An Islamic Cairo Itinerary

A thousand years of capitals

The city that became Cairo was founded in the tenth century by the Fatimids, who laid out a royal enclosure and built the mosque of Al-Azhar. Under the Ayyubids and then the Mamluks, from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries, Cairo became one of the largest cities in the world and a centre of trade, scholarship and monumental building. The Mamluk period in particular gave the city its characteristic domes and minarets, carved in stone with extraordinary refinement.

Ottoman rule from the sixteenth century added its own mosques and houses, and the nineteenth and twentieth centuries brought a modern city around the medieval core. The result is a layered townscape in which a Fatimid gate, a Mamluk madrasa and an Ottoman fountain can stand within a few steps of one another.

Day one: Al-Muizz street

Begin on Al-Muizz li-Din Allah street, the spine of the medieval city, much of which is now pedestrianised. Running between the great northern gates and the older heart of the city, it is lined with an almost unbroken sequence of mosques, madrasas, merchants' houses and public fountains, many beautifully restored. Walking its length slowly, ducking into courtyards as you go, is the single best introduction to Islamic Cairo.

At the northern end stand the massive stone gates of Bab al-Futuh and Bab al-Nasr, remnants of the Fatimid walls, with the adjacent mosque of al-Hakim. Southward, the street passes the complexes of Mamluk sultans and emirs before reaching the bustling Khan al-Khalili bazaar and the mosque of Al-Azhar. Give this a full, unhurried day.

• The Fatimid gates of Bab al-Futuh and Bab al-Nasr
• The Mamluk complexes along Al-Muizz street
• Khan al-Khalili bazaar at the southern end

Al-Azhar and its history

Al-Azhar, founded by the Fatimids in the tenth century, is one of the oldest institutions of continuous learning in the world and became, over the centuries, a pre-eminent centre of scholarship in the Sunni world. Its courtyard and prayer hall have been added to by many rulers, so the building itself is a lesson in the city's architectural history, with elements from the Fatimid period through to the Ottoman.

The mosque sits at the heart of the old city, beside the Khan al-Khalili, and remains a living place of study and prayer. Visitors are generally welcome outside prayer times and are asked to dress modestly and remove their shoes. It makes a natural pause between the two halves of an Al-Muizz street walk.

Day two: Ibn Tulun and Sultan Hassan

The second day takes in two of the greatest mosques, a little south of the Fatimid core. The mosque of Ibn Tulun, from the ninth century, is among the oldest and largest in the city and one of the most serene: a vast open courtyard enclosed by simple arcades, with a distinctive spiral minaret. Its scale and calm are a complete contrast to the crowded streets, and it is a highlight of any visit.

Nearby rises the complex of Sultan Hassan, a colossal fourteenth-century Mamluk madrasa and mausoleum whose soaring entrance portal and cavernous vaulted halls represent the summit of the style. Facing it across the square stands the later Rifa'i mosque. Together they form one of the most dramatic architectural pairings in the city, beneath the walls of the Citadel.

• The ninth-century mosque of Ibn Tulun with its spiral minaret
• The monumental Sultan Hassan complex
• The neighbouring Rifa'i mosque and the Citadel above

The City of the Dead

East of the old city stretch the historic cemeteries often called the City of the Dead, a vast necropolis where mausoleums and tomb-complexes have accumulated over many centuries. Among them are some of the finest Mamluk funerary monuments, with beautifully carved stone domes, set in an area that has long combined burial grounds with living communities.

This is a place to visit thoughtfully and, ideally, with local guidance, both to find the significant monuments among the sprawl and to be respectful of the people who live and work there. Approached with care, it offers a quieter and very different perspective on the city's heritage, away from the main tourist routes.

Practical notes

Cairo is hot for much of the year, and the old city is dense and dusty, so start early, carry water, and build in shaded rests in mosque courtyards and cafes. Comfortable shoes that slip off easily are essential given how often you will remove them. Modest dress is expected at religious sites, and head coverings are appreciated for women, with scarves usually available at major mosques.

The monuments are close together but the streets are busy, so a walking pace and a loose plan work better than a rigid schedule. Consider a local guide for a day to unlock the history and navigate the quieter quarters. Our curated collections trace a route through Cairo's monuments, and the itinerary planner helps you group the sights into comfortable days.

Frequently asked questions