Category: Cairo Attractions

The Al Rifai mosque in Cairo is a must-see.

Old Cairo’s oldest plaza, the Citadel of Saladin, and a historic mosque are all within a few blocks of each other, making this a popular spot for tourists.

They compliment one other since they are placed right adjacent to the Sultan Hassan Mosque, which is also old and ancient..

Directions:

In Old Cairo, around 30 minutes from the city centre, you’ll discover the Al Rifai and Sultan Hassan mosques in the same general vicinity, just in front of the Citadel.

History:

In spite of their immense size, the two mosques stand out for their majestic beauty. They are massive without being imposing.

Among the best examples of this architecture is the Rifai Mosque, which was built between 1869 and 1912 for the mother of Khedive Ismail, Princess Khushyar.

You must enter from the side facing Sultan Hassan since the royal entrance has been closed.

During Gumad el-Tani, you may see Shiekh Ali al-tomb Rifai in a sandalwood cage just in front of you. Ali al-Rifai founded the Rifai tariqa for dervishes, and his grave is just ahead.

There are mashrabiya screened tombs for King Fouad and his mother, as well as the last Shah of Iran and Egypt’s King Farouk, to the left of the mausoleum.

Despite the stunning sanctuary (on the left), which has 44 columns, 19 types of marble, and 18 window grilles, it lacks the same impact as the mosques of Ibn Tulun and Sultan Hassan, whose designs harness the power of simplicity.

This may be seen at Cairo’s Al Muizz Street, where a wide variety of shops and restaurants can be found.

Essam Azzam street is known in ancient Arabic as ‘Sharia al-Muizz li-Deen Illah’ and is around one kilometre in length.

One kilometre long, it is one of Cairo’s oldest streets and one of the city’s most historic.

Since it possesses the biggest concentration of mediaeval architectural assets in the Islamic world, it is the most popular tourist destination in the globe.

Location:

It is situated in the heart of Cairo’s Old Islamic Cairo area, about 30 minutes from downtown, and is one of Egypt’s most prominent historical sites for individuals who are interested in the development of Islam.

History:

Al Muizz links to Bab Zuweila in the southern portion of the city, which is located in the northern section of the city.

At 8 a.m. on April 24, 2008, Al-Muizz Street became a pedestrian-only zone, creating what is currently referred to as a “open-air museum.” On April 24, 2008, the order was issued.
Al Muizz Street crosses the Muski around 200 metres west of the Midan El-Hussein mosque, where two mosques are located.

While still within walking distance of the Goldsmith’s Bazaar, this stretch of the street is affectionately referred to as “Al-Nahaseen,” the Coppersmith’s Bazaar, because of the large number of shops selling copper post-basin-finials with crescent tops.

Due to the fact that this Bazaar used to be a broad boulevard that terminated in a vast parade field between two caliphal palaces, locals affectionately refer to it as Bayn al Qasrayn (Between the Two Palaces), even though there are no longer any traces of the palaces.

As a nod to its historical importance, the street was recently given the title of the first book of Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy, which is generally translated as “Palace walk.”