Cairo: what to see in the capital of Egypt


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Cairo is a very populated and constantly expanding city, also as regards tourism.


Where is Cairo

Capital of Egypt extends largely on the right bank of the Nile river, about 20/25 km south of the beginning of the delta area, characterized by the division of the river into two branches, Damietta and Rosetta.

From the early 1800s to today, the town has also spread over the left bank of the Nile and its Al Gezira islands and
Al Roda, to include also the towns of Giza, Eliopoli and Imbaba.


Cairo was founded in 969 AD from the Fatimid dynasty, in an area not far from the ancient capital Memphis.

The city reached its maximum splendor between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries under the Mameluks dynasty, until the Turkish conquest which marked the beginning of a period of decline.

We will have to wait for the 19th century for a new phase of growth.


What see

In the center of the city is the Egyptian Museum, one of the most important museums in the world, which houses prestigious and extraordinary testimonies of ancient Egyptian civilization.

The medieval old town coincides with Islamic Cairo, a very large area with the renowned bazaar of Khan el Khalili in the center, and near the mosque of El Azhar, built in 970 AD.

The mosque is a good example of medieval Karyot architecture.


It was enlarged over the centuries and today it is one of the main centers of Islamic theology.

In a dominant position is the citadel, a fortress built in 1176 by the Muslim leader Saladin.

Recommended readings
  • History Egypt in brief
  • Nuweiba: what to see between the Gulf of Aqaba and Sinai
  • Cairo: what to see in the capital of Egypt
  • Marsa Matrouh: what to see
  • Famous Egyptian pharaohs: which are the most important

Looking out from the western terraces of the fortress you can enjoy an extraordinary panorama.

The stone blocks of the pyramids of Giza were used for the construction of the walls and towers.

The oldest part of the city corresponds to Coptic Cairo.

It is an area located within the walls of the Roman fortress of Babylon from the third century AD.

Among the interesting places found in this area, the Greek Orthodox Church of San Giorgio, the beautiful Church of the Virgin Mary, called "The Suspension", deserve to be visited, as it seems to rest on the two Roman towers, and the Coptic Museum.

Excursions to Giza

At a distance of about 20 km from the center of Cairo is Giza, the necropolis of the ancient capital Memphis, which houses important monuments including the Sphinx and the Pyramid of Cheops, which is the largest, in terms of size, among the pyramids in Egypt and the most famous in the world.

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