a glass of mint tea, or possibly smoke a Shisha (it's not just for men, but also women, including Egyptian women)
You order from the passing waiters, and pay at the end.
- Beano's at 49, El Falaky St., off Mohamed Mahmoud St. or 16 Maarouf - Champollion Street, Tel: or 202-5775935 / 202-5761911
- Cilantrois one of the distinctive modern cafes in Egypt special in characterized same as international series cafes like Starbucks, elegance, simple, clean, and with modern atmosphere. Tel: +202736115
- Soprano Café Italian pasta & pizza ever in a cozy & quiet atmosphere, tel.: , at 6/12 Ext. Of Abou Dawood El Zahery & El Ahly Club, 8th District, Nasr City.
- Al Americaine Beside Supreme Court Downtown, Cairo 44 Talaat Harb St., Tel:
- Alfredo Cafe Omar Ibn El Khattab St., Floor 2 city Stars Centre, Phase One, Shop No. 207 Tel:
- Aladdin; Lebanese, Sheraton Cairo Hotel, Galaa Sq., +02-23369700
- Arous El Nil; Cafe / Coffee Shop, Sheraton Cairo Hotel (Galaa Sq.), Tel.; +02-23369700
- Cafe Tabasco; Middle Eastern, International, Contemporary, 7 Mussadak St., Tel.; +2.02.7622060
- Cafe de Paris; French, Steaks, International, 24 Ibn El Waleed St., Tel.;
- Casablanca; North African, Moroccan, Sheraton Cairo Hotel (Cleopatra Tower, Galaaq Square), open from 7pm to 2am, Tel.; +2.02.3369700
- Chicken Tikka; Arabian, Fast Food, Pakistani, 7 El Sad El Aley St. Tel.; +20-2-3357481
- Coffee Roastery; Cafe / Coffee Shop, Tel.; , 46 Nady El Seid St.
- Ebn Hamido; modern style Coffee Shop, at Sheraton Cairo Hotel
- El Mandara; Middle Eastern, Coffee Shop, 20 Mussadak St., Tel.; +2.02.7600926
- Failaka; International, Safir Cairo Hotel, El Messaha Sq., Tel.;
- Kenny Rogers Roasters; American, Fast Food, Barbecue, 21 Shooting Club, Tel.;
- Kika's; Cafeteria, Tea House, Coffee Shop, 59A Abd Al Monam Rayad St., Tel.;
- La Poire; 62 Mossadak St., Coffee Shop / Bakery, Café, Tel.;
- Le Tabasco; Coffee Shop, International, 7 Mossadek St.
- Mashrabia; Coffee Shop, Cairo Sheraton Hotel, El Galaa Sq.,
- Camp café; Simple and clean, café at mohandesin, Tel.;
- IL Panello ceramic café, 2 Omar Ebn El-Khatab, Heliopolis, Tel.;
- Nomad; a very simple Egyptian and Eastern Europe restaurant, (roof top lounge) and very suitable for Christmas celebrations or gatherings friends or special occasions
- Sawa; quiet atmosphere and provide snacks, sandwiches, coffee, This is in addition to those who wish to smoke Shisha, also provides delivery service. 36 Abu Bakr El-Ambassador-Heliopolis.
- Al-Azhar Park; after the renewal of Al Azhar Park new restaurants operated by Tropicana's companies even Chilies, Johnny Carino's manages the cafe's Swiss Inn. Al-Azhar Park has become the most beautiful and cleanest green areas in Cairo. You can spend a beautiful day greenery and clean air, from 10 am to 9 p.m., Park entrance fee 3LE, holidays 5LE, Tel: /
- Cedars;offers the best Lebanese cuisine, like Fattoush, Manakeesh, Boneless Chicken. Architecture of the place is designed along as if you were in Lebanon, 42 St. Gezera Arabia, Tel.,
· Links to others brand names café in Cairo; Costa Coffee, Cinnabon, Starbucks, Rainforest Cafe.

Cairo famous Shopping malls and area
Check the following links;
1- City Stars (Cairo) 2- Serag Mall
3- Maadi City Centre (Carrefour) 4- Hilton Ramses Annex
5- Nile City Towers Mall 6- City center Mall
7- Wonderland Center 8- Maadi Grand Mall
9- Hyper One Center 10- Horeya Mall
11- Hypermarket: Spinneys.
Cloths shopping in Cairo;
· Clothing (links): Billabong, Lacoste, French Connection, Levi's, Mango, Calvin Klein, Tommy, Hilfiger, Quicksilver.
Sports Clothing: Nike, Adidas

Cairo recommended hotelss

Distance between Cairo and Other Cities

The idea to create this place for tourists began with a dream. Already famous for his rediscovery of the ancient techniques for making papyrus, Dr. Hassan Ragab began to ponder over the possibility of a life museum with real people, actors in costumes and in real locations, then he began converting Jacob Island into a detailed replica of ancient Egyptian life. His first step was planting five thousand trees to block the view of modern Cairo that surrounded the island. The first trees planted were weeping willows, sycamores, and date palms; trees easily identified in tomb paintings as part of ancient Egyptian life. But many more plants, flowers, animals and birds also depicted in the paintings could no longer be found in Egypt, and some were extinct. The Pharaonic Village is an experience like no other. The instant you begin sailing down the canals that circuit through the island you are immersed totally in the Egypt of history and legend. Everywhere you look, you will find more and more sights and sounds of ancient Egypt, inside you can see vision from the past including Hellenistic Museum, Mythological Canal, Tomb of Tutankhamen, Islamic Exhibit, Nasser's Exhibit, Art Center, Pyramid, Temple, Lotus Garden, Mosque, Ancient Industries, Scenes of Ancient Agriculture, Scene of Moses, Coptic Exhibit, Mummification Exhibit, Napoleon's Exhibit, Anwar El Sadat Exhibit, Nobleman's House,Ancient Boat Exhibit & Cleopatra's Studio as well as Gift Shop, Cafeteria, Houseboat, Nefertari Yacht
And Village Harbor.located on the West bank of the Nile, on Jacob's Island at 3 Al-Bahr Al-A'zam Street, about six miles from the center of Cairo (see map), and not far from most of the hotels. Open from 9am to 6pm daily. In the summer months it remains open until 9pm. http://www.pharaonicvillage.com

Cairo Tower (Burg Al-Qahera)

(Burj al-qahira, colloquially burg al-qahira)was built from 1956 to 1961, reportedly to convince a skeptical world that the nation had the capability to construct the Aswan Dam.[citation needed] Designed by the Egyptian architect Naoum Chebib, the tower's partially open lattice-work design is intended to evoke a lotus plant. The tower is crowned by a circular observation deck and a rotating restaurant with a view over Cairo. One rotation takes approximately 70 minutes. 187 meters in height, it is the tallest concrete building in the East; a landmark of modern, Egypt from the top of which visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city, The tower was designed by the famous Egyptian architect Naoum Shebib and built between 1956 and 1961. The design was inspired by Pharaonic art and resembles a lotus flower. The Cairo Tower was intended to be the symbol for a new Egypt and President Gamal Abdel-Nasser considered its rotating restaurant to be the perfect place to dine with his family. It was recently renovated and re-opened with a splendid ceremony in April 2009, after which it has put on a lightshow that can be seen from all over the city. The VIP Restaurant and Lounge and the new Galleria has made the tower one of the most popular venues in the city for both business and recreation. In the past year, the VIP Restaurant and Lounge has attracted many famous diners - including Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora; meanwhile, the Galleria has hosted many dignitaries.
The restaurant offers excellent French cuisine and an extraordinary range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. If you are one of those who thought that Cairo needed a restaurant that specializes in meat dishes, this is the place that will satisfy that need. The managing director has spent much of his life in France; the staff is well-trained and their knowledge of French food and drink means they can answer any question you may have on the subject. Just one glance at the menu reveals that it took a connoisseur of French lifestyle to decide the selection of delicacies on offer.
One of the most attractive features of the VIP Restaurant and Lounge is the arrangement of the tables, which allows maximum privacy for diners. As the Food and Beverage Manager Gheda Salah points out, this makes it an ideal setting for a romantic candlelit dinner or a quiet and private meeting. The tables are placed in little clusters that face outwards, directing the eyes to the view of the city below rather than to the stylish interior of the restaurant; which, incidentally, is reminiscent of the 1950s and 60s Scandinavian furnishings combined with classic modern and Mediterranean touches. Paintings by contemporary Egyptian artists adorn the walls. Perhaps the best time to dine here is early evening, when you can enjoy classic French aperitifs - Campari or Pernod - or a refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail as the twilight gradually fades and is replaced by the city's electric lighting. This is what my companion and I did, relishing the fresh fruit juice cocktails called Fruit Divine and Adam's apple. To begin with, we ordered shrimps in mustard sauce and it came beautifully arranged on a German Villeroy & Boch new wave design. (All the china at the VIP Restaurant and Lounge is by Villeroy & Boch.) A selection of traditional French appetizers is on offer, alongside soup and salads. I tried the Foie Gras en Brioche, featuring a p?té made from goose liver, which had the right creamy consistency and was tastefully garnished with salad. My companion remarked that the Cream of Watercress soup was an exotic, taste adventure for the Egyptian palate. All appetizers are served with a creatively arranged bread basket that offers white and whole-grain bread alongside crackers, baked in the shape of the tower.
There is a fine selection of local and South African wines available to accompany the main course. I highly recommend the Fillet Mignon with pepper sauce and the Chicken in Ginger Sauce accompanied by glass noodles. The meat is of excellent quality and is imported from Australia and New Zealand. Main courses are accompanied by six different types of fresh vegetables served al dente. The sauce illustrates all the skills and knowhow of the chef, is of excellent consistency and evokes a whole new spectrum of flavors'. If you do not care for a full meal, the restaurant also serves a range of light snacks featuring, among other delicacies, genuine French cheeses. Open daily 0900to to 2400 LE9 to visit the observation deck. Built in 1957, the tower's central cylinder rises nearly 90 meters (higher than the pyramids at Giza) its concrete latticework blossoming into a lotus. The 14th floor houses a revolving "(when its works) restaurant the 15th floor a cafeteria and the 16th a viewing platform with telescopes from which you can see most of Cairo on a clear day.

Rhoda Island:

Hugging the southern shore south Garden city the rocky foundations of Rhoda island are as old as the Pyramids: Pharaonic and Roman ferries may well have landed at its southern tip, the island remained agricultural until mid 1300.

Manyal palace museum:

Open 09:00-14:00 daily, Saray el Manyal, the museum is near club med just south of kobri Gamma (University Bridge). The museum includes Muhammad Ali's palace, reception rooms, a private mosque, and a hunting museum.

Nilometer:

To get in, you may have to ask the children to fetch the custodian with the key , this Milometer dates from A.D715, but was destroyed in a storm and rebuild in 847.teh current , Turkish building reconstructed taking a 19th century drawing as a model. some legends claim Moses was discovered here, floating in a red basket.

Meniastirli palace:

Open 09:00-14:00, now the center of Art and life, the palace was built in 1851 , the exhibits inside show some nice modern pottery ,textiles and weavings, the porch of the building has hand painted ceiling that, if you crane your neck, are worth the view.

Museum of Modern Art;

located at Sharia al-Tahrir in the Cairo Opera House. Exhibits feature Egyptian artists and foreign artists, who once lived in Egypt, Egyptian art museum built in the 20th Century. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. except for Monday, 11511 Cairo Tel: 002027366667, www.modernartmuseum.gov.eg

Mahmoud Mukhtar Museum;

Considered as the Pioneer of Modern Sculpture in Egypt (1891 - 1934). Mahmoud Mukhtar was born on May 10, 1891 in a village called Tonbara, Mokhtar moved to Cairo in 1902, where he lived in the ancient Darb El-Jamamiz. In 1908, he joined the School of Fine Arts, which was sponsored by the visionary Prince Youssef Kamel. The young artist showed so much promise that he was soon sent to study art at L'?cole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Mahmoud Mukthar did the land mark statues of 'Awakening of Egypt'. Mokhtar died at the age of 45 but, like many artists who died young, was able to accomplish much in very little time. As shown by Beggar and Son and Ibn El-Balad, he was aware of the power of drama. these smaller statues tell a story, unlike his larger works, which were often commissioned by the Wafdist government. In fact, the Mokhtar Museum has a hall completely dedicated to statues of Saad Zaghloul, including the models of the two famous Zaghloul statues currently standing in Cairo and Alexandria. Housing the works of Egypt's first modern sculptor (1891-1934), the museum is a hidden gem that many people are aware of but very few have actually visited. That might have something to do with the fact that it dropped off patron's radars when it was closed for the better part of a decade, from the mid-1990s through 2003, visit to the museum will dispel these misconceptions. Born in Gharbia before the turn of the last century, Mokhtar was described as "a precocious child" who was always making figures out of mud, then baking them in his mother's bread oven. At the time, the notion of sculpture was a completely foreign one: Egyptians commonly considered statues to be the work of demons and referred to Ancient Egyptian sculptures as masakheet (damned creatures).
Located at 1, Tahrir ST., El-Galaa Bridge, Tel: +202-735-2519 Closed on Monday

- Museum of Islamic Art;

Port Said St., Midan Bab al-Khaliq, contains a large and valuable collection of Islamic art and Islamic arts and crafts

- Mr. and Mrs. Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil Museum:

1 Kafour St., Giza, next to Maglis El-Dawla
Houses a stunning collection of European paintings and sculptures, Including impressionist and post-impressionist, with a van Gogh, a Degas and a Rodin, open daily except Monday, Tel: (02) 336-2358 / 76.www.mkm.gov.eg

- Nagui Museum:

9 Mahmoud El-Guindi St., Hadayek Al-Ahram. A nationalist contemporary of Mokhtar, Mohamed Nagui was a pioneer of modern Egyptian art.

- El-Khadem-Nagui Museum:

In Helmeyet El-Zeitoun, close to the Saraya El-Kobba Metro stop. Ask for directions. Houses works by Effat Nagui (Mohamed's sister) and her husband, Saad El-Khadem.

- The Museum of Islamic Ceramics;

located at el Zamalik area, the palace's eastern side overlooks the Marriott Hotel at Zakaria Rezk Street; its western side overlooks al-Marsafi Street, from 9.30 to 1.30 and from 5.30 to 10, open daily for the whole week, Photography is allowed without flash, it came into existence after the Gezira Art Center underwent a major overhaul and facelift. It was recommended that the Center with its new facilities and design should include a museum featuring masterpieces of Islamic ceramics from throughout the centuries. The suggestion was consolidated by the fact that ceramic art has a long history in Egyptian civilization, from prehistoric times to the present.
The idea was conceived after the Ministry of Culture conducted a project to move works of art on temporary display at the palace of Prince Amru Ibrahim in the fashionable residential area of Zamalek to their original seat in the Museum of Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil and his Wife in Giza. The palace's architectural design is a blend of Turkish, Moroccan and Andalusia architectural features. It also bears impressions of the European classic school that was popular early in the 20th century and was applied to the architectural design of palaces built during the rule of the family of Mohammed Ali Pasha.
A magnificent collection of Islamic ceramics is now the jewel of the beautiful palace, which overlooks the Nile in the suburb of Gezira, Zamalek. With its impressive Islamic architecture the palace, which was built in 1343 Hijra year, significantly adds to the beauty and splendor of the Islamic ceramics on display. Moreover, the ambience of the place provides a cherished connection and dialogue between the visitors and the objects on display.

- The Child Museum;

Located at 34 Abu Bakr St., Heliopolis, Tel. +2-02-249915, open daily, it is one of Cairo's museums that is targeting children only. Providing children with knowledge of Egypt including its history, sightseeing, culture, in addition its geographical information and natural environment, give ways to have children interact with the world around them, The Museum idea was born in 1985 by Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, patron of children in Egypt.
Entering the museum, each child is given his own 'ID ticket card' allowing him to begin the tour , stamped at each section the child visits. The tour starts by the earliest periods in human history up to the present day. With media help like TV Screens & images of themselves, children would feel very amused, the museum is divided into: pharaonic area, River Nile Hall, the Hall of Deserts, the Red Sea Hall, and a Discovery Hall, and Handicrafts Hall where encourage their practice skills in arts and crafts
There is also an Information Hall which contains books, CDs and other multimedia materials so that children can do their own research, the museum and its surrounding park is an integrated learning experience which any child will undoubtedly enjoy.

- Cairo International Conference Center;
Located in Nasr City, it comprises three main conference halls, a fourth for receptions and a fifth for exhibitions. In addition, there are fully-equipped secretarial offices.

Old Cairo:
Cairo's earliest remains are found to the south, in old Cairo, in an area intimately linked to early Christian history. The holy family, when escaping King Herod, fled to Egypt, they stayed at Babylon while Joseph worked at the Roman fort. By the middle of the first century after Christ's. Mark, accompanying St Peter from Palestine crossed the desert to Babylon, and Coptic tradition says that mark wrote his Gospel here for the Egyptian (Coptic) Church he had founded.

The Roman Gate:

The twin towers of the western gate rise in front of the gardens, when Trajan first built the circular towers. The Nile lapped at their foundations, protecting their entrance and a bridge of barges spanned the River, linking the fortress with the southern tip of Rhoda Island. Today the fortress's foundations are buried under 10meters of accumulated rubble, slit and debris; thus the street level and the interior of the compound lie nearly atop the fortress's walls.

Babylon

The fortress of Babylon was built as part of the Roman citadel to defend the city, on the edge of the ancient city of 'On' (Heliopolis). The site would have been on the east bank of the river at that time, but the Nile has since shifted westwards leaving the area further to the east of the river. The original fortress town was founded around 30 BC - the year in which the Emperor Augustus entered Alexandria. The Romans brought Christianity to Egypt in the 1st century AD and the town of Babylon became known as a centre of the new religion, a safer place for Christians during the times of conflict than Alexandria to the north. It was built on the outskirts of an even older town, Heliopolis, which had been an important religious centre in Egyptian pharaonic period as mentioned as 'On' in biblical references.

The hanging Church (Al-Muallaka);

In a place now called Old Cairo Nearby churches of Old Cairo include Saints Sergius and Bacchus (the oldest church in Cairo), the Monastery and Church of St George and the Convent of St George and the Church of St Barbara. Many of the old churches can be visited with permission., in Arabic name "Misr El Kadima", there is one of the most important locations visited by the Holy Family, The famous hanging church that is called as a nickname for the Metropolitan Church of St Mary the Virgin, which was built at the site of Babylon in the 4th century AD, right on top of the posterior gate of the Roman fortifications with its nave suspended over the passage of the gatehouse, it lies suspended across the Roman towers that guarded the water entrance to the fortress, (The interior of this gate is accessible through the courtyard of the Coptic Museum.) the Church, founded in the late 7th century when it served the bishop of Babylon was destroyed in the 9th century, rebuilt in 977, it continued to grow, and by the 11th century it was the center of learning and the seat of the Coptic Patriarchate. Renovation of the building continued through medieval times.

Coptic Museum:

The Coptic Museum, in Old Cairo, next to Mar Girgis (St George) metro station, comprises rare collections dating back to the early Christian Period (1st to the 7th Centuries). The nearby churches, the oldest in Christendom, reflect vividly the earliest manifestations of the Coptic spirit in art and worship.
Founded in 1910 by Morkos Smeika Pasha with the aims of providing a home for the many objects which were scattered around Egypt, also to provide a means of tracing the history of Christian Egypt, He collection of the Coptic Museum bridge the time between the pharaonic and Greco- Roman eras and the Islamic period, most of collected treasures from the old churches and Coptic houses, also received several private collections, Tel 362 8766. Opening hours are from 9.00am to 5.00pm daily except Friday. Entrance tickets cost EGP 50.

Abu Serga Church (St. Sergius):

A famous church in sacred area from the visit of the Holy Family, though their stay was brief, for the Governor of what was then Fustat - enraged by the tumbling down of idols at Jesus' approach - sought to kill the Child. But they took shelter from his wrath in a cave above which, in later years, the Church of Abu Serga (St Sergious) was built. This, and the whole area of the Fort of Babylon, is a destination of pilgrimage not only for the Egyptians but for Christians from around the world. An air of piety and devotion pervades the whole district, the church back to the time of a 5th century basilica style, built over a crypt where the Holy Family is believed to have stayed during their flight into Egypt. The Museum of Islamic Art is the Repository of masterpieces representing the flowering of Islamic art in successive eras, To reach this church, go through the Iron Gate just to the right of the ticket kiosk next to the northern tower. (this gate is locked at 100 hours, and sometimes during the day as well , so you may have to ask at the kiosk to have it opened) turn right , then left the Church is at the end of the first block on your right , the entrance is below street level, down the flight of stairs.

Ben Ezra Synagogue (Keenest Eliahu)

To reach the synagogue, take the first right past Abu Serga and continue to the gate. The church of Sitt Barbara will be on your left the synagogue on your right, this spot, where Elijah is said to have appeared and Moses to have prayedhas been held holy since the Jewish first came to Egypt. The original Jewish temple (where Mary and Joseph must have worshipped) was apparently demolished during later reconstruction of Roman fortress. The Christians took over the site and built a church dedicated to St. Michael the archangel. In the 12th century .it reverted to the Jews, and the synagogue was built by the Jerusalem Rabbi Abraham Ben Ezra.

Sitt Barbara church (St. Barbara):

This church, one of the largest and finest in old Cairo, stands just north of the synagogue. In 684, Athanasius the scribe builds a church here and dedicated it to Sitt Barbara . It burntduring the Fustat fire in 750, and was restored in the 11th century. The main church is dedicated to Sitt Barbara and houses her relics. Legend tells us she was the daughter of a pagan merchant and converted to Christianity in the 3rd century. Together with her friend Juliana, she spread the gospel. For their efforts, her father, after his ownefforts to kill them had failed, turned them over to the Roman governor who had them tortured, then murdered.
Greek Orthodox church of St. George (Mari Girgis): For centuries ownership of this church alternated between the Copts and Greeks, but since the late 45th century it has been Greek Orthodox .at that tome it contained a convent, a hospital and an old people's home, in 1904 the complex burned, though most of the icons and relics were saved, the present structure dates from 1909, and today serves as the seat of the Greek orthodox patriarch the entrance is inside the compounds, up a curving stairway to your right.

- St. Mercurius Church

One of Cairo very sacred orthodox Christian sites, founded in the 6th century, then rebuilt in the 10th century, St. Mercurius Church; Church of St. Mercurius; Abu Seifien all located at Mari Girgis Street, within the Deir Abu Seifin Convent, old Cairo, 31.5 meters long by 21 meters wide, open daily from 9am-4:30pm.

Fustat:

In 642 A.D., the conquering Muslim army commanded by Amr Ibn-el-As besieged the fortified town of Babylon and made their headquarters a little to the north in a 'city of tents' known as el-Fustat. The old town, for centuries a garbage dump, is settled by the garbage collectors, mostly Copts, who live in shanties. Scattered among their homes are few potters' shops that produce the jugs and decorations lining the highway. The old city of Fustat is always thought to be the first Arab capital of Egypt. The remains of Fustat and Babylon have been mainly preserved because there was little of interest from pharaonic times beneath the towns and they were consequently left alone. It was also known as the first official place of Muslim worship in Egypt. The first systematic excavation took place in 1912-1924 by Ali Bahgat for the Museum of Arab Art and thousands of artifacts were found. In 1964 Fustat was more thoroughly and scientifically excavated when it was threatened by urban development and again in the 1970s by the Egyptian Antiquities Department. Although it was severely damaged by fire in the 8th century Fustat has revealed a great deal of information about early Egyptian Arabic history into the medieval period.
Now a day Fustat continues its ancient rule as centre for the pottery industry, government built there a new center with the aims of preserving the traditional art. This new centre will display both contemporary and ancient pottery and includes a large workshop and kilns, with an open-air museum. There are also plans proposed for a new Civilization Museum at el-Fustat, with the foundation stone having been laid in December 2002. It is anticipated that the project will take three years in the making under full UNESCO supervision. The museum will house thousands of artifacts to illustrate the development of Egyptian civilization from the whole historic period.

Islamic Cairo

A city with thousand Minarets, the word 'Islamic Cairo' means unique locations where the only place in the world where you can see architectural remains of nearly every great Islamic Empire. You will find here with Tourico all you need to know about famous Places such as Al Moez street 33 sightseeing, with us you could arrange a walking tour for meditation, we take you in a space wagon back thousand year to see and feel the history of greet Islamic Empire.

The mosques

Mosques are symbol of Islam in the street and God Houses on earth, it was mentioned in authentic Hadith "That who built a house "mosque" for God sake, God would build a palace for him in Paradise", and thus rich and the rulers compete with each others in building of mosques. It is a fact that not every mosque are "Jamae", Jamae means a place to pray and serve the society around.
The mosque whether large or small is a building where Muslims could do their five daily prayers.
In the past the name Jamae was referring to the main mosque in the city - or in the language of the first Egyptian Muslim it was the only place that held the prayer in congregation on Friday, and is called a mosque sermon, where the ruler, Hakem or the Sheik deliver his religious and political speech. That was the official state mosque
This was the mosque rule in the society in old Cairo until Saladin closed Al-Azhar mosque to stop the shieea agenda, after the demise of the Fatimid caliphate, then give permission of a fatwa to pray the Friday in all mosques in the city, from that time there is no difference between the mosque and the mosque, especially since the Cairo's population increased, that was at the first century of Migration of the Prophet [peace be upon him].

- Mosque of Amr Ibn El-Aas:

the first mosque in Africa, was built under the patronage of `Amr ibn Al-`Aas, the great Arab military commander who is most noted for leading the Islamic conquest of Egypt in 19-20 AH (640-41 A.D.).
The mosque is said to have been built on the site of Amr Ibn el-Aa's tent at Fustat, this building still coupes the site the Muslims' original encampment, and it's all that remains of Fustat tradition says that the site was chosen by Allah through a dove, for as Amr was striking his talent on his way to conquering Alexandria, he discovered a dove nesting in its folds. As Bedouin hospitality extended even to creatures, he left the tent standing, upon his return; he decided to build his mosque on the site. Here Amr, a man whose life nearly reached Islamic perfection. Once stood and, with his companies, took actions and made decision that determined Egypt's fate even into modern times. The mosque was originally built on an area of 1,500 square cubits, overlooking the Nile. The
initial structure was quite simple; with walls free of any plaster or decorations, but without niche (mihrab), minaret or ground cover. It had two doors on the north and two others facing Amr's house. The mosque incorporates elements of Greek and Roman buildings, and has 150 white marble columns and three minarets. Simple in design, its present plan consists of an open sahn (court) surrounded by four riwaqs, the largest being the Qiblah riwaq. There are a number of wooden plaques bearing Byzantine carvings of leaves, and a partially enclosed column is believed to have been miraculously transported from Mecca on the orders of Mohammed himself. There are many other ancient legions related to the Mosque

- Al Azhar Mosque & University;

The symbol of Islamic Egypt, 30.045842° N, 31.26253° E (view on Google Maps) It was built in 358AH by Gohar As-Siqilli, the Army commander of the Fatimid ruler of Egypt Al-Muiz Li Din Allah, during the course of building the city of Cairo; finally it was completed in the first Friday prayers on Ramadan Month 361AH-972AD, At the beginning of the mosque the school of theology was teaching Shia's subjects, later became a Sunni school, It is consider to be the oldest Islamic university in the world, but this is disputed by the Qairaouine Mosque in Fes, Morocco. Located at El Darb El Ahmer, Opening hours: Mon-Thu and Sun 8am-5pm, Fri 8-11am, 3-5pm except praying time, entry without fees, only pay tips for the men who take care of the shoes near the entrance gate, According to religious rules Women have to cover their entire body only face no need to be covered, Women could use veil or Scarves, Which are available to borrow at the entrance. All visitors must remove shoes at entrance. It is the most shining mosque, and remained the world's oldest and leading center of Islamic learning, (Midan Hussein), and claims to be for Sunni Islam is a kind of 'Vatican to be'. Al Taibarsid School, ordered to be built by Prince Ala-Uddin Al- Taibarsi, who served as treasurer during An-Nasser Ibn Qalawoon's reign. Another school namely Al-Aqbaghawi School was built. Both schools were intended for the study of jurisprudence, in addition to lobbies (rowaqs), built upon the orders of Mameluk Sultan as boarding quarters for students. Each district of Egypt and other Islamic parts of the world was assigned a separate quarter.
This renovation project has been completed within the context of the Government's policy of maintaining and conserving religious monument. The project allowed for the preservation, refurbishing and enriching of all monumental components of the mosque. An area of 3,300sq.m.were added to the mosque, thus increasing the total area to 7,800sq.m., Accommodating around 20,000 worshippers. The completed restoration work undoubtedly enhances the status of Al-Azhar as an outstanding center of Islamic call and Egypt's leading position in the Islamic world.
In addition to "study circles"," wisdom sessions for women" were held in the mosque. Late in the 9th century AH, as centers of Islamic culture in Baghdad or Andalusia were deteriorating, Al-Azhar persisted as the center of intellectual radiation and Islamic and Arabic studies in the Islamic world.
"Science circles" frequently held at the mosque showed many features of academic traditions and practices. The main aim of the University of Al Azhar now are preserving the study and dissemination Islamic heritage, delivering the message of Islam to people. Concerning all topics with the revival of Arabi civilization as well as the scientific, intellectual and spiritual legacy of the Arab Nation, in addition to the faith in Allah, self-confidence, firm belief in creed, Sharia and language of the Quran, scientific, political and professional efficiency in medicine, engineering, agricultural and commerce among others.
The University seeks also to establish closer cultural and scientific relations with Islamic, Arab and foreign universities and scientific institutions.

- El-Hussein Mosque

Al-Hussein Mosque in Arabic: ?, Husayn or Hussain, who prefixed by with honorific title "Sayyidna". He was the son of Ali Bin Abi Talib, one of the khulafaa Al Rashedeen is credited with the construction of this mosque. El-Hussein Mosque doubly serves as both the burial site of Mohammed's grandson, El-Hussein, and a significant religious site of Muslims around the world. El-Hussein Mosque lies at Midan Hussein in Islamic Cairo area in el Hussain square, as one of the several ancient mosques in Cairo. Belongs to the Fatimid period and was constructed in 1154 A.D., its architecture heavily influenced by Gothic styles. The mosque is strictly meant for viewing by the Muslims. People from other religious background are prohibited to enter the mosque's premises. El-Hussein became a martyr in Iraq in 680 A.D. One of the most colorful and religious of Islamic festivals is celebrated at the site of El-Hussein mosque. It is during this festive season when Sufis, poets and Zikr dancers gather to perform at the place. During this time, various Islamic sects parade through the streets surrounding the mosque and reside in makeshift tents created for the festive season. A lot of stories here in Egypt confirm the believed that his head buried on the grounds of the mosque. Sh?'ah Muslims believe that the head of Husayn ibn Ali is with his body in the Imam Husayn Mosque in Karbala, The mosque, considered to be one of the holiest Islamic sites in Cairo, was built on the cemetery of the Fatimid caliphs, a fact that was later discovered during the excavation.

- Sayyida Zeinab Mosque

She was the daughter of Ali bin Abi Taleb the Grand daughter of the Prophet Mohammed, her mosque also houses her shrine, located in As-Sayyida Zeinab Square, the Mosque built at the same time of the Hussein Mosque, then renovated in 1549, rebuilt again in 1761, then finally rebuilt again in 1942.
Typical of the Mameluke architecture style, Decorated with arabesque & painted wood, it is a place that Muslims travel to visit as it is honors one of the great Islamic Sayyida Zaynab who identified as either the sister of Sayyidna Husayn or the companion of Sayyida Nafisa. The mawlid "Moulid EL-Saidda" literally means "birthday", and while Muslims throughout the world celebrate the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, called Mawlidu Al Nabi, the observance of moulids throughout the year for Sufi saints and lesser religious figures is a tradition unique to Egypt's Islamic heritage. Her birthday is one of the most colorful in Cairo, drawing thousands to celebrate her putative birthday.

- Mosques of Ahmed Ibn Tulun:

Located at (Midan Ibn Tulun), the second oldest mosque in Egypt. Named after the founder of the Toulon's State, The design was influenced heavily by the Great Mosque of Samarra (located in Iraq,
built 848-851), where Ibn Tulun received his military training, When Ahmed Ibn Tulun order his engineers: "I want an inclusive mosque, if entire Egypt burned it remained, if Egypt sank it remained, then they advised to built it from the red brick in order to keep it forever", he also never play or give joking but he was caught wrapping a strip of paper on his finger, then he said I like the minaret "mosque tower " same as this paper around my finger, and it was a unique minaret with stairs look like the paper on his hand. The mosque has the unique feature of an external spiral staircase winding up a minaret that is also, in shape, unlike any other, Ibn Tulun builds the mosque in A.D 876 -879 to serve his administrative city of al Qata. To protect it from the annual floods, he chose a rocky outcropping, a hill called Gebel Yashkur, and here the city flourished for 30 years. But then, sacked by the Abbasids when they conquered Egypt and abandoned when the Fatimid's shifted the capital north to Al-Qahira, the city stagnated, and the mosque fell into ruin Not until the close of the 13th century, when Amir lagin took refuge there amid nasty rumors about his involvement in the assassination of sultan, did the mosque's prospects change. Shocked by its decay, Lagin swore that is he ever got out of his current mess he would restore the building to its former glory.

- The mausoleum and mosque of Al Shafai mosque "AL-Imam Al-Shafi'

Islam religious has four rites of Sunni, one of them founded by him, it is considered to be one of the great Muslim Imam "saints", He was a descendant of the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib, and came to Egypt in the 9th century. His mosque was built in 1211 by king Al-Kamil, whose grave, along with his mother's, is also under this dome and only a few steps away from the Imam's. It is consider being the largest detached mausoleum in Egypt. Paradoxically, that Fatimid built mausoleum for 'Alid saints as a means of promoting their Shi'I thought in order to make Egyptian more related to leaders who eradicated all signs of Shi'ism in Egypt. In fact, this mausoleum is regarded as the symbol of the triumph of orthodoxy over heterodoxy. For safety reasons it may need permission to enter the area for visit, check with travel agent before visit.

- Grayer-Anderson House (Bayt Al-Kritilya):

Located at the southeast corner of Ibn Tulun's mosque two 16th century houses are joined by an elevated bridge. The western house was built by Abd Al- Qadar Al-Haddad (the smith) in 1540.its two grilled windows in southwest corner mark a Sabil (fountain) rare in private homes. The eastern house dates from 1631, and the tow were joined and furnished by major Gayer Anderson, who combed Cairo for Ottoman furnishings. The entrance is on the south side the short alley between the two houses must resemble medieval Cairo streets with their overhanging Mashribiya a balconies. The houses on right served as haramlek or women's quarters; the one on the left, the salamilk for the men. The tour begins in the courtyard of the haramlek, works its way up to the roof where the women could enjoy a sitting area, crosses over the bridge, and exits through the Salamlek.

- Citadel & Mohamed Ali mosque

(Salah El-Din) Built in 1183 in the medieval stronghold tradition, Located a top the Mokattam hill-range, it commands a strategic view of the entire capital and, together with the Mohammed All Mosque raised by its namesake more than six centuries later, dominates the Cairo skyline. The citadel of Salah El-Din is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Cairo, which was built almost 7 centuries later. The Mosque inside for Muhammad 'Ali Pasha was built between 1828 and 1848, known as the alabaster mosque, perched on the summit of the citadel. Another mosque is the Ottoman mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad `Ali's oldest son, who died in 1816. The location, part of the Mokattam hill near the center of Cairo, was once famous for its fresh breeze and grand views of the city, and was fortified by Saladin between 1176 and 1183 AD, to protect it from the Crusaders. The citadel stopped being the seat of government when Egypt's ruler, Khedive Ismail, moved to his newly built Abdin Palace in the Ismailia neighborhood in the 1860s. The citadel also contains Al-Gawhara palace, and the National Military Museum.

- Mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbay

Mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbay was built in1472-74. It contains the mausoleum and the madrasa"School" named after Sultan Qaitbay. Located in the northern part of Qarafa, City of the Dead, it is famous for its architecture and intricate design work. This complex has nine buildings including the madrasa, mosque and mausoleum. The mosque is the most beautiful with intricate designs made on the dome. The mausoleum has the tomb of Qaitbay made in wood with inlay work done in ivory and other woods. It also has a wooden holder for The Koran and two stones on which, according to legend, The Prophet Mohammad stood on. Visitors are requested to dress appropriately while visiting mosques and mausoleums.

- The Mosque of Sultan Hassan

Built by Al Nasser Hassan Ibn Mohammed Ibn Qalawoon in 1385
AD, it is generally regarded by art historians as being among the supreme achievements of Islamic
Architecture, located at Midan Salah el Din, with the 81m high minarets of Cairo, Particularly noteworthy: Egypt's oldest Koran stand. It was designed so that each of the four schools of thought - Shafi, Maliki, Hanafi and Hanbali - has its own area while sharing the mosque.
This religious complex (mosque, mausoleum and madrassa "school") of Sultan Hasan the Mamluk Sultan who ruled in the middle of the fourteenth century. Those turbulent times when Sultan's sons "emirs" challenged each other for power, as a twelve year old Hassan put on the throne, fourteen years later in 1361 he came to his violent end, his body was never found, he was also not buried in his mausoleum. He may not belong to the greatest leaders of Egypt, but its structure is one of the greatest of medieval Cairo, with the highest minaret (over 81 meter high). The entrance to the mosque cannot be missed, as it is the largest portal of any pre-modern Cairene Mosque-Madrasa complex in Egypt.
It is located on Al-Qal'a Street. Beside the entrance is a floor plan along with some historical information about the structure written in both Arabic and English. This is a nice place to pause and notice several points about Mamluk architecture in general and about this building in particular. The Quranic verse that is quoted here is from Sura 48, which begins:
One of the ornate doors in the Qibla Iwan "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,
Surely we have given thee a manifest victory,
That God may forgive thee thy former and thy latter sins,
And complete His blessing upon thee,
And guide thee on a straight path,
That god may help thee with mighty help"
There are several bronze doors nearby, leading to various rooms that are masterpieces of medieval metalwork. On either side of the mihrab, doors lead into the mausoleum.
The door on the right is particularly interesting, made of bronze inlaid with silver and gold. It is original and of exceptional workmanship. The design of the door combines central star ahapes with small polygonal satellites, a design which is also popular in woodwork.
The inscription in the silver at the base is in Thuluth script, which was much in favor during the Mamluk Period. Thuluth means third, and in this script the letters are three times as high as they are wide.
The Mausoleum, with its 21 square meter dome, is located behind the Qibla Iwan, which is unusual in Cairo. Only two other mosques are configured similarly. Stalactite pendentives usually, if the mausoleum is attached to the quibla wall, it is set to one side so that worshipers do not pray toward the founder's bomb. This is the largest mausoleum in Cairo. It was intended as the tomb of Sultan Hassan but instead it contains the bodies of two of his sons, named Al Shehab Ahamd and Ishmael. Sultan Hassan was not buried here because his body was never recovered.
In many respects, the decoration inside the mausoleum is similar to that of the Qibla Iwan. The Quran inscriptions on the walls above the marble paneling are in Thuluth script, done all in white. They are from the Throne verse of the Quran:
"God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting.
Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep;
To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth.
Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave?
He knows what lies before them and what is after them,
And they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills.
His Throne comprises the heavens and earth;
The preserving of them oppresses Him not;
He is the All-high, the All-glorious."
Interior of the dome within the mausoleum the high dome of the mausoleum is constructed, like the one in the entrance hall of the mosque, with bricks.
This is the most beautiful dome I have seen during my journeys around Islamic Cairo, as well as one of the highest. In the corners wooden stalactite pedantries with niches of lavishly gilded and painted decorations support the dome, which is actually lower than the original one.
The lighting is ascetically pleasing, consisting of a circle of lamps hanging down from the dome and surrounding the tomb in the center. There are many small windows in the walls to let in light and allow fresh are to move about the mausoleum.
The tomb itself, but to host the body of Sultan Hassan, is itself surrounded by a small, carved wooden fence. It is oriented towards the Qibla wall.
Behind the tomb is another Mihrab that is similar to the one in the Qibla Iwan, also well decorated with gold inscriptions. I believe that this Mihrab was placed here so that people would pray for the sultan or his sons who are actually entombed here. It the back of the mausoleum, to the right and the left, are large ground level windows from which the Citadel can be seen. I felt a bit sad that the builder of this great monument did not find his final resting place here.
The mosque knows - with his client mosques - all visible from the magnificent royal palace in the citadel, later citadel was a good place for enemies to attack the mosque from the opposite citadel roofs. The wooden dome of the mausoleum became unstable and collapsed in one year later. Not long after, the Ottoman sultan, was master in Egypt, ordered the rebuilding of the minaret, it is simply decorated and the lower tower. The current light-colored dome mausoleum is a later restoration. It is a place that must not be missed when you visit Egypt; there are many interesting stories about this mosque, which is considered to be Cairo's finest example of early Mamluk architecture. In fact, many guide books refer to it as the finest ancient mosque in Cairo, and has been praised as one of the major monuments of the Islamic world. This Sultan Hassan Mosque as seen from the Citadel monument is best seen in the morning, when the sun lights up the mausoleum and the western iiwan.
Needless to mention the mosque is featured on the Egyptian one-hundred pound note. It is a place which usually world wide famous kings and president visit during their stay in Egypt, US president Barack Obama visit it during his visit to Egypt and when he in his way to Cairo University for delivering his important speech to Islamic World.

- Al Hakim Bi Amr Allah Mosque

Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (996-1021), this mosque was completed by the Fatimid, Sultan Abu Mansour after his confirmation as a ruler in 1013 A. D. Its construction started under the reign of his father Al Aziz Bi Allah in 990 A. D. It was strongly shaken by an earthquake and was rebuilt by Sultan Ad- Dhahir Bibris in 707 H (1307 A. D.). The architecture closely resembles that of the Ibn Toloun Mosque; they are both made of bricks with stone minarets.

- Al Aqmar Mosque

The Al Aqmar Mosque built in 1125 A.D., al-Aqmar (moonlit) was built by the Fatimid vizier al-Ma'mun al-Bata'ihi in 1125 during the caliphate of al- Mustansir. Located on the main artery of the city, it was built with elaborate ornamentation and design. According to Fatimid proud architecture due to the exquisite decoration at the front, it is located at Al Moiz Li din Allah, its plan shifts to accommodate both the qibla orientation and the existing street pattern. It's rectangular hypostyle mosque with a square courtyard. The depth of the fa?ade is adjusted to fit the dictates of the existing urban scheme.

- Sultan Qansuah al-Ghuri Complex

The complex Included Funerary Complex of Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri, Khanqah-Mausoleum-Sabil-kuttab of Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri and Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Qansuah al-Ghuri (Khanqah, Mausoleum, Sabil & Kuttab, Mosque and Madrasa), Complex of al-Ghouri, Complex of al Ghuri, al-Ghuriya, al-Ghuriyya, al-Ghouriyya.
Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri was second to last of the Mamluk sultans and the last to enjoy a reign of any duration (1501-16). Al-Ghuri died of a heart attack while fighting the Ottoman Turks outside Aleppo, following the defection of Amir Khayrbak in the midst of the battle. His body was never found, and was not buried in his mausoleum on which he had spent a fortune. In the chronicles of Ibn Iyas, Al-Ghuri is portrayed as an energetic and arbitrary despot, cruel and superstitious, and thoroughly human in his weaknesses. Time and again we read of someone savagely tortured to extract money from him, or of someone else hanged or cut in two for some offense, real or imaged. Nonetheless, al-Ghuri loved flowers and music, wrote poetry, and was attracted to Sufis and other pious men. He was a great patron of architecture, and a man of refined cultural tastes. The foundation of Sultan al-Ghuri was built between 1503 and 1505. The complex straddles both sides of al-Mu'izz Street, with the congregational mosque-madrasa built on the western side, and the khanqah-mausoleum-sabil-kuttab on the eastern side.
The fa?ades of the complex flanking al-Mu'izz Street, unlike the earlier religious complexes in the city, are not adjusted to the street alignment, and instead follow the orientation of the two sides of the complex. Since the two opposing fa?ades are both set back from the original lines of the street, this divergent portion of the street is transformed into a sort of square which is semi-enclosed at the north end by the projection of the sabil-kuttab of the mausoleum, and at the south end by the projection of the minaret of the madrasa. The final changes in the form and function of late Mamluk religious architecture are detected here. The khanqah is reduced to a mere gathering hall and lodgings for Sufis are absent. Although designated as a madrasa, the building across the street is a congregational mosque that follows the cruciform plan with attached students' cells. The waqf deed, however, does not mention teaching activities.
The entirely rectangular minaret introduced the novel feature of a top story with four bulbs, and may originally have been covered with green tiles. The present five bulbs are a modern reconstruction. This minaret and the original minaret of Aqsunqur are the only documented minarets with four stories instead of the standard three.
Source; [Sayed, Hazem. 1987. The Rab' in Cairo: A Window on Mamluk Architecture and Urbanism. Ph.D. diss., MIT, Cambridge, Mass]

- Saleh Talaia Mosque

Constructed in 555 A. H. (1160 A. D.), this mosque is in "Maydane Bab Zouela" opposite one of the gates of Fatimid Cairo. It is regarded as the last monument of the Fatimids in Egypt. It was built four meters
Above ground level and has shops underneath. This method of construction is referred to as "the suspended mosque".

- Ad-Dhahir Bibers Mosque

Built between 1266 and 1269A. D., its name refers to Sultan Mamlouk Ad-Dahir Bibers. Only Al Azhar, Ibn Toloun, and Hakem Mosques are more beautiful. The plan of the mosque is similar to Ibn Toloun Mosque and is characterized by three main entrances at the front.

- The Mosque of Chikhoun

It stands next to the Sultan Hassan Mosque and was built by Sultan Naser Hassan. Al Moayyid Mosque
Its name refers to the Sultan Abu Nasr Sheik Al Mahmoudi who was called Al Moayyid and was fond of architecture and arts. It is as beautiful as the Bab Zouela Mosque and is regarded as one of the architectural jewels of the Mamlouk era. It was built in 818-824 A. H (1415-1420 A. D.).

- Sannan Basha Mosque

It was built in 1571 following the Ottoman model in Boulaq area of Cairo, in Assananiya Street (El Balah). It is made of a large square room and a stone Byzantine-style dome. On each of its corners the name of God is written in yellow stone on a background of white stone. On the three sides of this dome, there are halls formed of arches held up by columns supporting semicircular domes decorated with plaster and adorned with the words "Allah Rabbi" (God is Creator). To the south-east of the mosque one finds an Ottoman minaret called Mesala.

- The Othman Katakhuda Mosque

It is known as Kikhiya Mosque and is located near the Opera Square in the center of Cairo. It was built in 1734 by Otoman green marble columns over which a grid is adorned with the words: "Allah- Mohammad- Abu Bakr- Uthman". Attached to the mosque is a drinking water supply, Quran School and a bath. Its minaret has the shape of a disc and taking the shape at the end of an obelisk. Arab architecture preserved its luxurious character throughout the time of the Ayyoubides, successors of Salah-eddine Al
Ayyoubi, in particular under the reigns of the Mamlouks Sultans which are regarded as one of best the periods of Islamic art, known as the golden age (1250-1715), a decline started in the eighteenth century due to the influence of Western art. The fortress built by Salah-eddine Al Ayyoubi remained the seat
of power under the reign of the Ayyoubides and Mamlouks.

- Al Fakahany Mosque,"Fruits Seller Mosque"

Funny and strange myth that mentioned about this mosque, the mosque "Alvkhani", located at the entrance of "Khosh kadam" street at el Ghoria area, it was built by the Fatimid Caliph Al Montaser, it may spoil and destroy, but later the area was full of walking-vendors, then a Sofy Sheik went to people selling fruits then bought him a pound of fruit, and asked him to give some to every poor person he sees , then by the end of the day he would leave the rest of the one pound fruit to him, strange thing was by the end of the day he give a lot of poor people, and by the end the sofy came back asking what is left of the pound, the mystic, was told that if the fruit seller reconstructs the mosque using his money, the money will not be less but may become more, then the mosque became known as "Mosque Alvkhani" or the mosque of fruits seller.

- Amir Azbak al-Yusufi Complex "1494-1495"

Built by Amir Azbak in 1494-5, this mosque illustrates late Mamluk style in its planning, decoration, and sympathetic response to the urban setting. Amir Azbak al-Yusufi's career began in 1471 as one of the great 'amirs of the sword,' and occupied several high posts. At the time of his death in 1498 he was counselor of state of Sultan Qaytbay son . (He is not to be confused with Azbak min Tutuh, who founded Azbakiya.), the complex is carefully positioned in a fashion that enables the complex fully take advantage of the fa?ade looking over the two streets.
Source ;{Meinecke, Michael. 1992. Die Mamlukische Architektur in ?gypten und Syrien (648/1250 bis 923/1517). Glückstadt: Verlag J. J. Augustin, I/158, II/438-439}

- Qanibay El-Ramaah "Ameer khur" Mosque

The name "Ramaah- or 'the lancer" It said that he can walk on a wire between two minarets as circus players, but no evidence was given for such, Qanibay al-Rammah, also known as al-Sayfi, was prince of khur, or horse grand master , during the reign of Sultan al-Ghuri. this mosque was built in 1503-04 on a large site over a hill overlooking the hippodrome and the Madrasa-Mosque of Sultan Hassan. The site is appropriate, since the horse market and stables of the Citadel were originally located just off the maydan.
The complex has a main fa?ade that takes maximum advantage of the view and at the same time exposes itself to the crowds below. The complex projects a long front fa?ade that includes the sabil-kuttab, minaret, trilobed groin-vaulted portal, windows inside large rectangular panels, and a stone dome. The dome is embellished by a handsomely carved arabesque pattern with triangular corner supports.
Source {Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1985. Change in Function and Form of Mamluk Religious Institutions. Annales Islamologiques 21:73-93. }


- The Mausoleum of Sultan Al-Salih Najm AL-Din

The school name S?lihiyyah located opposite to the school of Al-Mansur Qalawunwas built in 647 AH (1250 CE) under the orders of Queen Shajarat Ad-Durr, to contain the remains of her husband King As-Salih Najm ad-Din Ayyub. The design of this building is simple, both inside & outside. Its fa?ade, S?lihiyyah was divided into panels and it was topped by a jagged ridge, the development of pendants shape differ from those we knew in the Fatimid period. The number of rows of stalactites is indeed past two under the Fatimid period, three under the Ayyubid period. Another feature is the application of decorative mosaic, golden color glass; the Mehrab was the first of its kind in Egypt. Although golden mosaic glass had already been widely used previously as a main material for decoration, in many eastern Muslim monuments like the Dome of the Rock, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem or the Great Umayyad Mosque of Damascus He remains in Egypt, their use has remained limited to a small number of Mihrabs only. The original woodwork mausoleum consists of door panels with carved relief, windows frames and beautiful Kufic inscriptions, wooden strip going around the four sides of the square base of the dome, and with traces of verses from the Quran.

- Bab al Futuh (Gate of al- Futuh)

Cairo, 1087, Fatimid during the Fatimid vizier Badr al- Jamali period, who ruled Egypt from 1074 to 1094, Cairo had outgrown the sun-dried brick wall of Jawhar. Bab al-Futuh, built in 1087, was part of this rebuilding campaign which included two other gates: Bab al-Nasr and Bab Zuwayla.

- Mosque of Girls

In a period of Mamluk Prince Abdul Ghani, at Cairo downtown Port Said St., behind of which were buried his seven virgin daughters , then become a legend in the public mind that these seven daughters may have not been chosen to be wives on earth but chosen by God to be wives for others in the after life , in heaven
Then Egyptian began to send girls interested in marriage to visit this mosque on Friday and go through his prostrate, to receive and name their requests in paper uncovered , so that the mosque was dominated by the name of the "Mosque girls".

- The Qubba al-Fadawiyya

It is attributed to Sultan Qaytbay. This unique structure was started by prince Yashbak in 1479; he also built a similar one in the south of Matariyya in 1477. It is frequently mentioned in the chronicles in connection with processions, ceremonies, and banquets of the sultan and his companions. This Sufi foundation once stood near a hippodrome and enjoyed the view of an artificial pool dug by the founder. It was connected to the Husayniyya quarter by a long passage supported on an arcade which is no longer extant. The building consists of a free-standing cubical mosque covered entirely with a dome, a feature unusual in Mamluk mosques. The brick dome, the largest of its kind in Cairo, rises directly from the walls of the cubical building without an intermediate transitional zone on the exterior. The interior, however, displays a transitional zone consisting of a trilobites squinch set in the walls of the cubical structure. This squinch recalls the trilobite groin vault crowning portals from this period.
Source [Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1983. The Qubba, an Aristocratic Type of Zawiya. Annales Islamologiques 19:1-7.]

- The Sabil & Kuttab of 'Abd al Rahman Katkhuda

For a prince Mamluk & a leader of the Egyptian Janissaries, the two-story square structure consists of the fountain within the block of the first level, which is surmounted by space for the school in the form of a two-tiered arcaded pavilion. The structure sits on a triangular site formed by the splitting of al-Mu'izz Street into two branches. It serves as a visual focus for the termination of this major spine, especially to those approaching from the place of Qalawunids monuments in the area between the two palaces "Bayn al-Qasrayn", The sabil & kuttab, with its marble mosaics, muqarnas corbelling, with alternating colors, and polychrome marble revetment, is characteristic of 'Abd al Rahman Katkhuda's extensive architectural patronage in Cairo, which blended Mamluk and Ottoman architecture and decoration.
Sources: [Behrens-Abouseif, 1992. The 'Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda Style in 18th c. Cairo. Annales Islamologiques 26]

- Sultan al-Ashraf Inal Complex

The mausoleum located at the Northern Mamluk Cemetery, with annexed prayer hall , and the sabil, kuttab were built by Inal when he was still a prince in 1451. After ascending the throne in 1453, he decided to expand the complex. The "khanqah" was added in 1454 and the mosque, designated by its inscription as a madrasa, was added in 1456. It is reported that the construction was financed by Amir al-Jamali Yusuf, who also added a zawiya, a practice initiated by Sultan Barsbay in his complex in the cemetery. This funerary complex is considered a further development in the secularization of late Mamluk religious architecture, for in addition to housing the Sufis in duplex apartments forming a domestic rab' like that of Barsbay in the cemetery, the madrasa has the plan of a qa'a, or reception hall, a feature also borrowed from Cairene domestic architecture.
Sources: Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1985. Change in Function and Form of Mamluk Religious Institutions. Annales Islamologiques 21:73-93.

- Sultan Qaytbay Sabil & Kuttab

The sabil is a water fountain surmounted & the kuttab is an elementary school, originated as a charitable foundation incorporated into the corner of a mosque or a madrasa. The sabil-kuttab of Qaytbay, built in 1479, is the first example of a freestanding version of this kind of institution. In the succeeding Ottoman period, this independent structure becomes a favorite type of urban charitable-endowment building. The sabil-kuttab also provides an excellent example of rich surface decoration from the Qaytbay period, like the red, black, and white ablaq courses in the portal.
Sources: Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1989. Islamic Architecture in Cairo. Leiden: E. J.Brill.

- Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque

The Amir Qijmas al Ishaqi was the head of Sultan Qaytbay's stables. Between 1479 and 1481, he had the mosque built on a triangular plot that dictated the irregular plan. The main fa?ade is crenelated, with muqarnas corbel and latticed windows. The entrance portal is contained within a trilobed groin-vaulted arch decorated in ablaq masonry; it appears with the minaret on the right side of the fa?ade. The mosque is attached to a sabil-kuttab across the street by an elevated passage. As was common, the mosque is built above shops which occupy the street level. The entrance contains Qoranic inscriptions and an ablaq marble panel featuring black, white and red leaf forms.
Sources: Behrens-Abouseif. Doris. 1989. Islamic Architecture in Cairo. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 115.

- Sultan al-Ashraf Bersbay Funerary Complex

The foundation of Sultan Barsbay at Suq al-Nahhasin (the coppersmiths' bazaar) was built in 1425. It is a cruciform four-iwan design dedicated to Sufis who wished to study the four rites of Islamic law according to a traditional madrasa structure. This madrasa figures importantly in understanding the change in function and form of Burji religious institutions.
It has been suggested that there is no mihrab in the madrasa's mausoleum, because accommodating one would have left no room for a window on al-Muaiz Street, which would have deprived the tomb of its crucial visual contact with the street. The mihrab, a highly decorative feature which underscored the religious character of the mausoleum, is replaced here by the blessings of the passersby.
{Sources: Jarrar, Sabri, András Riedlmayer, and Jeffrey B. Spurr. 1994. Resources for the Study of Islamic Architecture. Cambridge, MA: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture.}

- Sultan al-Mu'ayyad Sheikh Complex & Bab Zuwayla

Al-Mu'ayyad Shaykh, a Burgi Mamluk prince, or Circassian Mamluk, became sultan from 1412 to 1421. Al-Maqrizi relates that during the reign of Faraj ibn Barquq, al-Mu'ayyad, a great intriguer during a time of great intrigues, was captured and thrown into a prison on this site. He suffered terribly from the lice and the fleas, and vowed then that if he ever came to power he would transform the infested prison into a "saintly place for the education of scholars." Sultan al-Mu'ayyad spent forty thousand dinars on its construction. Due to the sultan's lavish endowments, the madrasa became one of the prominent academic institutions of the fifteenth century. A large library was collected; the most eminent scholars of the day filled professorial chairs; and the most famous specialist in Quran exegesis in Egypt, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani , was installed as lecturer in Shafi'i jurisprudence. Unlike Barquq's madrasa-khanqah, in which the Sufis of the khanqah and students of the madrasa dwelt under the same roof and enjoyed exposure to each other's teachings and religious practices, this madrasa, whose curriculum comprised the study of official religion according to the four rites, was dedicated to Sufis only.
This was the last great hypostyle mosque to be built in Cairo. Among other things incorporated into the hypostyle scheme are a bent entrance and a burial chamber covered with a monumental dome, two hallmarks of Mamluk architecture. The muqarnas portal is set in a "Pishtaq prince Mosque", or rectangular frame, that rises above the wall of the fa?ade. The door, which was reputed to have been illegally taken from the Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, is a masterpiece of Mamluk metalwork. The architect, Muhammad ibn al-Qazzaz exploited the mosque's proximity to Bab Zuwayla by using its towers as both buttresses and bases from which the two identical minarets rise. The carved chevrons decorating the exterior of the stone dome, which are also to be seen on the octagonal second stories of the twin minarets, provide an excellent example of this type of surface decoration for carved masonry domes from this period. From the entrance vestibule one passes into the mausoleum, where the sultan and his eldest son are buried. On the largest cenotaph is a beautiful reused panel of tenth-century Kufic script, a verse from the Quran: "surely those who avoid evil will be among gardens and fountains: Enter them in peace, secure" (15:45-46). The graceful leaf forms that emanate from the vertical letters and fill the empty spaces over the horizontal letters are characteristic in early Islamic art of the desire to fill voids. These foliate beginnings led to very lush arabesque backgrounds for scripts. The new restorations include the re-building of the missing arcades around the courtyard. Part of al-Qahira's southern wall has also been discovered. It is on display on the south side of the courtyard. On the western side of the courtyard is a hammam (bathroom) that is worth seeing.
A tomb chamber at the southwest end of the sanctuary was for the female members of the sultan's family. The chamber once had a dome, but now its cover is a flat roof. The Turkish tiles in the qibla wall were added during restoration work by Ibrahim Pasha, the son of Muhammad 'Ali, in 1839 or 1840. A door at this end of the sanctuary leads to the second-story platform of Bab Zuwayla and to the minarets. The view from the top is well worth the climb because it offers a superb perspective on the extent and contours of the mediaval city to the north and the south. Above the entrance of each minaret is a cartouche in which the architect al-Mu'allim Muhammad ibn al-Qazzaz has left his name and the dates of completion, 1421 and 1422. This signature by an architect is rare in Cairo.
Sources: Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1985. Change in Function and Form of Mamluk Religious Institutions. Annales Islamologiques 21:73-93.

- Sultan al-Zahir Barquq Funerary Complex

Sultan Barquq, the founder of the Burji or Circassian Mamluk dynasty, built his complex between 1384 and 1386 in the coveted Bayn al-Qasrayn area. The architect Shihab al Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad al Tuluni, who belonged to a family of court architects and surveyors, was in charge of part of the construction. The name of Jarkas al Khalili, the master of Barquq's horse and the founder of the famous Khan al Khalili, appears in the inauguration inscription on the fa?ade and in the courtyard.
Sultan Barquq sought to legitimize his rule by associating himself with the previous dynasty, the Bahri Mamluk, to whom the legacy of fending off the Crusaders and Mongols and espousing Sunni Islam was bequeathed. Having established himself socially by marrying Baghdad Khatun, a widow of Sultan Sha'ban, one of the last descendants of Sultan Qalawun, he ordered the construction of a funerary foundation for his family. To emphasize the continuity he intended he chose a site next to the early Qalawunid monuments on the prestigious al-Mu'izz Street. This resulted in a continuous wall of contiguous fa?ades with window recesses, portals, cresting's, domes, minarets, and bands of tiraz, all executed in different styles competing for visual dominance and attesting to the powerful role of Mamluk architecture in the political arena. Each fa?ade represents an episode in history on the stage provided by the dismantled Fatimid palaces.
Michael Rogers has demonstrated that this complex, with its marble paneling, bronze-plate doors, molded stone ornament, and elaborately worked minaret, was to set the tone for Cairene architectural decoration between 1400 and 1450. The octagonal minaret departs from most minarets from this period in displaying a shaft with stone carving, which, in the 15th c., replaces the inlaid stone work characteristic of 14th c. minarets (e.g., Sarghatmish). The royal rank (blazon) is applied to basic objects and materials like window stucco grilles and rough wood, possibly because building materials were rare and precious. The 'waqf' deed refers to this complex as a madrasa & khanqah. The addition of a Sufi program to a madrasa reflects the integration of Sufism into urban life in fifteenth-century Egypt.
[Allen, Terry. 1986. A Classical Revival in Islamic Architecture. Wiesbaden: Reichert.]

- Sultan Faraj ibn Barquq Funerary Complex

This tomb is one of the major monuments of Cairo and one of the three outstanding structures of the Northern Cemetery. The impetus for the development of the Northern Cemetery was initiated by the desire of Sultan Barquq, the first of the Circassian or Burgi Mamluks (1382-99), to be buried in the desert next to the tombs of venerated Sufi sheikhs, and not in his state monument in Bayn al-Qasrayn. The complex built for him by his son Faraj, at the foot of the Muqattam range, was in reality the first attempt to urbanize the desert. Originally, the complex was planned as the center of a large residential area that was to include, in addition to the main funerary endowment with its kitchens and living units, subsidiary establishments such as baths, bakeries, grain mills, rooms for travelers, alleys, and a marketplace. The complex of Sultan Faraj was built between 1398 and 1411.
The khanqah is unique in its inclusion of twin minarets, twin carved masonry domes covering the two burial chambers, and twin sabil-kuttabs, all organized in bilaterally symmetrical fashion. However, the plan, which comprises a hypostyle scheme deploying arcades on piers and an open central courtyard with adjoining arcades, is that of a congregational mosque.
At the main entrance, visitors can have directions with a sign showing the plan of the building, put up by the Egyptian Antiquities Organization as part of their restoration efforts. From the vestibule into the corridor that leads to the courtyard, one steps over an ancient pharaonic slab. The shafts that pierce the ceiling of the long corridor offer both illumination and air circulation. The cooler evening breath would force out the warm air and create, by convection, a natural cooling system. From the courtyard, stairs in the northwest corner lead to the upper floors - a complex of rooms, passageways, and cubicles that one both passes on the way up and looks down upon from the roof. In these deserted chambers the dervishes once studied, chanted, and slept. On the second floor, one can sit in the porch of the kuttab over the front entrance. One can climb both minarets
To the north of Barquq's mausoleum is the tomb of his father Anas, that he had brought from Circassia and given a position. The building was joined to the mausoleum by an arcade, now in ruins.
Faraj was described by the fifteenth-century historian al-Maqrizi as "the most tragic king of Egypt." Faraj took the throne at the age of ten, and was twenty-three when he was deposed and killed in Damascus. His reign was one of continual strife among amirs and as such was also a history of their rivalries.
[Sources: Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1985. The Minarets of Cairo. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.]


- Sultan Qaytbay Funerary Complex at the Northern Cemetery

The complex of Sultan Qaytbay was built between 1472 and 1474.
The exterior of the complex's stone dome is decorated by a carved straight-lined star pattern superimposed on another carved network of undulating arabesques. Although the inscription on the cruciform structure, whose central courtyard is covered by a lantern, refers to it as a madrasa, it is identified by the waqf deed as a Jami'. Madrasa & mosque were not dedicated to any particular rite.
The complex represents the final chapter in the phasing out of the khanqah as an institution and reflects some of the rules of Sufi life in late 15th c. Egypt. The khanqah, whose role in the funerary complex of Barsbay was diminished by two competing zawiyas, is here eliminated altogether. Instead, Sufi sessions of hudur, already popular in most of the mosques of the period, were held in the mosque-madrasa by the Sufis dwelling in the detached rab'. Small neighborhood mosques in the late Mamluk period begin to acquire the function of the congregational mosques as a multifunctional place where the public went for communal prayer, education, and Sufi rituals.
Sources: Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 1985. Change in Function and Form of Mamluk Religious Institutions. Annales Islamologiques 21:73-93.


- Al Matariya Obelisk

It is a single obelisk of king Senwosert I (Dynasty XII), one of the oldest discovered obelisks in Egypt, which originally stood with its companion before a temple of Amun, obelisk was a symbol of sun-worship which was still being erected there up to the Late Period. Today, the only remaining reminder of greater times is a single obelisk of Senwosert I (Dynasty XII), the oldest obelisk in Egypt, which originally stood with its companion before a temple of Amun. Examples of obelisks have been found which were reused in other sites of the Delta region, as Heliopolis was slowly dismantled and its stone used in construction work at Memphis and later, Cairo. This obelisk looks the same as Delta region later discovered obelisks, The city which the Greeks re-named Heliopolis was burnt down by the Persian conqueror Cambyses and according to the Greek historian Strabo, was in ruins by 24 BC. The modern excavation works were carried out by the Egyptian Antiquities specialists in 1911 before the city reached the proportions we see today. Then Cairo University has undertaken systematic exploration of the area since 1976. The obelisk of "Senwosert I" now located in a park at the outskirts of Heliopolis at Mattariya. There are also few small remains of other findings from Heliopolis in the park, including some granite column bases of Amenhotep III temple. Displayed in an open-air museum is a carved red quartzite of Tuthmose III from the Gebel Ahmar quarry and a number of other fragments. Other objects can be seen in a museum at the south- east corner of the park.

- The Virgin Mary's Tree;

A place located very close to Mataria underground metro station, a place mentioned where the child Jesus with Virgin Mary ran and hid from Roman soldiers, not far from the obelisk is an ancient sycamore, in Arabic the place is known as (Shajjarat Maryam), which was planted in 1672 from a shoot of an older tree. Christians believe that the Holy Family sheltered beneath it after crossing the desert. The tree was presented to the Empress Eugenie of France by Khedive Ismail, but she wisely left it where it was because it was a place of pilgrimage. The place and around area was also a source of essential perfume which Christians used to export to worldwide churches before, the suburb of Matariya stands on the site of one of Egypt most ancient cities on called by the Greeks Heliopolis where the world first observatory is located, This provided the Holy Family with shade and shelter during their sojourn in Egypt

- Mataria & Ain Shams new discovered sites;

Beside the old sites of Obelisk and Virgin Mary's Tree there are few new tombs & statutes such as Wadj-Hor tomb, worker in Dynasty XXVI, The tomb was found 10 m below the surface of a building site and entered from the ground above, surrounded by other houses, During 2006, archaeologists have uncovered parts of a large pharaonic sun temple. The Egyptian and German teams working together discovered the site beneath a market place known as Suq el-Khamis. Objects found include green paving stones from a temple floor, a pink granite statue, thought to be of Rameses II, these new sites frequency visited by Egyptology students around the world.

- Cheaar-Hachamaim Synagogue

Name sheaar-Hachamaim, one of Egyptian Jewish Synagogue, located at Adly St., open on Sundays mornings to Fridays, The Cheaar-Hachamaim Synagogue in Cairo is an unusual concrete block with a subtle Art Nouveau floral motif, easily overlooked from the outside. to visit it, you have to arrive early, with passport in hand. Note that the security guards are touchy about letting people in, one of Cairo's great hidden treasures. It has an interior of exquisite stained-glass windows and light fixtures rumored to be from Tiffany's. Erected in 1905 by the Mosseri family, the synagogue is seldom used because there are only few remaining Jewish men to hold a service (10 min is required).

The Holy Family in Egypt
Egypt is the cradle of human civilization: a fact hardly contested among authoritative historians. But Egypt also enjoys a focal geopolitical position, connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe through the Mediterranean Sea. On its land, migrations of people, traditions, philosophies and religious beliefs succeeded each other for thousands of years. Evidence of this succession is still visible in the accumulation of monuments and sites attesting to a uniquely comprehensive cultural heritage. Indeed, one of the phenomena which shaped Egypt's distinctive identity, and explains its pervasive influence on the then known world, was a dynamism that accommodated and re-formulated these successive cultures into one homogenous and harmonious Egyptian canvas. Egypt is one civilization woven of many strands, threaded by successive and intertwining eras; the Pharaonic, the Graeco-Roman, the Coptic Christian, and the Islamic eras.
Because the Egyptian people are the essential product of the "harmony in diversity", "otherness" has become an integral component of their awareness, a basic constituent of their national and cultural identity. This characteristic has yielded one important result: Egypt was, and still is, the land of refuge in the widest sense of the word, a place of tolerance and dialogue for peoples, races, cultures and religions.
On this land of Egypt, the first voice proclaiming the Oneness of God rang out in the 14th century BC through Akhenaton's monotheistic creed. Moses and Jesus lived in this same land. Later, Islam entered without conflict.
Before long, the world will be celebrating the birth of Christ, together with the birth of the twenty-first century, the third millennium AD. While sharing with the rest of mankind the celebration of this momentous milestone in the world's history, Egypt will have its splendid occasion to celebrate the dawning of the seventh millennium of the country's recorded history.
Some people in the outside world may not be aware of the special significance all Egyptians attribute to the fact that the Holy Family, when Christ was an infant, found haven in Egypt for nearly four years after their flight out of fear from the persecution of King Herod. Egypt's re-paving of the route the Holy Family followed it part of a comprehensive policy to revive, and give prominence to, all the religious landmarks which constitute the spiritual heritage of the one Egyptian civilization. With an eye on history, and Egypt's role in it, a nation-wide project is under way, under the leadership of President Mubarak, to restore and preserve this heritage. The aim is to generate a renaissance, in a temporal context, connecting the past with the present, providing, thereby, an impetus for the future.
To highlight but a few noteworthy examples of the many initiatives in this regard, I would refer only to the restoration work carried out on the Sphinx and now completed after ten years; the salvaging of Egyptian monuments of Graeco-Roman period off the shores of Alexandria; repairing the Hanging Church in Old Cairo, one of the oldest landmarks in Christendom in the orient, and the work of conservation carried out on the one-thousand year-old Al-Azhar Mosque as well as on all the other awe-inspiring edifices of Islamic Cairo in the heart of the capital.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, guardian and defender of the national traditions of the Coptic Church, personally approved the text of the present book, mapping the route the Holy Family followed on its flight into Egypt, from Al-Farma in the north east of Sinai to Al-Muharraq Monastery in the southern Nile Valley. When the groundwork of this vast project is completed by the beginning of the third millennium, many of the believers in the One God, we all worship, and lovers of our civilization, will come to us. But the supreme objective of the present book, and of the project when completed, is enshrined in the two-fold message addressed to all Egyptians and the world at large simultaneously: that our country was, and will remain, a safe haven of co-existence and peace; and that the unity of the Egyptian people, both Moslems and Copts, is the backbone of the entity of the Nation-State of Egypt.