Cairo is the capital of Egypt.
Cairo City’s Overview
For thousands of years, Cairo has served as an infinite time capsule, a protector, and a hub for culture, art, and beauty. It is well-known for being Egypt’s capital, as well as the largest metropolitan region in Africa, the Middle East, and the Arab world, as well as the world’s 15th largest metropolis. Cairo is located in northern Egypt, approximately 528 square kilometers in size, 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the Gulf of Suez and Suez Canal, 165 kilometers (100 miles) south of the Mediterranean Sea, and on both sides of the Nile River in the Nile delta.
Cairo’s Historical Background
The city’s actual history began in 641 BC when Amr ibn Al-as invaded Egypt and built Al-Fustat, Egypt’s new Islamic capital, north of the old citadel of Babylon. From then on, the city saw a sequence of remarkable immortal buildings, such as Ahmed Ibn Tulane’s mosque in 878 BC. After the city of Fustat was destroyed by fire in 1168 after a fight against the crusaders, a commander named Jawhar founded a new city called Al Qahirah (Cairo), which became the formal capital of Egypt along with the magnificent Khan el Khalili Bazaar. Salah El-din ruled Egypt throughout the 11th century, transforming Cairo into an imperial metropolis and constructing the strong Cairo fortress. A guy named Muhammed Ali aspired to restore Egypt’s beauty to its previous grandeur in the modern period at the beginning of the 19th century, thus he built the Mohamed Ali Mosque, which is one of Cairo’s most beautiful moments.
The Importance of Cairo
The modern Cairo is far larger than the original Cairo, which was built in the 10th century by the Fatimid dynasty and is now known as Islamic mediaeval Cairo. Due to the numerous mosques, graves, and churches decorated with minarets located within the city, as well as the world’s second-oldest institution of higher Islamic science learning “Al-Azhar University” and the home of the Arab League’s headquarters, the larger city became known as “The City of a Thousand Minarets.” The Egyptian Museum, which houses many artifacts and monuments dating back to the 26th dynasty, as well as the permanent home of the Royal Mummies of the ancient Egyptian Kings at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, is located in the heart of Cairo. It is also home to the world’s largest museum, the Giza GEM Museum. The city serves as the government’s headquarters and the nerve center for all financial and political power. It also has the Middle East’s largest mass media hub and film and music production facilities, as well as several cultural institutions, museums, artistic institutes, sports clubs, and colleges.
Cairo’s weather
Cairo’s climate is extremely diverse, with eight months of summer and four months of winter, thus the best time to visit is from November to April. The metropolis has a population of 9 million people, creating a very bustling environment across the city.
Cairo’s Top Attractions
The Giza Pyramids Complex, which houses one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of King Khufu, the world’s oldest and largest monument, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple, is the city’s most famous attraction. The city’s position has seen many significant events since the ancient Egyptian capital “Memphis” was only 24 kilometers from Cairo under the new monarchy (2686-2181 BC). The fortress of Babylon, which stood within the city of Cairo 2000 years ago and later became the center of the Orthodox community in the late 4th century AD, was built around it, and many churches were built around it on the route that the holy family took through Cairo, including the infamous Hanging Church, St George Church, and many others. Learn more about Cairo’s top attractions.
Cairo’s Top Things to do
The unique city of Cairo is one of the rare cities that has survived the test of time and has been able to preserve and develop the old city’s heritage and legacy. There are several activities to fully appreciate the city’s charm, including a Nile river dinner cruise, touring all of the Pharaonic, Coptic, and Islamic monuments, shopping at Khan El Khalili Bazaar, and visiting all of the museums and cultural institutions. More information about the finest things to do in Cairo may be found here. If you want to see the grandeur of Cairo, check out our Cairo day tours, and if you aren’t in Egypt and want to visit the Land of the Pharaohs, check out our Egypt tour packages and pick your favorite vacation.
