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Islamic Cairo
"... manifold combinations of light and shade, colour, costume and architectural detail. Every shopfront, every street corner... is a ready-made picture."Amelia B. Edwards describes the streets of Cairo, 1877
 
The Citadel of Salah al-Din
Built between 1176 and 1182 AD, the Citadel fortress provides a panoramic view of Cairo from the Moqattam Hills."... the living world spread out close beneath one's feet..." The Citadel complex includes the Alabaster Mosque.
The Mosque and Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
A masterpiece of Mamluke architecture it includes bronze doors inlaid with gold and silver, marble panelling, and a fountain that used to run with sherbet on special occasions.
The Qalawun, al-Nasir, Barquq complex
A medieval complex of mosques, mausoleums and madrassas built by three Mamluke sultans.
Al-Azhar Mosque
The first Fatimid mosque and the oldest Islamic University in the world, founded in 970 AD.
Bab Zuwayla
Part the city's fortifications, the gate dates from 1092 AD and was formerly a place of public execution, crowned by the heads of criminals on spikes. Minarets were added to the towers in the fifteenth century.
The Blue Mosque ( Mosque of Aqsunqur)
Famous for the indigo and turquoise tiles that decorate the interior.
The Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Built between 876 and 879 AD in the classical courtyard style this is Cairo's oldest, intact mosque, still in use today.
Next door is the Gayer Anderson House, the Ottoman-style residence of an eccentric British major restored and furnished in period style and filled with his collection of Islamic art.
The Islamic Museum
Includes works of art from all over the Islamic world, ranging from large architectural pieces rescued from mosques to ceramics, manuscripts and tapestries.
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