Islamic Cairo Day Tour

Located on Salah al-Din Square (or Maydan al-Qal’a “Citadel Square”), al-Rifa’i Mosque was built in the nineteenth century to Equivalent its fourteenth-century neighbor, the mosque of al-Sultan Ḥassan. The mosque gets its name from the tomb of Ali who was known as “Abu Sheibak”, he was the grandson of imam Ahmad al-Rifa’i. when the mosque was completed, it was imputed directly to Ahmad al-Rifa’i who founded the Rifa’i Sufi order. Although he was never buried here, the mosque witness a joyous annual Sufi celebrations commemorating his birth.

The original structure was a Fatimid mosque, which was then transformed into a shrine for Ali Abu Sheibak. Finally,

Hoshiyar Hanim, the mother of Khedive Ismail, commissioned the current design of the mosque and put in charge of the construction the architect Hussein Pasha Fahmi. Part of the plan was to have a mausoleum for the family of Muhammad Ali as part of the extension, which was made by imported building materials from Europe, such as Italian marble. The construction has stopped for years until it was completed in the region of Khedive Abbas Helmi II in 1330Ah\ 1912 AD.​

Al-Rifa’i Mosque’s architectural design is as interesting as its construction history. Visitors stand in awe of the detailed decoration of the outer walls and massive columns of the outer gate. The minarets are distinguished by their beauty and elegance. Additionally, cement was used in the construction of the mosque for the first time in any of Islamic monument in Egypt, signaling the transition into modern times.

While a section of the mosque is dedicated to prayers, another is reserved for the members of the family of Muhammad Ali Pasha, which was in power from the early nineteenth century until the 1953, when the modern Egyptian republic was born. Khedive Ismail and his mother Hoshiyar Kadin, as well as Kings Fuad I and Farouk, the last two rulers of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty, are buried here, all enshrined in elaborate tombs. The mosque contains the burial chamber of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi (d. 1400 AH/1980 AD), the last Shah of Iran.

The Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan is one of the largest and architecturally exquisite mosques in all of Egypt. It was commissioned by the Mamluk sultan Hasan ibn al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun sometime between 757 AH/1356 AD and 764 AH/1362 AD, and is located at the end of Muhammad Ali Street, opposite its nineteenth century neighbor al-Rifa’i mosque in Salah al-Din Square.

The mosque consists of an open courtyard with fountain in its centre. The courtyard is surrounded by four iwans (a rectangular space that is open on one side). Doorways at the four corners of the courtyard allow access into four madrasas, educational institutions, where the four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence were taught. Each consists of a court and iwan, in addition to the rooms of the students and annexed service units. The mosque has two minarets built in the Mamluk style.

Its proximity to the citadel ultimately resulted in its use as a fort by enemies several times throughout its history, as it was used as a platform to launch attacks on the citadel.

Like most Islamic monuments in Cairo, this one has also undergone several phases of reconstruction, up until the twentieth century. The mosque and madrasa are distinguished with the ornate domes, stone and plaster carved decorations, as well as the marble works of the mihrab.

Great food is at the heart of every journey, and we believe dining is an experience, rather than just fuel for your body. Get the full flavour of a destination by dining as locals do, whether that’s enjoying a traditional meal in their home or in a restaurant that only residents know about. From thoughtful vegetarian options to seasonal specialities in amazing locations, you’ll sip, savour and sense the local flair at your meal.

The mosque of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As is the oldest surviving mosque in Egypt and Africa. General ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs was one of the first companions of the Prophet Muhammad. After conquering Egypt in 20 AH/640 AD, he founded its first Islamic capital, Fustat, which falls within the modern city of Cairo. A year later, by order of the Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, he also founded the eponymous mosque of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, which thus became the new capital’s very first building.

During the early years following the conquest, the mosque served as a place of gathering for Muslim community and ‘Amr’s troops, which at the time remained a minority in Egypt. Several of the Prophet’s companions assisted in the building’s construction, including al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awam and Ubada ibn al-Samit.

The structure underwent many architectural changes throughout its lifetime, such that very little of the original survives today. What currently stands in Old Cairo is the mosque’s twentieth century reconstruction. However, it remains true to the modesty of Islamic architecture in its earliest form, evolving from a shed with palm-tree columns to the elegant arcade halls that still house prayers to this day.

Al-Muizz Street is named after the Fatimid Caliph, al-Muizz li-Din Allah (341–365 AH / 953–975 AD), who first founded this street. He is also the founder of the Fatimid caliphates in Egypt since he ruled Egypt in (358-365AH\ 969-975AD). Today, it is the largest open-air museum for Islamic monuments in the world, and a unique heritage site that was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. The street has borne many names over the centuries, and in 1937 it came to be known as al-Muizz in honour of the founder of Cairo.

The historical street stretches between two of the gates of Cairo’s old city walls, from Bab al-Futuh in the north to Bab Zuwayla in the south, passing along many of the significant and uniquely preserved ancient alleys and streets, such as Amir al-Guyush Street, Darb al-Asfar, Borgowan Alley, Khan al-Khalili, and al-Ghuriyya.

Twenty-nine monuments dotting the length of al-Muizz allow visitors to experience Islamic Egypt from the 10th to 19th centuries, starting from the Fatimid Period in Egypt (358–567 AH / 969–1171 AD) to the Muhammad Ali Dynasty (1220–1372 AH/ 1805–1953 AD). These monuments include buildings of various types, such as those that had a religious, domestic, commercial, or defensive function. Today, markets, vendors, and local crafts stores line up along al-Muizz ​street, adding to the charm of this historic street.

Originally built on the site of an old mausoleum, local and foreign merchants have been trading at Khan el-Khalili souk since the 14th century. It is Egypt’s most famous market.

• Located in the heart of Islamic Cairo, near the Medieval walled city of the Saladin Citadel, the Khan el-Khalili market was built on the old burial site of the Fatimid Caliphs, who founded Cairo in the 10th century. Trading in the souk dates from the 14th century, but its elaborately-carved monumental gates and grid-like alleyways were constructed in the 16th century under Egypt’s last powerful Mamluk ruler.

• While the souk is no longer strictly divided into specific trading areas, the gold merchants, coppersmiths’, and spice vendors’ districts remain quite distinct. Throughout the rest of the bazaar, stalls are full of colourful lanterns, candles, jewellery, perfumes, musical instruments and other handicrafts – you can pretty much find anything you could possibly want within its walls!

• This is a great place to shop for souvenirs – most vendors speak some English and you can try out your haggling skills and a few words of Arabic ! Even if you don’t want to buy anything, the market is an incredible place to walk through and experience the craziness of daily life in Cairo . Most stalls are open from around 9 am until well after nightfall – although some may be closed on Friday mornings and Sundays.