Cairo

The spectacular and instantly recognizable Pyramids at Giza are emblematic of Egypt. These elaborate burial complexes were built with extraordinary geometric precision some 4,500 years ago, probably by teams of thousands of Egyptian farmers. It is thought they had time for these laborers during the flood season when the waters of the Nile submerged their fields, and it would have been easier to move stones to the building site. The three largest and most famous pyramids are the Great Pyramid of Khufu (rising 481 feet and also referred to as the Great Pyramid of Giza or Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. The world’s oldest and most iconic monumental sculpture, the Great Sphinx, is situated slightly further down the valley on the west bank of the Nile. Likely constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Khafre between 2558-2532 BC during the Old Kingdom period and measuring 240 feet from paw to tail, the mythical figure has the body of a lion and head of man, its gaze fixed firmly on the vast desert horizon and mysterious as ever. The Grand Egyptian Museum will be the world’s biggest archaeological museum when it opens at Giza (the opening is scheduled for 2021).

Cairo’s Great Mosque of Muhammed Ali Pasha, is located within the Citadel of Cairo, a fortress compound from the medieval Islamic period. The mosque itself, also called the Alabaster Mosque, was completed in 1848. No less iconic is the older Al Azhar Mosque, founded in 970 AD and a mix of architectural styles with ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and even Coptic Christian influences. There have also been various Mamlgb and Ottoman enlargements to the mosque. The university here once drew students from all over the Islamic world as well as Europe, and the sheik of the Al Azhar mosque is still the highest religious authority for Egypt’s Muslims. The oldest section is the central courtyard while a trio of minarets that stand south to north is from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries respectively—the “newest” one features a beautiful double finial added by Sultan Al Ghouri (whose own mosque and mausoleum are nearby). Past the main entrance and through a doorway on the left side is the location of a tomb chamber with a stunning mihrab, or niche that is oriented toward Mecca. Another monumental structure is the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan, rising like an enchanted fortress from the crowded cityscape. It was completed in 1363 during the time of the Mamlgb Sultanate in Egypt.