Introduction
Cairo is a charming city whose
streets tell the history of Egypt’s ancient civilization that influenced other
cultures throughout the ages. It is home
to a variety of monuments and landmarks representing the diversity of Egyptian
culture.
If you are interested in pharaonic
history, you cannot miss city of Heliopolis, the oldest city of ancient Egypt located
in the Ain shams area. While the Babylon Fortress is a fine example of Greek
and Romanian civilization in Cairo. You cannot also miss the Hanging Church,
Cairo's oldest churches, and Virgin Mary's tree site.
As for Islamic Cairo
with its unique architecture style is manifested in its famous mosques,
citadels built when Amr ibn El-Aas started the Islamic conquest on Egypt in 641
AD.
Islamic Cairo was divided into three main cities:
Al-Fustat, Al-Askar, and Al-Qata’i. They were established during the Abbasid Era. Cairo also
houses Al-Azhar Mosque and University, a fundamental
Islamic monument founded by the Fatimid leader El -Muizz Ledin Allah.
Islamic Cairo remains one of the most outstanding
touristic places in Egypt and a witness to the foundation of the finest Islamic
architectures such as Citadel of Salah El-Din, Madrassa and
Mausoleum of Sultan Barquq, Mosque and Mausoleum of Sultan al-Ashraf
Qaytbay, Khan El Khalili, Al-Rifa'i Mosque and El-Hussein Mosque. So, with its
splendid and rich ancient history, Cairo is one of the most historic
and touristic destinations in Egypt and in the Middle East.
Cairo, Meaning and Origin
Cairo’s official name is al-Qāhirah which mean "the Vanquisher"
or "the Conqueror" or "the Victorious". Cairo was established by the
Fatimids under the leadership of General Jawhar al-Siqilli who took his orders from the Fatimid Caliph El-Mo’ez
Ledin Allah to be the new capital for the Fatimid Dynasty. First it was named
Al-Mansuriyyah then it was changed to be Al-Qahira "Cairo" after the
conqueror Planet "Mars" as it is known among the historians. Cairo is known by many names such as "City
of a thousand minarets" because of the abundance of the mosques in it and
also "Qahirat El-Mo’ez".
Cairo's National Day
Cairo celebrates its National Day on 6th of July the day in
which General Jawhar al-Siqilli laid the foundation stone of Cairo in 969 AD.
Cairo's Logo
Al-Azhar Mosque Islam's minaret and platform in the whole world is the official logo of Cairo.
Cairo location
Cairo city is
located on the Eastern bank of the Nile River and surrounded by Qalyubia province on the north and uninhabited desert on the south
and the Giza province and the Nile River on the west. Cairo is the largest city
in Egypt and it is also part of the Greater Cairo that includes Cairo, Qalyubia
and Giza.
Cairo, the largest
city in Africa, is located on the Nile River, 160 kilometers (100 miles) inland
from the Mediterranean Sea and 135 kilometers (80 miles) west of the Red Sea.
The Administrative Division
of Cairo
Cairo City consists
of 4 areas divided into 38 districts:
The North Area
divided to 8 Districts
The East Area
divided to 9 Districts
The west Area
divided to 9 Districts
The South Area
divided to 12 Districts
Cairo also has three new cities which are New Cairo, El Shorouk and Badr
City.
Cairo's Basic
Information
Area:
Total Space: 3048.676 Km2
Inhabited Space:
188.982 Km2
Population:
According to the latest statistics on 1/7/2019 Cairo's population
is 9.840591.
Currency:
Egyptian Pound
Language:
Official language: Arabic
Other languages:
English & French
