Al-Qalaa (the Citadel)

My ticket to a busy day

Yesterday's great expedition was to the Citadel of Cairo, famously founded by Salah ad-Din (Saladin, bane of Crusaders everywhere) in 1176AD. Unfortunately it is on the other side of Nile, so it took a while to get there in the taxi (and to convince the driver that just because I'm a tourist it doesn't mean I should pay double the regular rate, I mean, honestly!). The complex is home to several mosques, museums and innumerable souvenir stalls, and as a whole serves as a showcase of Islamic architecture through the ages. It was also home to Egypt's rulers for over 700 years, and so is an important part of Medieval Egyptian History.

The Mountain Gate, the modern entrance to the Citadel

The Citadel was originally built to the North of the city (the city has caught up to it by now), on a strategic, raised piece of ground (the Mokattam Hills). It drew inspiration from the various castles and citadels Saladin had laid seige to in his assorted campaigns, with impressive fortifications (over 3kms of fortress walls and towers!). I took over a 100 pictures and it seems my poor camera-phone took strain at times, but I think I got some good shots.

The Northern side of the Mohammed Ali Mosque

The Citadel is dominated by the Mosque of Mohammed Ali, one of the popular symbols of Cairo. It was built by Mohammed Ali, the ruler of Egypt from 1805 - 1849. Of Albanian descent, Mohammed Ali is widely regarded as the founder of Modern Egypt (19th century onwards) and certainly shaped much of what Egypt is today. The mosque is a magnificent example of Turkish architecture and contains the body of Ali himself.

The Central Dome of the Mosque

Inside the decorations are breathtaking, covering the ceiling and walls in a tapestry of gilt and marble. Of course, everyone takes their shoes off and most women cover their heads, but other than that visitors are free to wander around and take plenty of photos.

A view out across Cairo (part of at least)

Around the Mohammed Ali Mosque are some of the best views of Cairo. From up there, it is easy to believe that it is home to 18 million people. I was relatively lucky in that there was a bit of a breeze blowing, and so the skies were relatively clear. On the skyline there was the unique site of the three pyramids of Giza, unfortunately my rather puny digital zoom couldn't quite make it. At this point I was accosted by a large group of pre-teen schoolgirls who simply demanded that I have several photos with them. I have no idea why - I attribute it to sun stroke on their part. My good luck seemed to hold however, and I was soon rescued by a sympathetic teacher.

Mosque of an-Nasr Mohammed

The Mosque of an-Nasr Mohammed is one of the last examples of Persian architecture in Egypt. Before Mohammed Ali and the French, Egypt was ruled by a warrior caste called the Mamluks for about 500 years. Originally the Mamluks were slaves and the palace guards of Saladin, but they were richly rewarded for their services and emerged as the dominant class in late medieval Egyptian society. When Mohammed Ali came to power he faced opposition from the remnants of the Mamaluks. To cement his power, in 1812 he massacred 500 of the most powerful amirs. He also tore down most of the buildings attributed to them. The an-Nasr Mohammed Mosque survived because it was in use of a stable at the time, but since then it has been restored to its former glory. While not as ornate the Mohammed Ali Mosque, it has its own charm. Of note are the pillars inside the courtyard, all of which were looted from different older monuments, but blend in the most disturbing fashion.

The main dome of the Mosque of Suleiman Pasha

The final mosque was that of Suleiman Pasha, and was built by the Turks (they ruled here for awhile too). It has recently been restored and the tile and marble inlays inside it are stunning. I got there quite late in the day and it was empty. With the late afternoon sunlight streaming in and the coolness of the marble under my feet, the beauty was only enhanced. There is also quite a large mausoleum at the back of mosque containing the tomb of several important imams and military officers (janissaries to those familiar with the Ottoman Turkish Army).

A T34, the greatest tank of WWII, painted in dessert colours.

Before I visited the garden and the Suleiman Pasha Mosque, I went to the military museum. The building it was in had been the harem palace of Mohammed Ali and a military hospital by the British in World War II ( Interestingly enough Egypt only officially declared war on the Axis powers in February 1945, but it did host the Allied war effort in the Eastern Mediterranean for most of the war). But now it is packed full of assorted military paraphernalia from Egypt's rather colourful history. The balance was a bit too modern for my liking (everyone knows I disapprove of modern militarism). I did enjoy the displays of the 1950s era weaponary, mostly left overs from World War II including T34s and Sherman tanks.

One part of the Garden Museum

After the military museum quite a contrast was the rather odd garden museum (the name comes from my guide book). I couldn't find any labelling (well any English labelling), but I really enjoyed it. It was almost Zen Garden like, with a collection of pillars from throughout Egyptian history among patches of grass and various geometric walkways. In the late afternoon with almost no one around it was peaceful.

Hi Ma, I'm OK.

While I was wandering around the garden museum my alarm went off to remind me to leave. I had been warned to be out by 4:00pm and the custodians had looked quite resolute, so I made my way to exit.

Coming Soon: The Pyramids and Sphinx. I really need to get around to doing this. Or maybe the Shopping Guide to Egypt, whatever happens first.