Cairo - The Wonders of Time Travel

1. Cairo - The Wonders of Time Travel

The biggest draw for visitors to Egypt is the amazing abundance of historical treasures- temples, pyramids and museums. The rise of Egypt as a significant power in the ancient world was marked by the unification of the Kingdoms of Lower and Upper Egypt around BC 3180. This event is credited with Menes, who was the first Pharaoh. Menes established a new capital at Memphis, just to the south of where Cairo stands today.

For the next 3,000 years and under 30 dynasties of the Pharaohs, a dynamic and culturally sophisticated civilization flourished. It was not however smooth sailing for the descendants of Menes and power was for
short periods in the hands of foreigners. In 525 BC, Persians conquered Egypt and controlled the country from a settlement north of Memphis called Babylon-on-the-Nile. The Greeks, with Alexander the Great at their head, became overlords over Egypt in 332 BC. He founded that city that bears his name, Alexandria.

The Greeks ushered in a period of comparative prosperity and stability under descendants of Ptolemy- the Macedonian general appointed by Alexander as governor. As the Greeks declined, the Romans rose, and
they too cast a covetous eye upon Egypt. The last of the Ptolemy's was the notorious Cleopatra, lover to both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The Roman Empire too declined Egypt was torn apart by hordes of foreign armies.

The most significant event in this period was the invasion of the Arabs in 640 AD. Though other foreigners including Ottoman Turks, French and British, subsequently ruled the country, it is the Arabs who brought Islam
whose legacy has been the most enduring.

Cairo is a corruption of the Egyptian Arabic word Al-Qahira -that means "The Triumphant". Al-Qahira - as Cairo is officially called- was founded in 969 AD as an imperial capital during the Fatimid era. Under the Fatamids, the city survived at various times bad governance, bloodshed, restlessness, and raging fires.

Al-Qahira gradually expanded westward, and various localities near and within today's Greater Cairo were the seat of the powers that ruled Egypt in the past. This includes Memphis, Heliopolis, Babylon-in-Egypt, Al-Fustat, Al-Qatai, Al-Askar, and Al-Qahira.

Though bearing the scars of age and turmoil, the city stands as one of the modern world's great conurbations. The remnants of each era, dynasty and ruling tyrant are clearly evident in the city's vast layout. Across Cairo, you will see strong Pharaonic, Jewish, Greek, Roman,
Arabic, Islamic, Coptic Christian, central Asian, Ottoman, Fatimid, French and British influences. This creates a marvellous mosaic effect that draws millions of curious travellers to Cairo each year.

Cairo's top attractions include pyramids, ancient temples and Christian churches, tombs, and Islamic monuments. The city's central district is located to the west of the city, on the east bank of the River Nile. It extends northeast from Midan Tahrir to the boisterous mercantile Downtown district. This is generally the contemporary side of Cairo with more modern buildings, but with touches of antiquity. The wide streets and buildings of Downtown Cairo are a spiting image of 19th century Paris.

Within this locale, there are many worthwhile attractions, the most important of which is the Egyptian Museum. Established in 1835, the museum is built in neo-classical French style.

No doubt one of the world's
big-league museums, it holds some of the most important relics and artefacts from Egypt's long and eventful past.

With over 120,000 collections, the exhibition is themed with relics from the pre-historic epoch to the Greco-Roman era.

In the Egyptian Museum, you will find numerous objects of interest such as sculptures, jewellery, sarcophagi, eerie mummifications and other interment artefacts.

But the most significant objects are of the Tutankhamun collection. The unrivalled objects in this collection were discovered almost completely intact from the tomb of King Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in 1923. Though historically not a significant figure, this boy-king is today the most well known Pharaoh, and is popularly called King Tut.

While in central Cairo, other attractions you can visit include: the Ramses Railway Museum; the Townhouse Gallery -which exhibits contemporary arts and performances; the State Theatre for Drama; and Garden City -a former British enclave. Fine restaurants and cafés, theatres, cultural spots, and opportunities for great shopping complement all these attractions.

To the east of Central Cairo is Islamic Cairo- founded in the 10th century, and an important UNESCO World Heritage Site. This area of narrow streets is the home of ancient mosques and minarets. Touring Islamic Cairo, you take a trip back in time to the Mamluk era- AD 1250 -1517, when former slaves became kings. On your visit, be sure to respect Islamic sensibilities by dressing modestly. When entering a mosque, remember that shoes must be removed, and women must cover their heads.

While in Islamic Cairo, be sure not to miss the 900-year old Bab Zuweila Islamic Monument; ancient markets; The Islamic Museum; Mosque-Madrassa of al-Ghouri and his mausoleum; and Wikala of al-Ghouri -an ancient concert hall. You will also find the famed Al-Azhar Mosque -which
has one of the world's oldest universities, and the Islamic Art Museum with its collection of 7th to 19th century artifacts.

To commemorate your visit to Islamic Cairo, visit the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar.

The Bazaar has been open for business since the 14th century, and a visit here is a time travel adventure for nothing much has changed.

The wide array of souvenirs on sale at the bazaar includes jewellery, gold, brass, silver and copperware, carpets, perfumes, leatherwork, ceramics, alabaster and soapstone carvings.

Slightly south of Islamic Cairo is the Citadel, built under Saladin, who is celebrated in the Muslim world for having recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders. This is one of the city's landmarks and a popular attraction, which offers a perfect viewpoint over Cairo.

The heavily fortified Citadel was built on an elevated area near the Mugattam Hills, and is a reminder of the turbulent times of the late 12th Century. At the Citadel, also see: The Military Museum, Al-Gawhar Palace Museum, and visit the Mohamed Ali Mosques among other attractions.

In the same area, you find the legendary "City of the Dead"; the ghostly graveyards that are home to millions of Cairo's poor. Egyptian's traditionally interred their dead in burial sites akin to small houses, in which they could also live in the 40-day mourning period. The poor
find these structures very useful, taking them as ready-made shelter. While here, you can follow in the tradition of Cairo's residents; taking a tour around the massive graveyard, followed by a picnic on the graves.

Page 2 on more info on the city of Cairo

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