Cairo Travel Guide

Cairo Travel Guide (Egypt) and Online Tourist Information including beaches, attractions, maps, hotels, tips and more

Introducing Cairo

Modern Cairo, Egypt.
Modern Cairo, Egypt - photo andrea_kamal (flickr)

The city known as “The City of a Thousand Minarets” has been the center of political and cultural expansion for thousands of years. Cairo is immersed in the ancient mysteries of Egypt thanks to its location. The great pyramids and the Sphinx in nearby Giza represent a segment of Cairo history’s that’s filled with wealth, prosperity and religious expressions. Cairo's roots can be traced back to the first century, although the area around Memphis and Cairo has been inhabited for thousands of years. The Romans began building settlements there in the 4th century. The fortress known as Babylon was built on the east bank of the Nile and is the oldest structure in Cairo today. The city is filled with Coptic Christian churches, which are located along the fortress wall.

The Muslims conquered Egypt in the 7th century and named the area just north of Babylon, Fustat. The capital of Egypt was moved from Alexandria to Fustat and it also became the regional home of Islam and the first mosque in Egypt. The ongoing religious wars continued throughout the region and in 1250, Cairo was named the capital city once again. The city began to prosper as a spice trading center between Asia and Europe and it also became a major Islamic center with a population of almost 500,000 people, which made it the largest city in Egypt. Cairo continued to grow as new economic and political reforms were instituted and new buildings were constructed. The modernization of Cairo began in the 19th century when Isma’il Pasha developed neighborhoods that were inspired by Parisians structures. He brought electric and gas to the city and constructed a canal from the Nile to the Suez Canal which was under construction at the time. Downtown Cairo represents the efforts of Pasha. The British decided to invade the city in 1882 and it remained under British control until 1922.

Cairo Towers
Cairo Towers

Cairo in a few words

Traveling to Cairo is an adventure that offers so much diversity it’s hard to express the thrill of the city using words. The historic and religious importance of the city is present in the faces of the people who live there. The buildings, mosques and churches bring old world charm to the city and the desert offer treasures that are waiting to be discovered. Cairo is a 21st century city that is firmly built on a culturally rich foundation that continues to expand as the past reveals itself. A holiday in Cairo is a walk through time that’s unforgettable and uniquely comforting.