Cairo is Africa’s most heavily populated city and the Arab world’s cultural center with a population of over 17 million inhabitants . It is the largest city in the Middle East and despite the fact that only about 1,000 years old, parts of the metropolis date back to the time of the Pharaohs. The Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza, for example, are visible evidence of the Ancient Egyptian civilization around the Nile river. The first Muslim settlement of Egypt was Al-Fustat, now a part of old Cairo. In later years, Cairo was conquered and controlled by a host of invaders including the Mameluks, the Turks, and Napoleon Bonaparte of France.Cairo is a melting pot of East and West, old and new, Muslim and Christian. Minarets compete for space with modern apartment blocks, and cars choke the roads while people and markets fill the maze of narrow streets that form continuous bazaars.
The Egyptian Museum
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museums, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms, it was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened on November 15, 1902, and it has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamen treasures and the mummies. The Museum also comprises a photography section and a large library. The Egyptian museum comprises many sections arranged in chronological order.
Khan El Khalili Street Bazar
This market can be found within the heart of Islamic Cairo on one of Cairo’s oldest streets. It is always very busy and full of character, with stalls selling items ranging from local spices to exotic jeweler. The market first opened in the Middle Ages and exists today mainly for tourists. You will find many bargains here, but first you must barter for the goods you want to purchase. Women are advised to dress modestly, covering their arms, necks and legs while shopping.
The Citadel
This is a very popular tourist attraction that dates back to medieval times ,12th century AD. It is an enormous stone fort that has been used in many battles and it sits overlooking the city of Cairo. Today, it is home to mosques, palaces and museums including the Alabaster Mosque built by Mohamed Ali the Great which is a replica of Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.
Coptic Cairo
Visit the Coptic Museum that contains a collection of rare antiquities from one of the earliest Christian communities in the world. Afterwards tour the Church of Abou Serga which dates back to the beginning of the 15th century A.D. It’s built in the Basilica style above the cave in which the Holy Family took refuge. visit the Hanging Church that was built in the 5th century followed by the visit of Ben Ezra Synagogue.