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Cairo UNESCO world heritage sites

Cairo north

Al Hakim Mosque at 154 Al Moez Ldin Allah Al Fatmi, El-Gamaleya, Qism El-Gamaleya
Completed in 1013, the vast and starkly plain Mosque of Al Hakim built into the northern walls, is one of Cairo’s older mosques, but it was rarely used for worship. Instead it functioned as a Crusaders’ prison, a stable, a warehouse, a boys’ school and, most appropriately considering its notorious founder, a madhouse. The real masterpieces are the two stone minarets, the earliest surviving in the city.

Gate al-Futuh at El-Gamaleya, Qism El-Gamaleya
The rounded Bab Al Futah with its delicate carved stone arch and the square-towered Bab An Nasr were built in 1087 as the two main northern entrances to the walled Fatimid city of Al Qahira. Although they never repelled a military attack, until the French adapted them to their cannons, if you walk along the outside you'll see what an imposing bit of military architecture the whole thing is.

Gate of Victory at Bab El-Nasr, El-Gamaleya
Bab al-Nasr (Gate of Victory), is one of three remaining gates in the walls of the Old City of Cairo Egypt, in Islamic Cairo, it is a massive fortified gate with rectangular stone towers flanking the semicircular arch of the eastern Portal.

Al-Aqmar Mosque at Al Moez Ldin Allah Al Fatmi, El-Gamaleya, Qism El-Gamaleya
The fassade itself is quite unique, decorated with three fluted hoods around the portal and to either side as well as beautiful inscriptions. Many of the features of this mosque later became common in Cairene mosque architecture. The Mosque’s fassade is also known for its detailed stonework, while the interior part welcomes all its visitors with a fresh, cooling breeze.

Qalawun Complex at 70 El Moeez Ldeen Ellah, El-Gamaleya, Qism El-Gamaleya
The hospital, now in ruins, was one of the most remarkable buildings of the Mamlūk era. The mausoleum and madrasah both open from a central corridor. The madrasah has a unique three-part basilica-like eyvān, or vaulted niche, on the richly carved qiblah side (the wall facing Mecca) and a smaller eyvān opposite. Residential cells for scholars occupy the other sides of the madrasah. A small atrium with a fine carved stucco facade leads into the square space of the richly decorated mausoleum, where pink granite columns are topped by arches supporting a dome that was probably originally wooden. Rounded horseshoe arches, uncommon at this period, are used throughout the complex.

Al-Hussein Mosque at 94 Al Qasr Al Ainy, Kafr El-Shorafa, El Marg
Al Hussein Mosque is considered to be one of the holiest Islamic places in all of Egypt.

Al-Azhar Mosque on El-Darb El-Ahmar
The building is a harmonious blend of architectural styles, the result of numerous enlargements over more than 1000 years. The tomb chamber, located through a doorway on the left just inside the entrance, has a beautiful mihrab (a niche indicating the direction of Mecca) and should not be missed.

Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex on al Mu'izz li-Din Allah street
The Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex includes a Khanqah; a mausoleum; a sabil; a mosque, and a madrasa. The mosque and madrasa are located on the one side of the road which the complex straddles, while the khanqah, sabil, and mausoleum are located on the other side of the road.

Sultan al-Mu'ayyad Mosque at Al Shrakia, El-Darb El-Ahmar
The mosque was characterized by its unique construction, whereby its two minarets were built over another monument, Bab Zuweila, which dates to the Fatimid period and is adjacent to the mosque. Together, they formed a wonderful architectural unit.

Mosque of Sultan Al-Ashraf Barsbay at Al Moez Ldin Allah Al Fatmi, El-Gamaleya, Qism El-Gamaleya
The unusually elongated prayer hall of the mosque and the attached tomb chamber have very rich internal decoration, with marble mosaic floors and marble wall panelling, painted wooden ceilings, and elaborate inlaid woodwork, including an exquisitely decorated minbar (pulpit), originally made in 1451 for the now-destroyed mosque of al-Ghamri. The dome of the tomb, over a scrolled zone-of-transition, is richly decorated with web-like interlacing star patterns. The present brick minaret is a late Ottoman-period replacement.

Cairo south

Zuwayla Gate at Al Motaz Ldin Allah, El-Darb El-Ahmar
It is considered one of the major landmarks of the city and is the last remaining southern gate from the walls of Fatimid Cairo in the 11th and 12th century.

Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque on El-Darb El-Ahmar
The mosque was constructed on a raised platform whose base, at street level, had built-in recesses on three sides (all except the qibla side) designed to host shops which contributed to the revenue of the mosque. Today, these shops are nearly two metres below the current street level, illustrating how much the ground level has risen in the city since the 12th century.

Mosque of Amir al-Maridani at Sekat Al Werdani, El-Darb El-Ahmar
At the time of its building, it was one of the most extravagantly decorated mosques in Cairo, marked by the first fully octagonal minaret and large dome, as well as other architectural innovations.

Saladin Citadel at Al Abageyah, Qesm Al Khalifah
Sprawling over a limestone spur on the city's eastern edge, the Citadel, started by Saladin in 1176 as a fortification against the Crusaders, was home to Egypt’s rulers for 700 years. Their legacy is a collection of three very different mosques, several palaces (housing some either underwhelming, or nearly-always closed museums) and a couple of terraces with superb Cairo views – on a clear day you'll see Giza's Pyramids poking up in the far distance.

Madrassa of Al-Nasir Muhammad at Passage Inside Salah Al Din, Al Abageyah, Qism El-Khalifa
The most unique aspect of the Madrasa of al-Nasir Muhammad is its gothic marble portal, acquired from a church in the city of Acre after al-Ashraf Khalil's victory against the Crusaders in 1291.

Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan at El-Darb El-Ahmar
Massive yet elegant, this grand structure is regarded as the finest piece of early Mamluk architecture in Cairo. It was built between 1356 and 1363 by Sultan Hassan, a grandson of Sultan Qalaun.

Mosque of Ibn Tulun at El-Sayeda Zainab
The crenellated outside walls have merlons that are shaped and perforated in a decorative pattern. The courtyards are lined with arcades of broad arches and heavy pillars. In the mosque and the courtyard the arches are decorated with elaborate designs in carved stucco. The roofed oratory of the mosque is divided by pillars into five long aisles or naves originally ornamented with panels of carved wood.

Al-Sayyida Nafisa Mosque at Al Abageyah, Qism El-Khalifa
It is built to commemorate Sayyida Nafisa, an acclaimed Islamic scholar and a member of Bayt (household) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The mosque has Sayyida Nafisa's mausoleum inside.

Mosque of Amr ibn al-As at Ad Deyorah, Misr Al Qadimah
The original structure was the first mosque ever built in Egypt and the whole of Africa.