Nostalgic CAIRO:: Intro::our Lifetime adventure

Map 1::the green shaded area marks the Nostalgic historic Cairo and the red dotted line shows the route of our adventure

Walking through the 3 kilometers spinal cord of the nostalgic historical Cairo was really an amazing adventure and experience. This is where the greatest concentration of Islamic features – buildings, tombs, schools, masjids, etc., both in quality and quantity built by prominent in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Egypt must be proud of the inclusion of this historical spot in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The main intention of the adventure was to have, as much as possible, a close encounters to the features. Sabil-kuttab, for example, is one of its kinds – unique to Cairo, a two storey building with covered water fountain to serve the community on the ground floor and a room for children learning reciting the holy Qur’an at the upper level. Another feature is the wikalas – akin to hostel which has small living units in the upper level and commercial uses at ground floor.

Photo: Bab al Azab of the Salah al Din Citadel. Part of the domes of the Masjid Muhammad Ali can be seen in the background

The historic Cairo comprises of the ‘Old Cairo’ or the origin of Cairo, referring to al Fustat – the first Islamic settlement in Egypt, perhaps is Africa, established by one of the prominent Companion of Prophet Muhammad saw (peace be upon him), ‘Amr ibn al ‘As, sent by the second Caliph of Islam, Umar ra in 632; the Citadel – which dominates the urban fabric of the city and crucial to the structure of historic Cairo; the historic city, which covers the Fatimid city; Bulaq and last but not least, the historic Islamic cemeteries.

Photo: The south side of Masjid Mahmud Pasha. On the right hand side is the dome of Masjid Amir Akhur and on the left, is part of Masjid & Madrasah Sultan Hassan

Our three and a half hours adventure, however, covered only the spine of the historic city from the popular Sultan Hassan Masjid cum madrasah or religious school at the foothill of the Citadel to the al Hakim bi ‘Amrullah Masjid on the north side of the Fatimid city.

Photo: The west side of the Masjid Amir Akhur

We approached our adventure from the south side of the city, where cluster of Masjids – Masjid Sultan Hassan; Masjid ar Rafai’e; Masjid Mahmud Pasha and Masjid Amir Akhur found right at the foothill of the majestic Citadel.

Photo: The magnificient Masjid & Madrasah Sultan Hassan and Masjid ar Rafa'ie (right)

Arrived and parked our car in front of Bab al Azab of the Citadel (facing the south-west side of Masjid Mahmud Pasha) at 09:02 hours, from where I walked to the beautifully landscaped round about to shoot the panoramic scene of this cluster. My NIKKOR wide-angle lens had helped me to capture these magnificently crafted buildings.