Cairo was founded by the Fatimads in 969 and quickly became one of the chief cities of the Muslim world. It has since grown monstrously to a city of sixteen million people. It is a seething riot of color and activity that can seduce and repel at the same time. It is also the center of five thousand years of history, from the first pyramid builders, to the modern Arab Republic.

The Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza, or the Great Pyramids, were built some forty five centuries ago to be the burial places of ancient pharaohs. The largest pyramid, the Pyramid of Khufu, is 478 feet high and is built of two and a third million limestone blocks, each weighing two and a half tons each. The next smallest pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre is about three meters or so smaller than the Pyramid of Khufu, though it is at a higher elevation and therefore looks taller. The smallest pyramid, the Pyramid of Menkaure, is about 203 feet tall. There is not much to see inside any of the pyramids, but the climb down to the lowest burial chamber is nevertheless impressive. The acoustics are remarkable too.

Nearby is the enigmatic statue known as the Sphinx, carved out of the natural bedrock at the end of the causeway from Khafre’s Pyramid and is thought to date from that pharaoh’s reign.

A great way to see the Pyramids of Giza is to hire a camel from one of the Bedouins who are encamped around the area. Be sure to bargain, as that is expected. Also, there is an excellent sound and light show that highlights all of the monuments on the Giza plain.

Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum contains over a hundred thousand antiquities from every period of Egyptian history. The centerpiece of the collection is, of course, the burial treasure of young Pharaoh Tutankhamun, including the astonishing gold death mask. Also be sure to visit the Royal Mummy Room, the Amarna Room, devoted to Akhenaten, the 'heretic king' who tried to institute the worship of one God fifteen centuries before Christ, the Graeco-Roman Mummies; the glittering galleries in Room 2 that display an astounding array of finery extracted from New Kingdom tombs found at the Delta site of Tanis; and the larger-than-life-size statue of Khafre, which many consider to be the museum's masterpiece.

Sultan Hassan Mosque

The Sultan Hassan Mosque and the accompanying madrassa or religious school was built in the 14th Century. It is considered one of the most impressive Islamic monuments in the world, built entirely of stone and built to give the impression of height. The cornices, the entrance, the courtyard, and the monumental staircase are particularly noteworthy. Visitors should go in the morning when the sun lights up the dark mausoleum.

Madrassa and Mausoleum of Qalaun

This 13th century edifice is stunningly decorated with an elaborate stucco arch bearing stars and floral motifs, ornate coffered ceilings and stained glass. Nearby are the Mausoleum of an-Nasir Mohammed and the Madrassa and Khanqah of Sultan Barquq, which also boasts splendid architecture.

Ibn Tulun Mosque

Built in the 9th Century, this is one of oldest mosques in Cairo. Covering six acres, it is built of mud brick and wood and is simple in décor. The pointed arches are the first of their kind. The views from the high minaret are magnificent.

The Citadel

While nothing remains of Saladin’s original 12th Century palace, there are still numerous mosques and museums within this enclosure. These include the Mosque of Mohammed Ali, with its huge dome and four surrounding semidomes, and the Mosque of Al Nasir. The fortifications were built to repel the Crusaders but remained the residence of the rulers of Egypt well into the 19th Century. The view of Cairo from this place is nothing short of spectacular.

Museum of Islamic Art

This museum contains one of the finest collections of Islamic art in the world. The rooms contain carved woodwork and columns, mosaic fountains, metalwork and other architectural exhibits salvaged from crumbling mosques and mausoleums throughout Egypt.

Coptic Museum

The Coptic Museum is situated in the former Roman fortress of Babylon in Egypt and contains art from the Coptic Christian era from between 300 and 1000 AD. The collection includes Coptic textiles, carved ivories, papyri (ancient paper) with text from the Gnostic gospels of Nag Hammadi, and Nubian paintings from the flooded villages of Lake Nassar. The ornate rooms are decorated with beautiful mashrabiyya (carved wood) screens, fountains and painted ceilings.

Al-Muallaqa (Hanging Church)

The “Hanging Church” is so called because it is built atop a Roman gate and is reached by a stairway that goes into the courtyard. It is the oldest place of Christian worship in Cairo. The beautiful interior features three barrel-vaulted aisles, altar screens of inlaid ivory and bone and an exquisite, carved marble pulpit supported by 13 pillars representing Christ and his disciples.

Church of St Sergius Bacchus

This is a 4th Century church, considered the oldest Christian Church in Cairo, and is dedicated to two Roman soldier-saints. It is built on the traditional site that Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus rested after fleeing to Egypt. The church was burned and then restored in the 8th Century and was constantly rebuilt and enhanced during the Middle Ages. It remains one of the earliest examples of Coptic architecture.

Ben Ezra Synagogue

This synagogue is the oldest place of Jewish worship in Cairo. It is said to be built on the site where the Prophet Jeremiah gathered Jewish refugees from the conquest of Judea by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. There is also a spring that is supposed to mark the place where the Pharaoh’s daughter fought the infant Moses in the boat of reeds. The spring was also where, tradition states, Mary bathed the baby Jesus.

Saqqara

Saqqara is about fifteen miles south of Cairo and is an area strewn with pyramids, temples, and other monuments. The highlight of a visit to Saqqara is the Step Pyramid of Zoser, the first attempt ever at building a pyramid. Also of note are the Pyramid and Causeway of Unas, the site of funerary hieroglyphs known as Pyramid Texts, the Serapeum, where sacred Apis bulls were entombed, and which provides an eerie walk through barely lit galleries to see macabre sarcophagi, and the Mastaba of Ti, perhaps the grandest and most detailed private tomb at Saqqara and one of the main sources of knowledge about life in Old Kingdom Egypt.

Dahshur

Dahshur is about twelve and a half miles south of Saqqara. It was originally the site of eleven pyramids, but two—the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid—remain intact. The Bent Pyramid is so called because of its change of angle from 56 degrees to 43 degrees in the middle of building, after the structure showed signs of stress. The Red Pyramid, built using the lessons learned from the Bent Pyramid, is so called because of the red limestone inner casing. Both pyramids were built by Pharaoh Sneferu, father of Khufu and founder of the 4th dynasty.

Visiting Cairo

Cairo can be reached by plane, with connections in most cities in Europe. The train will take you between Cairo and places like Alexandria, Luxor, and Aswan.

The best time to visit the city is during the Spring and Fall months, when the temperature is most comfortable. One should also pay attention to Moslem holy periods, such as Ramadan, where tourist attractions are closed early.

Cairo has a good metro system, but the busses tend to be overcrowded. The best way to get to places in Cairo, and particularly Saqqara and Dahshur, is by taxi.

Modest dress, which covers the arms and legs, as well as head covering for women, is highly recommended when visiting holy sites. The Cairo souk or marketplace is also highly recommended for a visit. Bargaining, half negotiation and half performance art, is expected and, with practice, can be rather fun. A good rule of thumb is to counter offer half the price that’s offered for an item and go on from there.