Al-HUSAYN Mosque to BAB AL-FUTUH
If the Mamluks hadn’t stopped the Mongols’ furious advance at An Djalout ( Palistine) in AD 1260 , Cairo , like Baghdadand scores of other towns , might have been left in rubble . As it is Misr Almahrosa – a popular appellation that translates as ” EGYPT the protected ” – offers one of the richest troves of Islamic architecture in the World. This is also because Cairo has been the capital of Islamic Egypt since it’s found -ing .Today the earth between Bab Al-Futuh and Bab El-Nasr in the north and the Mosque of Amro in the south are still home to a rare concentration of buildings tat represents a continuous, evolving architectural tradition.
Unfortunately , Islamic monuments don’t attract as many visitors pharaonic ones , and government funds for restoration haven’t been so generous . A great many buildings were seriously damaged in the 1992 earthquake (some areas still lie in ruins), but much of Al-Azhar areas has undergone a facelift since the start of the new millennium , and a visit to these historic neighborhoods should figure prominently on your agenda. A walk along these time-warped streets studded with monuments from different eras offers a rare taste of the extravagant beauty that once characterized the heart of the city . It is a visit to the past , light years away from the behemoth that modern cairo has become .
You can get a very good feel for this area in a half day , depending on how long you spend at each of the attractions. Leave enough time for a break and shopping afterward , if you wish . You can spend hours in the Khan Al-Khalili depending on how much browsing and haggling interests you . Keep in mind that most of the shops are closed on Sunday. Friday before noon is also a quieter time in the neighborhood.