Introduction
The cultural center of the Arab world is the city of Cairo. Cairo is also the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa. For more than a thousand years Cairo has stood on the banks of the Nile River.
Two distinct cities, the new and the old, make up Cairo. Many people live in crowded conditions in Cairo's three oldest areas. Most of Cairo's historic monuments are in this dense area.
Modern Cairo faces the Nile. Its wide avenues are lined with blocks of apartments, office buildings, government buildings, theaters, and shops. Cairo's central business district is called Al Azbakiyah. The modern city's area for living is called Garden City.
Places of interest
Cairo is an ancient city, and it has many interesting historical areas and buildings. Among the major bazaars, or markets, in the old walled city is the Khan al-Khalili. It was established in 1390. There are also markets for gold articles, copper ware, textiles, rugs, amber, spices, and leather goods. Another part of the old city has a museum, Coptic churches, and a very old synagogue. The reconstructed ʿAmr Mosque is nearby.
The City of the Dead is a large section of cemeteries along the eastern and southern edges of the city. It has burial places of early religious leaders and sultans. The 12th-century fortress of Saladin, an early ruler, still stands on the Mokattam Hills. From this height one can look across the Nile to the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Cairo has many museums. The Egyptian Museum displays the treasures of King Tutankhamen. The Coptic Museum displays religious images, textiles, and objects of art. The Museum of Islamic Art in Bab al-Khalq has objects of wood, brass, and glass. The city's other museums include the War Museum and the Manyal Palace Museum.
Cairo's west bank has a zoo and gardens, a farming museum, and Cairo University. Other interesting establishments in Cairo include the National Library and the Presidential Palace and archives.
Economy
Cairo has long been an important trading center. That is because the Nile Valley is the only land route linking Asia and Africa. The city's manufacturing plants include cotton mills, sugar refineries, paper mills, and cigarette factories. Cars, refrigerators, and iron and steel products are also made in Cairo. Cairo contains most of Egypt's important banks, shipping companies, airlines, and hotels.
History
Although the history of Egypt goes back thousands of years, Cairo can only trace its history back to the 7th century AD. The town of Al Fustat was founded as a military camp in 641 by ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs. He was the commander of the Arabs who brought Islam to Egypt. It became a thriving port city.
In 969, the Fatimid dynasty invaded Egypt from what today is Tunisia. The conquering military leader established a new walled city northeast of Al Fustat. This new city was named Al Qahirah, which means “the victorious” in Arabic. This was later changed to Cairo.
After 1260, Cairo became the capital of the Mamluk Empire. Its al-Azhar University was the main place of Islamic learning. The city was a key link in the spice trade between the West and the East. Most of Cairo's greatest buildings went up during this period.
After this, however, Cairo went into a decline that lasted until the 19th century. In the 1860s a new European-style city was built to the west of the old center. During the 20th century, Cairo grew and grew. Flood control allowed people to construct buildings along the river, and bridges encouraged settlement on the islands and in the west bank. The government started building communities at the edges of Cairo after 1952. Population (1996 estimate), 6,789,000.
