Cairo, Egypt


Cairo skyline

View from the tower of the mosque of Ibn Tulun

The imposing pyramids

View from the citadel

Mosque of Ibn Tulun

The oldest mosque in Cairo built in the 9th century CE in the Abbasid style by governor Ibn Tulun. It is the first structure to use the pointed arch, a good 200 years before Christianity adopted it for the European Gothic arch. Constructed entirely of mud brick and timber, it covers 6-1/2 acres in area.

Sayyida Zeinab mosque

A Shia mosque

Al-Azhar mosque

Founded in 970 CE, Al-Azhar is not only one of Cairo's oldest mosques but it is the world's oldest surviving university.

Prayer time at Al-Azhar

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar is Egypt's ultimate religious authority.

Courtyard of Al-Azhar

At one time it was the pre-eminent center of leaning, drawing scholars from Europe as well as from all over the Arab world.

An American in Cairo

The modern university has nine campuses around the country.

Cairo girl

A girl inside Al-Azhar mosque

Outside the Citadel

Home to Egypt's rulers for 700 years. It has a collection of mosques, museums and terraces with views over Cairo.

Inside the Citadel

View of The mosque of Mohammad Ali

An-Nasir Mohammed mosque

The Citadel's sole surviving Mamluk structure (1318).

Egyptian Museum

Magnificent, if a tad disorganized

Muhammad Ali mosque

Ottoman structure from early 19th century.

Inside the museum

An art student at work

Courtyard

The courtyard

Inside the mosque

Interior of Mohammad Ali mosque

Suleiman Pasha mosque

An Ottoman era (1528) mosque topped by a cluster of domes.

Bab Zuweila

The oldest remaining (10th century) gate of the old medieval city of Al-Qahira. It was also a site of public executions.

Convent of St. George

In the Coptic quarter of Cairo

 



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