______________________________________________________________________
Name Location Latitude Longitude
_______________________________________________________________________
Cairo Egypt 30 03 N 31 15 E
Cairo Georgia, USA 30 52 N 84 12 W
Cairo Illinois, USA 37 01 N 89 09 W
Cairo Missouri, USA 39 30 N 92 26 W
Cairo Nebraska, USA 41 00 N 98 33 W
Cairo New York, USA 42 17 N 74 00 W
Cairo Ohio, USA 40 49 N 84 04 W
Cairo Ontario, Canada
Cairo West Virginia, USA 39 14 N 81 12 W
Cairo Montenotte Italy 44 23 N 8 16 E
Cairu Brazil 13 36 S 39 00 W
Cairo Egypt
History
Officially speaking, Cairo
was founded in AD 969. However, to claim that Cairo is merely
a thousand years old is in fact historically inaccurate. The
city's long journey across history started more than four
millenia ago. Throughout the ages, she managed to survive by
fulfilling her rulers wishes, be they Ancient Egyptians,
Greeks, Romans, Arabs, or Turks. To please them, she assumed
various names: Memphis, Heliopolis, Babylon-in-Egypt,
Al-Fustat, Al-Qataei, Al-Askar, and most recently, Al-Qahira.
In order to appreciate
Cairo's deep-rooted history, one has to look back at history
itself. When Alexander the Great conquered Egypt,
Cairo was older to him than he is to us. In the fifth century
BC, the great historian Herodotus visited the then 2000
year-old Pyramids as a tourist. At the time,
the Ancient Egyptian civilization had generated more than thirty dynasties, each surviving, on
average, longer than the Soviet Union. Later, Cairo wintnessed
the rise and fall of the Greek, Persian, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, French, and British Empires.
She played major roles in the history of three major
religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It was here that the Virgin
Mary and the Child Jesus rested after their long journey from
Palestine, and that the first Islamic mosque in Africa was
built by Amr Ibn Al-Aas. Cairo is at least twice as old as Paris, 7 times as old as Berlin, and 15 times as old as New York City.
Long before the pyramids were built, Egypt's northern
and southern territories were ruled separately. It was about
5000 years ago that a young prince by the name of Narmer (Menes) unified the Red
(North) and White (South) kingdoms to become Egypt's first
Pharaoh. As brilliant a politician as he was a warrior, Narmer
chose the site of Memphis as his
capital. The city was situated at the then Nile Delta tip,
along the North-South border, and about 25 km south of today's
downtown Cairo.
For the next 800 years or
so, the first Capital of the Pharaohs prospered under the rule
of Zoser, Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren),
Menkaure (Mycerinus), Unas, and others. She became the
most influential and powerful city in the world, and housed
the always and forever World Wonder, the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Constructed on the Giza plateau, a necropolis of the
city of Memphis on the Nile's west bank, the three Great
Pyramids are the ultimate manifestation of political stability
and power of the Ruler during the Third and Fourth Dynasties.
It wasn't until the Fifth
Dynasty began (ca. 2500 BC) that the absolute power of the
Pyramid-building Pharaoh declined, only to be replaced by that
of the Sun-God, Ra. The rule of Giza gave way to the authority
of another city, now on the east bank, Heliopolis. Heliopolis, now known as
"Matareya", (not to be confused
with the modern suburb of Heliopolis) was probably home of the
first Ancient Egyptian priests. It was here that one the most
ancient, and well-documented, proof of religious authority
existed. From that moment in history, the power of the
Egyptian priests would not yield for more than two thousand
years. It was also here that one of the first science and
learning centers in the world existed, a center in which
engineers, physicians, accountants, practiced and taught, even
though they were all identified as priests.
Slowly, but steadily, the
ultimate power of Heliopolis was transferred to a new city,
further south: Thebes. In the
Sixteenth Century BC, King Ahmosis assumed full power over
Egypt after expelling the Hyksos. His reign marked the
beginning of the New Kingdom which later produced Thutmosis III, Akhenaten, Tut-Ankh-Amen, and Ramesses II. Ahmosis, a native of
the South, moved his Capital to Thebes, now known as Luxor. Although the political
strength of Heliopolis then declined, her religious power did
not.
The final chapter in the
history of ancient Heliopolis came in 525 BC, when the
Persians invaded Egypt. They destroyed Heliopolis which, to
them, signified the religious power of the Pharaohs. Today,
little can be found at the site of Ancient Heliopolis. The
most notable monument remaining is a single standing obelisk
erected at the temple by King Sesostris I. Four other obelisks
which long ago stood at the site are now in Istanbul, London,
New York, and Paris, attesting the legacy of a once glamorous
city. As the sun set on Heliopolis a new town emerged, closer
to the Nile on its east bank: Babylon-in-Egypt.
No one knows the origin of
the name of Babylon-in-Egypt. It
may be a corrupted version of the ancient Egyptian per-hapi-n-on, or Nile House of On, a
nearby Island. It might have come from the Arabic Bab-ila-on, or gateway to On. Or it
may be simply a name the Babylonian prisoners of the Pharaoh
Sesostris gave to the place. Anyway, Babylon-in-Egypt was more
a strategic spot than an intellectual center. With the
re-opening of the Ancient Egyptian Canal joining the Nile to
the Red Sea, the town became the gateway to Persia and India.
Control over the Fortress of Babylon therefore meant control
over trade. And while Alexandria was the political and
intellectual capital of Egypt under the Greeks and the Romans,
Babylon became its military stronghold.
The year 30 B.C. marked a
significant turning point in the history of Egypt and the
world at large. It was the year when the victorious Octavian (Augustus) entered
Alexandria. His former ally and rival Mark Antony died, and Cleopatra
ended her own life, realizing that her time was over. Although
Cleopatra was of Greek descent, she, like her ancestors, ruled
Egypt as and Egyptian. She was both Queen and Pharaoh. With
her death, Egypt simple became just another Roman province, a
Roman granary rather than a world power.
With the birth of
Christianity, the capital city Alexandria witnessed of a
violent confrontation between the Egyptian followers of the
new religion (the Copts) and the Greek and Roman Pagans.
Christianity, then widely accepted among native Egyptians,
found a safe place to grow away from the eyes of the Roman
rulers. It was here that the Holy Family rested when they came
to Egypt. It was inside and near the Fortress walls that many
of the oldest churches in the world were later built: The
Hanging (Muallaqa), Abu Sergah, Mar Guirguis, and others. When
later the Romans adopted Christianity as their official
religion, the population of Babylon was virtually all
Christian.
For many years, the
Fortress of Babylon remained a symbol of Roman power. It was
in the Seventh century that the balance shifted toward a new
power. Following years of exhausting war in the region between
the Romans and the Persians, both armies were swept away by
the Moslem horsemen who emerged unexpectedly out the Arabian
Peninsula. And it took the Arabs little more than 10 years to
conquer Syria, Palestine, Persia, and knock on the doors of
the Fortress of Babylon in Egypt.
In AD 640, the Moslem army,
commanded by a skillful warrior, politician, and poet by the
name of Amr Ibn-el-Aas, besieged the
Fortress of Babylon. It was a matter of time before the
Viceroy of Egypt, Cyrus, agreed to
peacefully surrender the Fortress, and less than a year later,
the Capital city Alexandria. Amr became the first Arab ruler
of Egypt and remained so until his death.
Even tough the Arabs
admired Alexandria's glamor and wealth, they
decided to abandon the city. The reason is simple: no body of
water was to separate the Egyptian Capital from the Caliph's
residence in Medina. Al-Fustat was
therefore founded on the East bank of the Nile, outside the
walls of the Fortress of Babylon. Deriving its name from the
Arabic (and Roman) word for "camp" or "tent", the town was
built at the spot where the Arabs camped during the Fortress
siege. Here, the first Mosque in Africa was built, carrying
the name of the Arab general, Amr.
The new Capital grew slowly
as Alexandria declined. With the re-opening of the Red Sea
Canal, Al-Fustat became the linking bridge between the East
and the West. In AD 661, a power struggle took place over the
Islamic Caliphate, and Amr, the cunning politician, sided with
the powerful Umayyads who ruled
from Damascus, and even played a
major role in legitimizing their reign. Egypt remained since
loyal to the Umayyads until the collapse of their rule.
With the vast expansion of
the Umayyad Empire, stretching from China to the east to Spain in the west, corruption was
unavoidable. Their rule was violently ended in 750 by the Abbasids who moved their Capital to
Baghdad. The new rulers moved the
Egyptian Capital from Al-Fustat to the new town of Al-Askar. Although both towns were
just a stone's throw away, it was their way of imposing a new
order. The lavishness of the Abbasid Empire reached its
highest point under the rule of Haroon
al Rashid, but so did the taxes imposed on Egyptians. In
832, during the reign of the Caliph Maamoon, the mostly-Coptic Egyptians
peasants revolted, and Maamoon traveled himself to Al-Askar to
subdue them.
Cleopatra's death Egypt became an
independent state, albeit under the rule of a foreigner. Taxes
collected were no more sent to the Caliphate in Baghdad, and
the army was no more under the Caliph's rule. And like earlier
great rulers, Ibn-Tulun built a magnificent mosque
immortalizing his name. Upon his death, he was succeeded by
his son Khamaraweh, who
notoriously spent his time and money on embellishing his
palace and capital city.
It was in the Tenth Century
that the Abbasid Caliphate was again challanged. This time,
the new leader was a Shiite who
established his strong political and military platform in Tunisia and moved eastward. His
legitimacy was supported by his claim (whether or not true) of
being a direct descendent of the prophet Mohammed's daughter,
Fatima. His name was Al-Muez
Ledin-Ellah, he who strengthens the
religion of Allah, or "Al-Muez" for short. In 969, he sent
his most skilled general Gawhar,
or Jewel, on a campaign to capture
Egypt. Gawhar was a former slave from Sicily who converted to Islam.
On August 5, 969, what
remained of Al-Fustat was easily captured by Gawhar who
decided to build a new capital. The Sicilian general did not
know he had just founded a city that would survive for the
next millenium. He did not know his city would grow to become
one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. He just
knew he had laid the foundation for his new capital, Al-Mansureya, which Al-Muez later
renamed Al-Qahira, Cairo, The
Triumphant. The new capital was situated a couple of
kilometers north of Al-Fustat, and was better protected by the
Muqattam Hills. It had a small port on the Red Sea Canal, near
today's Railway Station (At the time, the Nile was flowing
further to the East, and changed its course over the years).
And although it started as a private mansion for the Caliph,
its doors were open later for common citizens.
The rule of the Fatimids
was one of the most controversial in Egyptian history. Under
Al-Muez, the construction of Al-Azhar University, one of the
oldest in the world and still present to this day, began. His
son, Al-Aziz, was a supporter of
arts and astronomy, and was known to be a tolerant ruler since
he himself married a Christian. During Al-Aziz's 20-year rule,
bridges, palaces, and mosques were built, and canals were dug
out. But the rule of Al-Hakem,
Al-Aziz's son and successor was quite a different story. The
new ruler had such a temper that he killed many of his aides,
forbade women from going out, prohibited the sale of certain
foods including grapes, honey, and "mulokheya", still a
popular dish in Egypt. He randomly ordered slaves and citizens
to be killed, and even tough his mother was a Christian, Copts
suffered most under his persecutionist rule. After he was
mysteriously killed, Al-Hakem was succeeded by Al-Zaher who seems to have inherited
a lot from his father. Things later improved slightly under Al-Muntaser's rule, but a seven-year
drought hit the country badly, causing a widespread plague and
a sharp decrease in population.
When the situation slightly
improved in 1073, Al-Muntaser, with the help of his new
governor Badr Al-Gamali, revived
Cairo. It was then then the new gates were built: Bab-el-Nasr,
Bab el-Fotooh, and Bab Zuweila. After Al-Muntaser's
death, the Fatimid Dynasty rapidly crumbled, and it was less
than a hundred years before one of the most powerful figures
in Medieval history emerged to put an end to the Shiite rule
of the Fatimids.
The last Fatimid Caliph was
only eighteen when the Seljuks
captured Cairo. The Seljuks who came originally form Central
Asia had already conquered Syria and Palestine, and
established their Capital in
Damascus. By 1168, Egypt had become a battle ground
between the Seljuks and the Crusaders, with the Fatimids
having virtually little or no control, although they sided
mostly with the Crusaders. It was in 1168 that the victorious
Shirkoh entered Cairo, and was
named governor of Egypt by the Sultan of Damascus,
Noor-el-Din. When he died a year later, his nephew was
immediately appointed as the next governor. He was young - in
his early thirties - and full of will. Quickly, he would
become one of the most famous figures in Medieval history. His
name was Salah-el-Din the Ayyubid, better known in Western
history as Saladin.
In Cairo, Saladin not only
built mosques and palaces (in fact he did not build a palace
for himself), but also colleges, hospitals, and a fortress,
the Citadel, which still remains one of Cairo's landmarks to
this day. Unfortunately, it is to be taken against him and his
successors that they used some of the Pyramids stones to meet
the excessive need for building materials in the growing city.
The Citadel was built on a elevated spot near the the Muqattam
Hills, and occupies a strategic spot from which you can, to
this day, have a panoramic view of Cairo. New city walls were
also erected outside the Fatimid walls to defend Cairo from
enemy raids.
In 1182, Saladin marched to
Palestine and Syria and never returned to Cairo. For the next
10 years, he fought the Crusaders and managed to end their
presence in the region, at least temporarily. When he died in
Damascus in 1193, he had almost no personal possessions, but
he earned himself a remarkable place in history. He was
succeeded in Egypt by his brother Al-Adel who had to deal with an
infamous famine and plague. Al-Adel was in turn succeeded by
his son, Al-Kamel who befriend Frederick II, and was even knighted
in 1192 by Richard the Lionheart. The Ayyubids (Saladin's house) rule came
to an end when Al-Kamel's nephew, Al-Saleh, died in 1250. The short
rule of his wife, Shagaret-el-Dorr, marked the
beginning of a new era, when the slaves known as the Mamelouks ruled Egypt.
Under the rule of the
Ottomans, the Mamelouks did not cease to exercise their power.
As the Ottoman empire expanded, the new world power adopted a
government model that consisted of three authorities: local,
military, and political. In Egypt, they realized that the
power of the Mamelouks was strong enough to subdue the local
people, yet not too strong to revolt against the Grande Porte,
or the Ottoman Sultan. The Mamelouks were, therefore, left in
charge of local affairs. Feudal Lords or Mamelouk Beys were appointed to each
of Egypt's districts, and, in order to ensure no revolt
attempt on the part of the Mamelouks, the Ottomans stationed
their own soldiers, the Janissaries and the Azabs, in Cairo. Both orders
consisted of soldiers, much like the Mamelouks, enslaved at a
young age, raised as fighters, and appointed to high military,
political, and civil posts. The Janissaries were among the
most skillful of fighters. It was to them that Constantinople
fell in 1453.
However, the ultimate
political power was, at least theoretically, in the hands of
the main authority, the Pasha, a
Turk governor usually educated in Istanbul. In several
occasions, Pashas were overruled by powerful Mamelouk Beys,
who were subsequently subdued by the Ottoman troops, who
received their orders from the Sultan, and so on. To the
Sultans, what mattered most in the provinces was tax
collection rather than political power. Meanwhile, little was
being done to improve the social and economic status of Egypt
or its capital city.
While common people
suffered most from the Ottoman policy of isolationism and from
the continuous fighting between the different ruling factions,
a class of citizens emerged and somehow continued to survive.
Merchants such as Gamal-el-din
Al-Dhahabi prospered under the new system and commissioned
some of the most beautiful architecture, which still exist to
this day in Khan Al-Khalili and
other parts of the city. Traders and merchants who had strong
ties with Istanbul succeeded in maintaining a very decent
living standard. In 1796, however, Cairo citizens, burdened by
high taxes, revolted against their Ottoman rulers. It was a
premonition to what was to come in the following years.
It was in the summer of
1797 that Napoleon's army landed in
Alexandria and advanced to Cairo. Murad Bey and Ibrahim Bey, the Mamelouk rulers of
Egypt, sent a messenger with a small tribute and asked the
French general to leave the country. They had never heard of
Napoleon before. The French captured Cairo with little
resistance shortly after. Much is to be taken against the
French during their three-year occupation, from their
mistreatment of Egyptian citizens to their invasion of
Al-Azhar mosque. However, one has to acknowledge that it was
during their presence that Egypt came out of its long dark
age. Champollion the father of
Egyptology, deciphered the Ancient Egyptian writings on the
famous Rosetta Stone. The French also established the
"Institut d'Egypte", built schools and colleges, and wrote
"Description d'Egypte", the most comprehensive reference on
the country's geography and culture.
In 1799, Napoleon left
Egypt after his fleet was destroyed by the British in a battle
off the coast of Alexandria (Abu-Qir). Although he realized he
will no more be able to sustain his troops in Egypt, he
appointed Kléber, one of his generals, as
ruler. When Kléber was assassinated by Suleiman Al-Halabi, a Syrian
Egyptian, Menou assumed power for
a short period, then left with the remaining troops to France
in 1801 under British pressure. Although the Ottomans still
had some authority over Egypt, the British, eager to assume
more control over the country, raided the country in 1807
under the command of general Frazer. A year earlier, a new Pasha
had been appointed by the Ottoman Sultan, and had no plans to
surrender. His name was Mohamed Ali, and he was soon to
become one of the most prominent and controversial characters
in Egypt's modern history.
Mohamed Ali was an Albanian
officer who spoke no Arabic. He was appointed by the Ottoman
Sultan, yet he managed to get the support of the Mamelouks and
the Egyptian citizens, and to defeat Frazer and his troops.
When tensions rose between the Mamelouks and him, he had no
desire to yield. In 1811, he organized a banquet for the
Mamelouk leaders, five hundred of them, at Saladin's Citadel
in Cairo, in a "gesture of reconciliation". When all the
guests were present, the doors of the Citadel were ordered
closed, and all the Mamelouks (but one who escaped) were
massacred by Mohamed Ali's Turkish and Albanian soldiers. For
the first time in centuries, a single person was ruling the
country unchallenged.
With Napoleon as his idol,
Egypt's new expansionist leader stretched his Empire to
include Sudan, Arabia, Syria, and even parts of Greece.
Although he never declared secession from the Ottoman Empire,
the Ottoman Sultan could not tolerate this exercise of power,
nor did the British. In the later 1830's, the Ottomans and the
British allied against Mohamed Ali and forced him in 1840 to
give up all territories but Egypt and Sudan. In return,
Mohamed Ali was granted some sort of autonomy, and secured a
monarchy or "khedivate" for his successors. In 1848, the
ailing ruler surrendered his power to his grandson Abbas, and, a year later, died
insane.
Under Mohamed Ali's rule,
Cairo prospered both economically and culturally. Not only was
the infrastructure of the city rebuilt, but a new city center
was also planned according to European standards. This new
city center, today occupies the downtown Tahrir Square, Garden
City, and Azbakeya. It was constructed over a swampy flood
plain stretching between Ramses Square and the Nile by French
city planners and engineers. A new mosque, the Mohamed Ali
Mosque, was erected within the walls of Saladin's Citadel, and
barrages were constructed along the Nile near the city. Cotton
was introduced and soon became the country's main crop,
thereby boosting the economy. During the six-year reign of
Mohamed Ali's grandson, Abbas, the first railway line was
constructed between Alexandria and Cairo, soon to be
followed by a railroad network covering the Delta and Upper
Egypt with Cairo at its center. Much of the hydraulic and
transportation infrastructure built during that period is
still operating to this day.
Abbas was succeeded by his
uncle Said (1854-1863) then by
another grandson of Mohamed Ali, Ismail.
The new Khedive led a notoriously extravagant lifestyle which
cost Egypt an enormous debt, and later cost him his throne. It
was Ismail who ordered the construction of the Suez Canal, and
commissioned the composition of Aida by Verdi. Lavish buildings and hotels
were raised in the Capital's downtown area, an Opera House was
built, a new road was constructed between Cairo and the Canal,
and Royalty from around the world were invited to the
inauguration ceremony in 1867. Burdened by the debts, Egypt
could not honor its commitments anymore, and Ismail was forced
to abdicate in 1879. He was succeeded by Tawfik who was too weak to
control the situation. With little choice in hand, Tawfik
allowed too much foreign influence into the country, which
eventually led to an uprising within the army. Commanded by an
Egyptian officer, Ahmad Orabi, soldiers, and
citizens marched in 1881 to the Khedive Palace in Abdin and
requested governmental reform. In a smart move, the Khedive
appointed Orabi as Minister of War then sought the help of the
British to regain control. In 1882, the British bombarded
Alexandria and defeated Orabi at El-Tel El-Kabir 50 kilometers
east of Cairo to start a 70 year occupation.
Between 1883 and 1907,
Egypt was effectively ruled by the British Consul, Lord Cromer, a diplomat highly
respected by the British and despised by the Egyptians. During
Lord Cromer's tenure, the British and the elite enjoyed the
introduction of electricity to Cairo in 1889, and the building
of a new suburb, Heliopolis (not to be confused with the
Ancient Egyptian city of Heliopolis). Meanwhile, a sense of
nationalism grew among ordinary citizens. Some were fortunate
enough to receive a decent education, such as Mostafa Kamel. The French-educated
lawyer founded the Nationalist Party in 1905 in an effort to
oppose the continued British influence, but died shortly after
at a young age.
Another prominent leader,
Saad Zaghloul, emerged on the
political scene shortly after the end of WWI, when Britain
declared Egypt as a British
Protectorate. Saad, who became shortly after Egypt's prime
minister, demanded the immediate withdrawal of British troops
from Egypt. In response, the British exiled him and his
followers to Malta, an act that spurred an unprecedented anger
among Egyptian citizens in modern history. Thousands of
Egyptians poured into the streets of Cairo, demanding the
return of Saad and his friends. Moslem and Christian leaders
carried "crescent and cross" banners in solidarity, and women
who have always "stayed at home" joined the angry crowd. The
British yielded, and Saad returned to form back the Wafd
(Delegation) Party and continue his struggle toward
independence.
In 1922, the British
declared Egypt as a sovereign country with Fouad I
of the Mohamed Ali Dynasty as its King. They did not, however,
withdraw their army from Egypt, which left the situation de facto unchanged. In 1936, another
treaty was signed between Mostafa El
Nahas, the Wafd Party leader, and the British which
limited Britain's intervention in Egypt's affairs, but it was
no more than ink on paper. Nine years later, the Arab League was founded with its
headquarters in the center of Cairo, and a sense of Arab
nationalism grew among ordinary citizens. In 1946, the British
troops had to withdraw from Cairo facing strikes and
demonstrations by trade unions. The hostility toward the
occupiers grew after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and the
founding of the state of Israel, which was supported by the
British. On January 26, 1952, Cairo was set on fire by an
angry crowd, a precursor to the events to follow that same
year.
Today, Greater Cairo
encompasses various historic towns and modern districts into
one of the largest metropoles in the world. A journey through
Cairo is a virtual time travel: from the Pyramids, Saladin's Citadel, the Virgin Mary's Tree, the Sphinx, and Ancient Heliopolis,
to Al-Azhar, the Mosque of Amr, Saqqara, the Hanging Church, and the Cairo Tower. With an estimated
population of more than 15 million, she is the largest city in
Africa and the Middle East. She is the capital of Egypt, and indeed her history is
carefully intertwinted with that of the country. Today, her
official name is Al-Qahira (Cairo), but to Egyptians, she is
simply Masr : Egypt.
General information about
the city can be obtained by contacting any of the Egyptian Tourist Authority Offices
Worldwide, the official representative of the Egyptian
Tourism Ministry. The information presented here is
unofficial.
The Association of Tourist
Friends is a non-profit organization founded in 1969 to help
visitors in several ways. It is strongly recommended to
contact them as soon as you arrive in Egypt if you are not
visiting with an organized tour. Their main office is at 33
Qasr El-Nile St., 9th floor, El Tahrir, Tel. (202)392.20.36
Egypt time zone is
GMT+02.00. This means that, for instance, the time is 10:00 am
in Egypt when it is 8:00 am GMT. Summer daylight saving time
is in effect May 1 through September 30. Weekends are on Friday, not on Sunday. Some streets
are closed on Friday for the Moslem's prayer. Most stores and
currency exchange locations are open 7 days a week, but most
banks are closed Friday and Saturday. Travel agencies and
airline offices may close on Friday, Saturday or Sunday,
depending on the management. Most stores and some businesses
close on Sunday, not Friday.
Crime, especially violent
incidents are very rare in Egypt. The emergency phone number
is 122. The tourist
police head office is located at 5 Adli St, Tel:
(+202)390.60.27.
Memphis, the oldest capital
of Egypt, was built by King Menes, and lies 24 kms south-west
of Cairo. The colossal statue of Ramses II is exhibited in
the museum. This is the most beautiful representation of
Ramses II. lt is made of fine-grained limestone, 13 meters
long, and weighs 120 tons. Also in Memphis are the Temple for
Embalming the Sacred Apis Bull
Saqqara is the oldest Ancient
Egyptian cemetery. lt lies on a desert plateau, south-west of
Cairo. Above rises the Step-Pyramid and mortuary compound, built by the
engineer lmhotep for King Zoser. It is composed of six
receding mastabas on top of each
other. The Pyramid measures 123.5 by 107 m at the base and
about 59 m in height.
South of the Step-Pyramid,
lies the Pyramid of Unas, last of the V
Dynasty pharaohs. It is noted for its tomb chamber whose walls
are inscribed with the "Pyramid Texts", and whose ceiling is
decorated with stars. Near to the Pyramid of Unas lies the
Persian Shaft, a tomb of XXVI (Persian) Dynasty, 25 m deep.
Saqqara also houses the
Serapeum (Temple of Serapis). Only the lower corridors remain,
measuring several hundred meters in length. Close to the
Serapeum lies the Greek Philosophers Circle, which contains
statues of Plato, Heraklites, Pythagoras and Pindar. The Mastabas
of Ptah-Hotep, Kagemni, Ti, and Mereruka lie south-west of the
Step-Pyramid and contain numerous mural paintings and
inscriptions portraying daily farming and hunting activities,
wildlife scenery, medical practices,
and religious and funerary rites.
The Ancient Egyptians built
the pyramids as tombs to preserve the bodies of their dead
kings, especially that they believed in resurrection and
immortality, The Pyramids of Giza lie at the western edge of
Greater Cairo, about 10 kms from downtown, and comprise:
The most famous structure
in the world and the only surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
It was built by King Khufu (Cheops) of the IV Dynasty around
2650 BC. lts height now is 137 m (original height: 146 m).
Almost 2.5 million blocks of stone were put into building this
pyramid. All this, however, dwindles when compared to the
precision and astounding ability of the ancient Egyptian in
building this pyramid. Close to the eastern flank of the
Pyramid of Khufu lie three small pyramids dedicated either to
his wives or family members.
Built by Khafre (Chephren), south-west of his
father's (Khufu's) pyramid though lower in height: 136 m. It
still retains, on some of its upper parts, the remains of the
limestone that had once covered it all. At the base, it
measures 215.5 m square. lts interior is simple, with two
entrances on the north side. The visitor can also still see
the remains of Khafre's mortuary temple, the Temple of the Valley, and rising
causeway. These temples witnessed the religious rites during
the embalming of the body.
The Third Pyramid
Built by Menkaure (Mycerinus), south-west of
the Great and Second Pyramids. lt is much smaller than either
one (62 m high). lt is distinguished by the fact that the
lower part of its sides still retain their granite slab
coverings.
The Ancient Egyptians
carved spacious areas in the rock, near the Pyramids. There
they placed wooden boats, to be at the disposal of the King
when he went on his journey of Day and Night with the sun god,
Ra, in the afterworld. Recent excavations unearthed three such
sun-boat sites, on the east side of the Great Pyramid. Two
other sites were discovered on the south side. When the huge
stone slabs were removed, they revealed parts of a large boat,
made of cedar wood, in very good condition. There were also
other implements, such as oars, ropes and a kiosk for sitting.
The boat is 43.5 m long, and the prow and stern are 5 m and 7
m high respectively. The boats are now housed in a special
museum, south of the Pyramid of Cheops. The museum is open
from 9-4 daily. Tel (+202)909.146
On the way to the Temple of
the Valley, lies the large statue of the Sphinx. One of most
famous monuments in the world, it is indeed a legendary statue
for it has the body of lion and the face of a man. lt is 70 m
long and 20 m high. The face of the Sphinx closely resembles
that of King Kephren.
One of the most prominent
museums in the world, it offers visitors a chance to aquaint
themselves with Egypt's ancient history over a period of 50
centuries. lts most significant showpiece is the magnificent
Tutankhamun (King Tut) collection.
Tel (+202)
757.035
Christian Coptic Monuments in
Cairo
The Churches
Most of the ancient Coptic
churches are located in the Old section of the city, near the
ruins of the Fortress of Babylon.
Constructed around the 4th
or 5th Century, this basilica was named "Al-Muaallaqah"
because it was built on top of the south gate of the Fortress
of Babylon.
Church of Abu Sergah (St
Sergius)
Dating back to the
beginning of the 5th Century, the basilica is built on the
cave in which the Holy Family is believed to have stayed when
they came to Egypt. It is regarded by visitors as a source of
blessing.
Built in the 6th Century
AD, the Church is located in one ot the most ancient areas of
Old Cairo. Among its prominent relics is the crypt of St
Barsoum Al-Arian, in addition to a well-preserved collection
of Coptic icons.
Church of Al-Adra (The
Virgin)
Dating back to the 8th
Century, this church contains some precious icons and has
three "haykals" behind ivory-inlaid wooden screens.
Church of the Virgin in
Zaytoun
The Zaytoun church gained
special significance after people reported the Apparition of
the Virgin above one of its dome. It is located in Al-Zaytoun,
in north-east Cairo.
Built on the ruins of an
ancient church, the church of St George has a unique hall dating to
the 13th Century AD. It was named after St George, a victim of
early Roman persecution.
The Cathedral of Al-Qiddis Morcos (St
Mark)
This, the largest church in
Africa, was built recently in Abbassia and reflects the
evolution of the art of architecture. The remains of St
Mark, the first to preach Christianity in Egypt, were
moved to this Cathedral from Venice where they had remained
there since their transport from Alexandria in the Middle
Ages.
The museum houses a rare
collection of ancient Christian relics including remains of
architectural works, textiles, icons and old manuscripts reflecting
the history of Coptic civilization. The Museum has an official WWW home page Tel
(+202)362.87.66
Islamic Monuments in Cairo
The Mosques
Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-Aas
(Al-Fustat)
lt was the first mosque
built in Egypt and Africa. lt is simple in design and contains
architecture elements from different periods.
This is the third "large
mosque" (gamee) built in Egypt. It is characterized by its
spacious hall (saha), its unique spiral minaret and a large collection
of gypsum decoration.
The first Fatimid mosque in
Cairo, it was founded in Midan Hussein by Gawhar al-Sikilli in
AD 971 as both a mosque and Madrasah (school). It is named
after Fatma al-Zahraa, the daughter of the
Prophet Muhammad. It is considered the oldest Islamic
University, the first lecture having been delivered in AD 975.
Located at the end of
Al-Qalaa (Citadel) Street, it was founded by Al-Nasser Hassan
Bin-Mohammed Bin-Qalawon, a Mamelouk ruler, as a mosque and a
school accomodating the four main sects (madhhabs) of Sunnism.
Al-Refai Mosque
One of the most nicely
decorated mosques in Cairo, this monument is located near the
Citadel of Salah-El-Din (Saladin) and the Mosque of Sultan
Hassan. Here, several members of the former Royal Family
(including King Farouk), as well as the ex-Shah of Iran, are
buried.
Mosque of Al-Moayyed
Located in Al Moezz Street,
Gamaleya, it was built in the Fifteenth Century. Its minaret
rises above one of the old city gates, Bab Zuweila, and
provides a landscape view of Medieval Cairo.
Known as Al-Qalaa (the
Citadel) and built by Salah-Al-Din Al-Ayyubi (Saladin) in AD
1183. Overlooking the city of Cairo from the Muqattam Hills,
it houses a number of important monuments including the Mosque
of Soliman Pasha, the Alabaster Mosque, the 90-meter deep Bir
Yusuf (Joseph's Well) Al-Gawhara Palace, and a military
museum.
House of Gamal-Al-Din
Al-Dhahabi
Located in Al-Ghoureya, it
is an example of Arab buildings of the early 17th Century AD.
It was owned by a wealthy Egyptian merchant.
The museum is regarded as
the largest in the Middle East and houses 80,000 rare objects
dating from early Islam to the Ottoman period. Tel
(+202)390.99.30
The new 7-storey opera
house at the Gezira Exhibition Grounds was inaugurated in
October 1988. It replaces the old Opera House which was burnt 4
decades earlier. Designed by a team of Japanese and Egyptian
architects, it is an architectural masterpiece of Islamic
design. It is equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual
systems and comprises 3 theatres, rehearsal halls, a museum,
and a library.
Cairo International Conference
Center
Located in Madinet Nasr, it
comprises three main conference halls, a fourth for receptions
and a fifth for exhibitions. In addition, there are
fully-equipped secretarial offices and a press center.
Over 180 m (590 ft) high,
it is the most outstanding attraction of modern Cairo. The
first of the top two storeys is a rotating restaurant and
cafeteria. Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Cairo from
the observation platform.
In an enchanting
atmosphere, with sound, light, and music, the show captivates
audiences and makes re-live ancient times, the history of the
Pyramids and the glory of the Pharaohs. The show is presented
in seven languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian,
Japanese, and Spanish.
Tel. (+202)385.20.96
The Pharaonic Village
Historical spectacle
reflecting the style of life of ancient Egyptians. Visitors
witness the daily activities of the ancient Egyptian people.
The Village also contains a papyrus museum. The visit lasts
two hours.
Tel. (+202)729.053 /
729.186
Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar and
Sagh
Comprising an array of
shops dating to the 14th Century AD, Khan Khalili is renowned
for its indigenous character and the magnificent variety of
gold and silver works, embroidered clothing, leather goods and
hand-carved woodwork. Tel: (+202) 904.827
Kerdasa and Harraneya
Kerdasa is famed for its
embroidered cotton and silk dresses (galabeyas) as well as
other hand-made products. Harraneya is the main center in
Egypt for hand-made carpets.
The Military Museum (The
Citadel)
The museum displays a
magnificent collection of ancient and modern weapons, statues,
and uniforms in addition to other exhibits designed to show
the art of warfare in Egypt from the earliest times. Tel
(+202)931.735
Public Gardens/Parks
There are several parks in
Cairo including the Zoological Gardens in Giza, the Andalusian
Gardens overlooking the Nile, the Kanater al-Khaireya Gardens
(the Good Barrage), about 25 km (15 miles) from the capital,
the Fish Gardens in Zamalek and the International Garden in
Nasr City.
In addition to the Sound and Light Show by the Pyramids,
theater houses and cinemas offer a variety of national and
international plays and the latest Arab and foreign films.
Casinos and famous night-clubs provide a wide range of
entertainment including belly dancing, folklore and
international shows.
The Dawn of
Civilization web site includes numerous useful links
to restaurants, bars, casinos, night clubs, social clubs,
libraries, bookstores, cultural centers, and other information
of interest.
Clothing
Cairo's weather is mild in winter,
hot in summer. Summers and winters are dry. Rain is rare even
in winter, and sand storms are common in spring. Below is a
Table with the mean maximum and minimum temperature (Celsius).
To convert to Fahrenheit, multiply by 9/5 and add 32.
________________________________________________________________________
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
20.4 22.3 20.7 25.9 32.5 34.2 35.7 34.6 32.8 28.2 24.6 20.0
9.9 11.9 10.7 14.2 18.2 20.6 23.7 23.6 22.0 18.4 14.3 12.1
________________________________________________________________________
Both men and women are
expected to dress modestly when visiting churches or mosques.
Women are required to cover their hair before entering
mosques.
Food
The Egyptian kitchen is
renowned for its tasty dishes. Elegant restaurants in major
hotels, and elsewhere, offer delicious oriental selections
such as Kofta (ground meatballs), Kebab (grilled meat),
Mulukhia (green soup), Tahina (tahini) Salad, Hamam Mahshi
(stuffed pigeon), Baba Ghannoug (tahini and eggplant), Mixed
Green Salad, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Foul and Falafel (cooked
and fried beans), and Kusheri (rice and lentils mix). Use of
bottled water is highly
recommended.
Electronics
The electric current
voltage is 220 Volts, with European-style plugs. For TV broadcasting, Egypt uses MESECAM
which is a derivative of the SECAM standard. Usually, VCRs
sold in countries using MESECAM can also play tapes recorded
in the PAL standard. All of these standards, however, are
incompatible with the US standard (NTSC).
Health
Pharmacies are scattered
around the city, and many are open 24 hours a day. In addition
to filling prescriptions, pharmacies sell perfume and
cosmetics during regular working hours. Check out Health Net and the CDC travel page for more
information on health issues in Egypt.
Entry Procedure
Unofficial information
Tourists are required to
obtain an entry visa from Egyptian diplomatic missions and
consulates abroad. Tourists may be granted a one-month visa on
arrival at Egyptian airports or ports (not recommended - there
is no guarantee). Nationals from certain Arab countries and
from Guinea and Malta may enter the country without a visa.
Doing Business in Cairo
General Information
Time Zone: GMT +02.00
DST: May 1 - Last Thursday in September
Phone Code: (20) 2
Weekend: Friday. Some businesses close on Saturday or Sunday as well.
Shops and Stores are usually open on Friday, closed on Sunday.
Official Holidays
January 7 Coptic Christmas (Christians only)
March 26 Sinai Day
May 1 Labor Day
June 5 Suez Canal Day
July 23 Independence (Revolution) Day
October 6 Armed Forces Day
Other holidays include:
Eid Al Fitr (Small Bairam): follows lunar calendar (3 days)
Eid Al Adha (Big Bairam): follows lunar calendar (4 days)
Mouled El Nabi: follows lunar calendar (1 day)
Shamm El Nessim: first Monday after Coptic Easter
Business in Egypt is slow,
and patience is the key. Do not expect everyone to be
punctual. If you are dealing with the government sector,
schedule your business between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm since
these are the working hours de
facto. Private businesses work longer hours. There is no
lunch break at noon.
If you are staying in Egypt
for a relatively long period, you may need to register your
passport at the Police station. Most major hotels will do the
registration as a courtesy. Consult your hotel front desk upon
arrival.
To avoid cultural
misunderstanding and prevent any misinterpretation, always
greet people with only a handshake, whether you are a man or a
woman. Men and women do not normally kiss in Egypt. People of
the same sex (women or men) kiss or hug only after they become
well acquainted.
Typical business attire for
men includes a suit and tie. For women, it is mostly
unacceptable to wear a sleeveless top or a skirt above the
knee. Acceptable clothing includes a women's suit, a long
dress, or a blouse and a skirt below
the knee. Here are examples of acceptable and unacceptable outfits. Vivid colors
such as fuschia or lime green are not recommended. Subdued
colors are best for clothes, shoes, and ties.
Taking the afternoon off?
Go sightseeing around the Pyramids, or Khan El Khalili Bazaar.
Taking the evening off? Check for the entertainment program at
a major hotel's night club, or consider attending a concert at
the Opera House.
Looking for an honest and
reliable taxi driver to drive you around town during your
stay? These taxi drivers were recommended to us
by our readers.
Foreign Embassies in Cairo
Notice: Most of the telephone
numbers listed here have been recently changed. Please check
locally for the new numbers. Arab
Net is currently
maintaining a list of Egyptian Embassies and
Consulates in several countries. Also Yahoo maintains a
list of Embassy Web Sites.
______________________________________________________________________
Country Address Tel. No.
______________________________________________________________________
Afghanistan 59, El Orouba St 666.653
Heliopolis
Albania 29, lsmail Mohamed St 341.56.51
Zamalek
Algeria 14, El Brazil St 340.76.71
Zamalek
Angola 12, Fouad Mohy El Din Sq 349.82.59
Argentina El-Saleh Ayoub St 341.68.62
Zamalek
Australia Cairo Palaza 777.357
Corniche El Nil
Austria El Nil St, El-Riad Tower 757.602
Giza
Bahrain 8, Gameyei El Nisr St 705.413
Mohandessin
Bangladesh 43, Ahmed Heshmat St 340.24.01
Belgium 20, Kamel El Shinawi St 354.74.96
Garden City
Brazil 1125, Corniche El Nil 756.938
Maspiro
Bulgaria 6A, El-Malek El-Afadal St 341.30.25
Zamalek
Burkina Faso 9, El Fawakeh St 360.84.80
Mohandessin
Burundi 11, Amer St 348.59.03
Dokki
Cambodia 2, Tahaweya St 348.89.34
Giza
Cameroon 15, El Essra St 344.11.14
Mohandessin
Canada 8, Mohamed Fahmy El-Sayed St 354.31.10
Garden City
Central Africa 3, Amer St 341.42.83
Mohandessin
Chad 12, El Refai Sq 703.232
Dokki
Chile 5, Shagaret El-Dorr St 340.87.11
Zamalek
China 14, Bahgat Aly St 341.12.19
Zamalek
Colombia 20, Gamal-El-Din Aboul-Mahasen 354.61.52
Garden City
Côte D'lvoire 39, El-Kods El-Shareef St, 346.01.09
Mohandessin
Cuba 6, El Fawakeh St 710.390
Mohandessin
Cyprus 23, lsmail Mohamed St 341.03.27
Zamalek
Czech Republic 4, El Dokki St 348.55.31
Dokki
Denmark 12, Hassan Sabry St 340.86.73
Zamalek
Djibouti 11, El Gazaer St 345.65.46
Aswan Square
Ecuador 92, El-Malek Abdel-Aziz 363.92.29
Manial
Ethiopia 3, lbrahim Osman St 347.78.05
Mohandessin
Finland 3, Abul-Fada St 341.37.22
Zamalek
France 39, El-Giza St 728.033
Giza
Gabon 17, Mecca El-Mokarama St 348.13.95
Dokki
Germany 8, Hassan Sabry St 341.00.15
Zamalek
Ghana 24, Batal Ahmed Abdel-Aziz St 704.275
Mohandessin
Greece 18, Aisha El Taymoureya St 355.04.43
Garden City
Guatemala 8, Mohamed Fahmi St 261.18.13
Madinet Nasr
Guinea Bissau 46, Mohamed Mazhar St 345.86.34
Zamalek
Hungary 23, Moharned Mazhar St 340.86.34
Zamalek
lndia 5, Aziz Abaza St 341.30.51
Zamalek
lndonesia 15, Aisha El Taymoureya St 354.72.09
Garden City
lran 2, Rifaa St 348.741
Dokki
lraq 1, Mohamed Mazhar St 340.80.87
Zamalek
lreland 3, Abul Feda St 340.82.64
Zamalek
lsrael 6, lbn Maled St 361.05.45
Giza
ltaly 15, Abdel Rahman Fahmy St 354.31.94
Garden City
Japan 106, Kasr El Ainy St 355.39.64
Jordan 6, Gohaina At 348.55.66
Dokki
Kenya 7, El-Mohandes Galal St 345.36.28
Korea (P.D.) 6, El-Saleh Ayoub St 340.82.19
Zamalek
Kuwait 12, Nabil El Zwakaad St 360.26.61
Dokki
Lebanon 5, Ahmed Nessim St 341.06.23
Giza
Liberia 11, El Brazil St 341.98.46
Zamalek
Libya 7, El Saleh Ayoub St 340.18.64
Zamalek
Malaysia 7, Wadi El Nil St 348.09.88
Mohandessin
Mali 3, El-Kawthar St 701.641
Dokki
Malta 7 A, 20th St 350.30.14
Maadi
Mauritius 72, Abdel Moneim Riyad St 347.09.29
Agouza
Mexico 5, Dar El Shefa St 354.86.22
Garden City
Mongolia 10, Salah El Din St 340.98.49
Zamalek
Myanmar 24, Mohamed Mazhar St 340.41.76
Zamalek
Nepal 9, Tiba St 360.34.26
Mohandessin
Netherlands 18, Hassan Sabry St 340.64.34
Zamalek
Niger 101, El-Ahram (Haram) St 858.607
Giza
Nigeria 13, El-Gabalaya St 340.60.42
Zamalek
Norway 52, El-Hegaz St 340.78.11
Mohandessin
Pakistan 8, El Salouli St 348.78.06
Dokki
Palestine 33, El Nahda St 360.29.96
Dokki
Panama 5, Shagaret El Dorr St 340.74.88
Zamalek
Peru 8, Kamel El-Shennawi St 356.29.73
Philippines 5, lbn El-Waleed St 348.03.86
Dokki
Poland 5, Aziz Osman St 340.54.16
Zamalek
Portugal 15, El-Mansour Mohamed St 340.59.07
Zamalek
Qatar 10, El Themar St 360.46.93
Mohandessin
Romania 6, El-Kamel Mohamed St 341.01.07
Zamalek
Russia 95, Giza St 348.93.53
Giza
Rwanda 9, lbrahim Osman St 346.11.26
Mohandessin
Saudi Arabia 2, Ahmed Nessim St 349.07.75
Giza
Senegal 46, Abdel Moneim Riyad St 346.10.39
Singapore 40, Babel St 704.844
Dokki
Slovakia 4, El Dokki St 348.55.31
Dokki
Somalia 27, Tran St 704.038
Dokki
Spain 9, Hod El Laban St 354.73.59
Garden City
Sri Lanka 8, Sri Lanka St 340.00.47
Zamalek
Sudan 3, El lbrahimy St 354.50.45
Garden City
Sweden 13, Mohamed Mazhar St 341.41.32
Zamalek
Switzerland 10, Abdel Khalek Sarwat St 758.284
Syria 18, Abdel Rahim Sabry 707.020
Tanzania 9, Abdel Hamid Lotfy St 704.155
Dokki
Thailand 2, El Malek El Afdal St 340.83.56
Zamalek
Tunisia 25, El Guezira St 341.89.62
Zamalek
Turkey 25, El Falaki St 354.83.64
Bab El-Louq
Uganda 9, El-Missaha Sq 348.60.70
Dokki
United Arab Emirates 4, lbn Sina St 729.955
Giza
United Kingdom 7, Ahmed Raghab St 354.08.90
Garden City
United States 8, Kamal-El-Din St 355.75.71
Garden City
Uruguay 6, Lotfallah St 341.51.37
Zamalek
Vatican 5, Mohamed Mazhar St 340.22.50
Zamalek
Venezuela 15, El Mansour Mohamed St 341.35.17
Zamalek
Vietnam 26, Omar Toson St 344.21.33
Mohandessin
Yemen 28, Amin El Raffei St 360.48.06
Dokki
Yugoslavia 33, El Mansour St 340.40.61
Zamalek
Zaire 5, El Mansour Mohamed St 340.36.62
Zamalek
Zambia 10, El-Gomhoria El-Motaheda Sq 361.02.81
Mohandessin
