11 Best Sights in Cairo, Egypt

Constructed between 1356 and 1363 by the Mamluk ruler Sultan Hassan, this is one of the world's largest Islamic religious buildings. Some historians believe it was partially built with stone from the Pyramids of Giza. Regardless, creating it nearly emptied the vast Mamluk treasury.

You enter the complex at an angle through a tall portal that is itself a work of art. The carving on both sides culminates in a series of stalactites above. A dark and relatively low-ceilinged passageway to the left of the entrance leads to the brightly lit main area—a standard cruciform-plan open court.

Unique to this mosque is a madrasa between each of the four liwans (halls), one for each of the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence, complete with its own courtyard and four stories of rooms for students and teachers. Also unique is the location of the mausoleum behind the qibla wall (wall in the direction of Mecca) which, in effect, forces people who are praying to bow before the tomb of the dead sultan—a fairly heretical idea to devout Muslims. Nevertheless, the mausoleum, which faces Salah al-Din Square, is quite beautiful, particularly in the morning when the rising sun filters through grilled windows.

Of the two tall minarets, only the one to the left of the qibla liwan is structurally sound. Have the custodian take you up to get a view of the city, including the Citadel. In fact, this roof was used by several armies, Bonaparte's expedition included, to shell the mountain fortress.

This huge congregational mosque was built in 879 by Ahmad Ibn Tulun with the intention of accommodating his entire army during Friday prayers. He was sent to Egypt by the Abbasid caliph in Samarra to serve as its governor. Sensing weakness in Iraq, he declared his independence and began building a new city, al-Qata'i, northwest of al-Fustat and al-Askar. When the Abbasids conquered Egypt again in 970, they razed the entire city as a lesson to future rebels, sparing only the great Friday mosque, but leaving it to wither on the outskirts.

In 1293, emir Lajin hid out in the derelict building for several months while a fugitive from the Mamluk sultan, vowing to restore it if he survived. Three years later, after being appointed sultan himself, he kept his word, repairing the minaret and adding a fountain in the courtyard, the mihrab (prayer niche), and the beautiful minbar (pulpit). All of this background is secondary to the building itself—you can delight in this masterpiece without even the slightest knowledge of its history. Its grandeur and simplicity set it apart from any other Islamic monument in Cairo.

The mosque is separated from the streets around it with a ziyada (a walled-off space) in which the Friday market was once held and where the famous minaret is located. Inside, the mosque covers an area of more than 6 acres. Four arcaded aisles surround the vast courtyard, and the soffits of the arches are covered in beautifully carved stucco—the first time this medium was used in Cairo. The minaret, the only one of its kind in Egypt, is modeled after those in Samarra, with the ziggurat-like stairs spiraling on the outside of the tower.

The name of the mosque means "the moonlit" and refers to the way the stone catches the moon's reflection at night. Built in 1125, it’s one of a few Fatimid buildings that have escaped major alterations. The shell-like recesses in the stone facade, later to become a common decorative element, were used here for the first time. This little mosque was also the first in Cairo to have an ornamented stone facade, and it was the first to alter its plan according to the existing urban structure, as the street existed before the mosque.

Built outside Cairo's original walls (those standing now were constructed in 1087), this mosque saw varied usage during its lifetime. During the Crusades it held European prisoners of war who built a chapel inside it. Salah al-Din (1137–1193) tore the chapel down when he used the structure as a stable. In the 19th century, Napoléon's troops used it as a storehouse and fortress; Muhammad Ali closed part of it off for use as a zawya (small Sufi school); and, until the establishment of the Museum of Islamic Arts in 1896, it served as a repository for Islamic treasures.

Originally built in 1010 by the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, this gigantic mosque was restored under the aegis of the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Isma'ili Shi’a sect. Al-Hakim was an eccentric character. Some of the strangest edicts were declared during his caliphate, including one ban on mulokhia, a favorite Egyptian dish (he didn't care for it) and another on women's shoes (to prevent them from going out in public). He liked riding around town on his donkey to ensure that his orders were being obeyed, but one night, he rode off into the Mokattam hills, never to be seen again. The Druze claim that he has vanished only temporarily and will return to lead them to victory.

Architecturally, the mosque’s most significant elements are its minarets, which were restored and reinforced by Baybars II in 1303, giving them that impressive trapezoidal base. Nevertheless, its scale and history are important, and its courtyard is large and breezy, making it a comfortable place to rest or meditate.

Although it appears neo-Mamluk in style, this mosque was not commissioned until 1869 by the mother of Khedive Isma'il, Princess Hoshiyar. It was completed in 1912 but, from the outside, seems more timeworn and less modern than the 14th-century Mosque of Sultan Hassan beside it. True to the extravagant khedivial tastes, the inside is markedly different from that of its neighboring mosque as well. While the latter is relatively unadorned, al-Rifa'i is lavishly decorated. The mausoleum here contains the bodies of Sufi holy men of the Rifa'i order (hence the establishment's name), as well as the remains of many royals.

This mosque and khanqah (shrine) were built by the commander in chief of Sultan Hassan's forces. The khanqah has a central courtyard surrounded by three floors where 150 rooms once housed 700 Sufi adherents. As in the mosque, classical pillars support the ground-floor arches. Tuman bay II, the last Mamluk sultan, hid here during the Ottoman conquest, so the mosque was badly damaged by shelling. Nevertheless, its qibla liwan (hall in the direction of Mecca) still has its original marble inlay work. To the left of it are the tombs of Shaykhu and the first director of the school. Today, this is an active neighborhood mosque.

Built in 1160, one of the last Fatimid structures constructed outside the city walls is also one of Cairo's most elegant mosques. Like many others, the ground floor housed several shops, which allowed the authorities to pay for the upkeep. Today, these shops are underground because the street level has risen considerably over time.

The mosque has a standard early-Islamic rectangular courtyard plan. The main facade consists of five keel arches on Greco-Roman columns taken from an earlier building that are linked by wooden tie beams. Between each arch, a set of long panels is topped with Fatimid shell niches. The most distinctive architectural feature, however, is the porch-like area underneath the arches of the main facade that creates an open, airy interior court. Inside, the columns are also taken from elsewhere: no two of their capitals are alike.

Featuring fine examples of virtually every decorative art in vogue during the 14th century, this mosque was built by a son-in-law of Sultan Nasir al-Muhammad who died at the tender age of 25. It was then completed under the supervision of the sultan's architect. As you enter the sanctuary behind the fine mashrabiya (projected oriel windows made of wood), you’ll notice a collection of pillars of pharaonic, Christian, and Roman origin. The mihrab (prayer niche) is made of marble inlay and mother-of-pearl, and the wooden minbar (pulpit) is also beautifully carved and inlaid. Above the mihrab are excellent original stucco carvings, unique in Cairo for their naturalistically rendered tree motif, as well as dados of inlaid marble with square Kufic script.

Outside, be sure to admire the first example of a minaret in octagonal form from bottom to top. It is shaped like a pavilion, with eight columns carrying a pear-shaped bulb crown. Note, too, that this mosque is an active community center, so it's open longer than other monuments.

Known as the first mosque on the African continent, it was built by its namesake in 642 following the conquest of Egypt and the founding of Fustat—the first Islamic capital. One of the first companions of Prophet Muhammad, Ibn al-As designated the mosque as a place for communities and troops to come together. Because the original structure probably had mud-brick walls and a palm-thatch roof, it did not survive for long. It was restored and expanded in 673 and again in 698, 710, 750, and 791. Finally, in 827, it was expanded to its current size. The structure’s architectural features naturally changed, but there was an attempt in the 1980s to restore its interior to its 827 appearance.

Sultan al-Mu'ayyad was once imprisoned at this location under Sultan Faraj, and he suffered terribly during his imprisonment from fleas and lice. He swore that, if he was ever freed, he would build a mosque there—a sanctuary for the education of scholars. He ultimately assisted in overthrowing the sultan, and became the new sultan within six months. He made good on his promise in 1420 and tore down the infamous jails that once occupied the site.

The mosque's facade is remarkable in that the ablaq (the striped wall) is black and white, less common than the usual red and white. The famous entrance of the Sultan Hassan Mosque below the Citadel inspired the high portal. The beautiful bronze-plated door was lifted from the mosque of Mu’ayyad’s better-known predecessor. The two elegant identical minarets rest against the towers of Bab Zuweila, which makes them appear to be a part of the gate and not the mosque.

The interior space is well insulated from the bustle of the surrounding district by high walls blanketed in marble panels. The wood and ivory minbar is flanked by a fine columned mihrab with marble marquetry of exceptional quality. The gilt and blue ceilings are also noteworthy.

One of the holiest sites in Egypt, this mosque was originally built by the Fatimids in the 12th century as a shrine and is said to contain the head of Husayn, the Prophet's grandson. Al-Husayn is the spiritual heart of the Islamic city. It is here that the president and his ministers come to pray on important religious occasions. Many of the Sufi orders in the neighborhood perform Friday prayers at al-Husayn. During the mulid (celebration) of al-Husayn, held during the Muslim month of Rabi'a al-Akhiri (the fourth month in the Muslim calendar), the square in front of the mosque becomes a carnival. During Ramadan, the area is packed with people from sunset to dawn.

The mosque itself is a 19th-century stone building heavily influenced by the Gothic Revival; only elements of older structures remain. On the south end of the southeast facade stands a partial wall with a gate, known as Bab al-Akhdar (The Green Gate), which probably dates from the Fatimid Dynasty. The mosque is technically closed to non-Muslims. However, while large tour groups are not allowed to enter, there is more leeway for the individual traveler, provided that you avoid prayer times (noon or 1 pm) and Fridays. Women should cover their heads and everyone should cover shoulders and knees.