"Cairo - al-Qahira - Le Caire" a Cairo Travel Page by MM212

القاهرة

Cairo is a city of many cities. Throughout its many millenia and several names (Cairo, Fustat, Memphis, etc.) Africa's largest city has been and continues to be a centre of great importance to many civilisations, cultures and religions. These include: Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Jewish, Christian (of all sects), Moslem, Mamluke, Ottoman, Belle Epoque European, Modern... and the list goes on. All of these identities have left an imprint and continue to have a place here (and Egypt as a whole) making Cairo one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

My tour of Cairo begins with tips that describe its different sections and neighbourhoods, each of which represents a period of the city's history in chronological order. These are followed by a detailed architectural and historic tour of each area in roughly reverse chronology: modern, European downtown, Ottoman, Mamluke & Fatimid Cairo (from Khan el Khalili to the Citadel), el-Fustat (from the Citadel to Mosque of Amr ibn el-As), and finally Coptic Cairo. Further details on the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara are on separate pages. I've tried to incorporate cultural and historic references to spice up most of my tips. Few cities in the world surpass Cairo in number of monuments or architectural styles. Although my tips may seem numerous, one must keep in mind that there are approximately 800 listed monuments in Islamic Cairo alone, with many of the 19th and early 20th century European-style architectural gems not even listed! This is another reason why Cairo could be so mesmerising... Enjoy the tour!