Attrazioni di Cairo

The city of Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt. It was the King's residence and the political and administrative centre until around 2,200 BC. It had impressive fortifications and temples, largely to Ptah, the god of creation and artworks. Estimates of population vary from 6,000 to 30,000 but either way, it was one of the larger, if not the largest, cities of its era.

Archaeological digging in the area has uncovered a Temple of Ptah and sculptures, including a sphinx (smaller than the one at Giza but still impressive), and the Colossus of Ramses II. These are now housed in the outdoor Memphis Museum in Mit Rihina, the modern town in this area. In 1979, UNESCO designated the area a World Heritage Site.

Jaundiced travelers often dismiss the Khan al-Khalili as a tourist trap; there's no ignoring the fact that it's a favored stop of tour buses and has all the associated annoyances (touts and tat) that come with them. But it's worth remembering that Cairenes have plied their trades here since the founding of the Khan in the 14th century - the buying and selling didn't begin with the arrival of the first tour group.

Today the market still plays an important role in the day-to-day commercial life of thousands of locals. In its narrow streets you can buy anything from shoes to souvenirs to clothes, chess sets, cushions, ceramics, brass, gold, silver, rugs, fabrics and on it goes.

Anche se non così antica come molte altre moschee del Cairo, quella di al-Rifa'i si distingue per i suoi soffitti elaborati e per essere il mausoleo dell'ultimo Scià di Persia (che morì in esilio in Egitto), dell'ultimo sovrano d'Egitto e di diversi membri della famiglia reale egiziana. Una volta entrati, vedrete subito la tomba di Shaykh’Ali al-Refa’i, santo e capo in un ordine dei dervisci.

La moschea venne costruita in cima ad un antico luogo di pellegrinaggio, noto perchè possedeva proprietà curative. Quarantaquattro enormi colonne sostengono le pareti di marmo decorate con foglie d'oro, un luogo in cui isolarsi dal rumore della strada. Il canto delle preghiere fa eco negli alti soffitti. La Moschea di al-Rifa'i fu costruita tra il 1869 e il 1912, mentre la moschea adiacente venne edificata nel XIV secolo.

Tra gli innumerevoli minareti che punteggiano l'orizzonte di El Cairo, quattro dei più spettacolari appartengono a una delle moschee di spicco della città, Al-Azhar. Questa moschea, situata nel quartiere islamico, non solo è uno dei più grandi santuari della città, ma è anche la sede universitaria più antica del mondo, in cui le prime lezioni vennero impartite nel 975 d.C.

Fatima al-Zahra, figlia venerata del profeta Maometto, è stata l'ispirazione per il nome della moschea, con la denominazione di "la Risplendente", adatto per questo luogo sacro. Originariamente costituita da un’unica sala per la preghiera con sole cinque navate e un piccolo cortile, la Moschea di al-Azhar è stata ampliata nel corso dei secoli sotto i Fatimidi, i Mamelucchi e gli Ottomani divenendo una delle più imponenti dell’Egitto e di tutto il Medio Oriente.

Djoser was a king in the 3rd Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, ruling from 2667 BC - 2648 BC. He was the first to build a pyramid for his tomb. It was a development from the low, flat-roofed mastabas and was a series of steps - hence the name 'Step Pyramid' now known as Djoser's Pyramid. It formed part of a tomb complex Djoser built for himself at Saqqara, just outside Memphis, then the capital of Egypt.

The 205 ft (62 m) tall pyramid was designed by Imhotep and was intended to facilitate the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife. The complex of pyramid, tombs and courts which make up Djoser's burial site covers 37 acres (15 hectares).

Saqqara (or Sakkara) lies about 18 miles (30 km) south of Cairo and was the burial site for the ancient Egyptian capital Memphis, now in ruins. In the site of 4.4 by 0.9 miles (7 by 1.5 km) there is a sphinx, smaller than that at Giza at only 26ft by 13ft (8m by 4m), and several pyramids, the most famous of which is the stepped pyramid of Djoser dating from around 2,650 BC. This pyramid represented a major advance in building techniques being the first complete stone-hewn building in history. Previous to this, mudbrick and wood were used for tombs.

Another 16 Kings also built their tombs at Saqqara and the area was used as a burial site until well into Roman times. In 1979, UNESCO named the area as a World Heritage Site.