Category: Cairo Attractions

This synagogue in Cairo, Egypt, was built in the first century CE.

Located in the medieval Christian district of Coptic Cairo, the Ben Ezra Synagogue is one of Cairo’s most prominent landmarks for Jews.

Is a long-established Jewish pilgrimage and prayer place.

Directions:

You may easily discover this charming and interesting part of Old Cairo by strolling through the Old district of Coptic Cairo, which is around 30 minutes from Downtown Cairo.

History:

Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchus is to the east of Ben-Ezra Synagogue and Church of Saint Barbara is to the west of the synagogue

For many centuries, this building served as a Coptic church, but it was sold by Patriarch Michael III to Ahmed Ibn Tulun in return for money.

As Cairo’s oldest synagogue, it held a large collection of important and helpful Jewish papers at the time of its construction.
On top of all that, it was supposed to be the site where baby Moses had been found, thus its moniker “Synagogue of the Palestinians.”
They were finally salvaged, and many of them may now be seen in Cambridge, England, where they serve as intellectual reading for young Jewish students in the region.

There is a Tanoura show in Cairo.

An evening of traditional Egyptian dance, music, and song will be an amazing experience for those who attend Tanoura Show.

The event is widely-attended by locals as well as tourists.

Location:

Having the Show just next door to Khan Khalili Bazaar and District makes it a popular stop for tour groups in the area, who can then finish their day of touring by viewing the show.

Among the Program’s components are the following:

In a structure that was formerly popular with merchants and their families, the event will be place.

The event will have a romantic feel thanks to the lighting that will draw attention to the artists and the chairs that provide a 360-degree perspective.

All of the guys in this ensemble (known as Al Ghouri) are classically educated in ancient Egyptian dance, music, and vocals, which have been handed down through the years.
During a visit to Wekalet El-Ghouri in Islamic Cairo, you may observe Sufi traditions of singing and dance, as well as the robes of whirling dervishes.

Between Muezz Li Din Street and Al-Azhar Mosque, it is situated on a side street.

Traditional instruments accompany the “Whirling dervishes” as they swirl nonstop for up to 30 minutes in their colourful multi-layered skirts while singers and musicians playing traditional instruments captivate the audience.

There is no need to make a reservation; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Don’t wait until the official 8:30 p.m. kick-off time since the arena is always full. The group only performs on those three days of the week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Mohammad Aly Mosque & Saladin Citadel – Directions What was Saladin’s name?
The history of Cairo’s Saladin Citadel
There is a citadel within
So who was Mohamed Aly?
Its Mosque’s History

In Cairo, the ancient Citadel of Saladin with the Muhammad Ali Mosque’s enormous towering minarets perches high on a steep hill overlooking Old Islamic Cairo and beyond.

As originally termed Qalaat Sali ad-Din, this colossal structure is home to a collection of museums depicting the history of Egyptian power during the course of the Middle Ages and the early 19th century.

Directions

The Citadel of Saladin is situated in the Mokattam Hills, Cairo’s highest point, about 15 to 25 minutes from the city center.

Which of the following is true about Saladin:

The Salah El-Din Citadel in Cairo was built by El-Nasir Salah El-Din Yusuf Ibn Ayyub, a brave knight who is known in history as Salah El-Din. It is one of Egypt’s most notable historical structures.

Originally from Iraq, he became the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, as well as the founder of the dynasty known as the Ayyubids.

Even though he began military training at the age of 14 and eventually led the Muslim military campaign against the Crusader states, winning the biggest victory of his life by defeating them and capturing Jerusalem, making it an Islamic state, he was a very charitable and religious leader who once said: “I warn you against shedding blood, in the name of Allah.” He was also a powerful military leader who had conquered many states.

Salah Din combines the Arabic words for “justice” and “faith.” History suggests that he died in Syria, aged 56, and was buried at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus City, Syria, where he had spent much of his life.

The history of Cairo’s Saladin Citadel

to protect Cairo against future Crusader invasions Sultan Salah El-Din built the castle of Salah-Din, also known as the Citadel of the Mountain (Qala’a Al-Jabal) in Egypt

Due to its elevated location on Cairo’s hills, it was very hard to attack and served as a fortress against any kind of violence. Ayyubids, Mamluks, and even certain Ottoman dynasties ruled Egypt from the Citadel for a lengthy period of time in Egypt’s history, making this citadel one of the most important places in the country’s history.

Before Khedive Ismail became Egypt’s king, he moved the Egyptian government’s administrative center from the Citadel to Abdeen Palace for a short time.

The building of the Salah El-Din Citadel started in 1176 on the orders of Sultan Salah El-Din.

Nevertheless, Salah El-Din did not reside in it since the Citadel was finished in 1182, during the time of Al Malek El Kamel, Egypt’s monarch after Salah El-Din died. Salah El-plan Din’s to defend himself from his adversaries included the construction of an outstanding and large castle and fortification.

Small Giza pyramids were used for building blocks, and he was inspired by the fortified Syrian citadels as a consequence of this, making the architecture both magnificent and graceful at the same time.

Within the Citadel, Salah El-Din also constructed water wells for his troops. The El-Mokatam tower, the al-Karkialan tower, and the al-Turfa tower are a few of the citadel’s around 13 towers and four gates (the New Gate, the Middle Gate, and the Citadel Gate).

The citadel also has roughly four palaces (Palace Ablaq, Al-Gawhara Palace, and the National Military Museum, where visitors may see historical cannons, tanks, and equipment that have been utilized in several actual battles throughout history).

Within the Citadel’s defenses

Located in the Salah El-Din Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque, or Mosque of Muhammad Ali, is one of the world’s best-known medieval mosques.

The Salah El-Din Citadel contains it.

The mosque was ordered to be built in 1816 by Ottoman caliph Muhammad Ali Pasha, and it took roughly 18 years to fulfill his commands.

In honor of his deceased son Tosun Pasha, Muhammad Ali Pasha built this mosque.

So, who was Mohamed Aly, and what was his significance?

The history books and historians have supplied us with a tremendous quantity of knowledge on Muhammad Ali, even though he was born in Greece.

His 43-year reign began in 1805, when he landed in Egypt to recapture it from Napoleonic domination. After the British forced him to accept the throne, Muhammad Ali became Egypt’s ruler and was given the highest formal title of Pasha.

His rule over Egypt was marked by a series of reforms and improvements in a range of disciplines, including education, industry, and agriculture. He was given the highest official accolade in the Ottoman Empire.

At his death, Muhammad Ali Pasha left behind a rich legacy and was buried at Salah El-Din Citadel, inside his mosque, which bears his name, on the second of August, 1849.

Its Mosque’s History

The Muhammad Ali mosque, which was finished in 1848 and dedicated to the remembrance of Muhammad Ali, was built in an Ottoman architectural style and positioned on the highest point of Salah El-Din Citadel.

On the interior, the mosque is split into two sections:

eastern part, known as the house of prayer, and western section, known as the courtyard, are the two sections.

Incorporating elements from traditional Turkish architecture, this mosque was designed by Turkish architect Yusuf Boshnak and constructed mostly from limestone as the principal building material.

The mosque’s dome is adorned with a medallion honoring each of the four Caliphs who guided the Muslim faith in the right direction..

On the mosque’s two minbars are the names of Allah (God) and Mohamed (the Prophet), as well as Abou Bakr, Omar, Othman, and Ali. The mosque’s dome is embellished with six medallions.

The St. George Church in Cairo’s Old Cairo is a must-see.

According to some texts, the first Christian colony in central Egypt was established there in the 10th century, although other sources indicate it was established much earlier.

This is why the label Copt refers to Egyptian Christians developing their own Christian beliefs and traditions.

Location:

In the heart of Old Coptic Cairo, in the Old Cairo area, it takes around 30 minutes to get to Saint Georges Church from Cairo’s city center.

In a private Christian community that dates back to the 10th century, this church is placed among numerous others.

History:

Ibn Marwan, Egypt’s governor-general at the time, started the construction of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George.

Al-Maqrizi wrote about it in his History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church, and Athanasius built it during Ibn Marwan’s reign. It was finished by Athanasius.

In the middle of the twentieth century, a fire destroyed the church and it was rebuilt without cupolas.

Nuptial Hall, which is part of the complex and measures 15 by 12 meters, was built in the 13th or 14th century and has little architectural value.

The four-pillared modern church is similarly unremarkable in terms of architecture.

The hall’s exquisite tracing and carving is reminiscent of the ornamentation seen in many Cairo mansions from the Mameluke Period, which were constructed about the same time.

Snofru’s Red Pyramid in the north is a well-known sight.

Crimson Pyramid, which is situated in the Dahshur Necropolis in Egypt, has a crimson, rusty appearance due to the red limestone that it was built out of.

Directions:

With its proximity to Cairo and the Three Pyramids of Giza, the Red Pyramid is easily accessible by road and surrounded by green belt and small communities.

History:

A smooth-sided Pyramid was one of the first concepts to be explored in the Red Pyramid at the Dahshur Necropolis, which is the oldest of Egypt’s three great Pyramids by a significant margin.

The Khufu and Khafra pyramids at Giza are the second and third tallest in terms of height, respectively, among the Egyptian pyramids.
Although Snofru’s Red Pyramid has an angle of 43.5 degrees and a height of 101 meters, the Cheops structure, the only pyramid larger than Snofru’s Red Pyramid, definitely prefigures it.

Snofru’s third and last attempt to build a pyramid was likely his last, yet none of the burial chambers discovered here contained his remains since they were all empty.

Public access allowed anybody with a ladder or a stairway to explore the three musty chambers concealed beneath.

If you don’t have a flashlight with you, you may want to bring one with you in case the electricity fails.

Because of its high position and perpendicular orientation to its two adjacent rooms, this third chamber is distinct from its two predecessors.