 |
|
|
Situated on the banks of the
Egypt’s most famous river, the Nile, the city of Cairo is
one of the most well-known capital cities in the world.
Known locally as Al-Qahira, Arabic for “The Triumphant”,
Cairo was the seat of government of ancient Egyptian
dynasties as well foreign ones for centuries.
Headed by Pharaohs, Caliphs, Romans, Turkish Khedives,
British and French colonizers, the city of Cairo boasts of a
glorious history and a decadent charm. Cairo is rich in a
multitude of historic tourist attractions, including the
Pyramids of Giza, which until 1889, had the reputation of
being the world’s tallest structure built by man.
|
|
With its picturesque beauty, very interesting
landmarks,noble elegance and modern structures, it
is one of the most popular tourist destinations in
Egypt. The city is riddled with a lot of fun and
interesting facts. The city of Cairo is Egypt’s
capital and is the home of one of the world’s most
ancient civilizations. It is also Europe’s largest
city. The modern city was founded AD 969 when it
served as the monarchial boundary for the caliphs of
Fatimid. Prior to this, settlements in the city can
be dated back to as far as 6,000 years ago.
To date, Cairo has a population estimated at more
than 17 million making it the most densely populated
city in Africa and the world’s 16th most populated
city. |
 |
It is the location of the
largest and oldest of all the pyramids in the country, the
Great Pyramid of Giza, which took approximately 20 years to
build.
The oldest synagogue in Egypt, the Ben
Ezra Synagogue, is located in Cairo. So is the oldest
university in the world, the Al-Azhar University of Cairo,
which is also the Suni Islams principle seat of education.
 |
One of the largest mosques in
the world, the Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan in Cairo,
was built in the 14th century. The largest display of
Egyptian antiquities in the world is in Cairo at the
Egyptian Museum.
During Cairo is made
up of two islands: Zamalik or Gezira, and Roda or
Rawdah. These two islands are linked by bridges to
the mainland.
The time zone in Cairo follows that of the Eastern
European Time which is GMT+2. It is also ahead of
the Greenwich Mean Time by 2 hours. The Cairenes
observe Sundays as traditional “day-off” and not as
a weekend.
|
Although the majority
of Egyptians practice the Islamic religion, the legal age
for drinking in Cairo is 21. The manufacture of textiles,
tobacco products, food products, plastics, automobiles,
metals, and chemicals form the city’s main source of income.
Central to Cairo’s economy is tourism because of the many
historical relics left behind by its ancient civilization.
A large part of the city is modern with broad avenues. Most
of the mosques, palaces, gates to the city are found in the
oldest part of town. Cairo is the center of Coptic
Christianity (Christians living in Egypt). This denomination
originated in Alexandria during the Apostolic period.
|
|
