Islamic Art Museum, Cairo; Artifacts from the Islamic World
Islamic Art Museum, Cairo, Egypt - the place that displays different objects and artifacts from all over the Islamic world, which immediately grab the eye.
The Museum of Islamic Art that is found in central Cairo, Egypt, is considered one of the greatest places in the world and this goes back to the different hidden gems that are found inside the place. The rare collection found inside the museum include woodwork and plaster artifacts as well as ceramic, metal, glass, crystal, and textile objects from different periods and places from the Islamic world.
With the rare objects and artifacts that are found inside the Islamic Art Museum, it is important to mention that there are more than 100,000 objects inside there; some of them are displayed while the rest are kept in the storage rooms. There are different objects to be seen inside the halls, since there are about 25 halls, and thus this big place needs some time to manage seeing it all and coming across the different artifacts that are found inside.
The Islamic world is so huge and there are a lot of things that the world know nothing about and have never seen before. Inside the Islamic Art Museum, there are rare things to see, such as the collection of the rare manuscripts of the Qur'an, with some calligraphy written with silver ink on pages with elaborate borders.
There are two entrances for this museum, one is found on the north eastern side and the other is found on the south eastern side. This beautiful place faced some damages which were caused by a bomb attack in the same area and which needed some restorations since some of the artifacts were destroyed and that is the reason why it was closed and reopened its gates at the beginning of this year.
This is a highly recommended place for people to visit because it carries good information, is clean from the inside, and carries different things related to the Islamic world which are related to different eras and different countries around the world.
Both Egyptians and foreigners will enjoy their time in this museum because the artifacts and objects are displayed in a very presentable way and the written descriptions attached come in both languages; English and Arabic and it also written in the conversational manner and not that textbook kind of way, so both groups of people will spend a couple of hours inside the place but will come out with good information and satisfying experience.
It is considered one of the rare places to visit and which are also related to the Islamic history and world which you will never find anywhere else; a place that represents all this kind of treasure and let you even think about it for some time after leaving the place, and sometimes even after leaving the country and going back home.
To understand the meaning of the Islamic art in the world, the Islamic Art Museum is the place where you could spend a couple of hours viewing different Islamic related objects that you have never even thought they existed.
The building itself takes the Islamic look, so you will feel the atmosphere before even getting the chance to enter the place and view the different objects that are found inside there. The tour inside the place will get you introduced to the Islamic contributions and discoveries which the world is still benefiting from until this very moment.
The Islamic Art Museum location is in Port Said Street, Bab Al-Khalq square, which is considered the downtown of Cairo and which is close to other attractions that include the Egyptian Museum ( which you could go to by walking, Cairo Tower ( the Pharaonic Village ( and even a little bit close to the Giza Zoo (
This place opens its gates everyday from 9 AM to 5 PM, except Friday, it opens from 9 AM till 11 AM but then closes its gates and reopens again from 1 PM till 5 PM, due to the Friday prayers. The entrance fees of the place are not expensive, which is usually the case with different tourist attractions in Egypt, they are 40 Egyptian pounds for Egyptians and a little more for foreigners, about 80 Egyptian pounds. Visitors are allowed to take pictures inside but without using the flash and this is only after they pay extra ticket fees which are 10 Egyptian pounds for Non-Egyptians.
There are different places to visit in Cairo, Egypt in addition to the Museum of Islamic Art, such as visiting the Pyramids of Giza ( you could come across Mohamed Ali's Palace ( you could go to the Citadel of Salah Al Din ( and you could have a walk through the downtown area to get more introduced to the place (
Never miss the chance of visiting the Islamic Art Museum in Egypt!
Egypt's Museum of Islamic Art reopens to public
Egypt's Museum of Islamic Art has reopened. This follows two years of restoration work after a car bomb attack in 2014. It was part of a series of attacks which took place around the third anniversary of an uprising which toppled President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Restoration experts were able to salvage all but 19 of the 179 damaged pieces. More than 4400 exhibits are on display, including about 400 that are being shown for the first time.
Islamic arts in Egypt: script and lustreware
Venetia Porter, curator of Islamic Collections at the BM shows us a beautiful carved inscription from a cenotaph. The panel gives the beginning of the basmala, the name for the Arabic phrase ‘In the name of God the merciful and the compassionate’. Not long after this inscription was carved, it was reused as a gravestone. Venetia also speaks about a fascinating lustreware bowl, made using a technique especially associated with the arts of Islam. Made in the 11th century, it contains a rare example of Christian imagery.
Egypt: faith after the pharaohs
29 October 2015 – 7 February 2016
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Generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation
Museum of Islamic Art 4/12/2017
Doha, Qatar
April 12, 2017
A design of Pritzker Price-winning architect I.M. Pei, the Museum of Islamic Art became an iconic landmark in the Doha landscape. The edifice comprises of a main building with an education wing linked together by a large central courtyard, mainly rooting its design influence from ancient Islamic architecture, particularly the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo, Egypt.
Located along a reclaimed area, the five-storey main building is crowned by a high-domed atrium within a tower. Inside the museum, at the centerpiece of the atrium floats an ornate circular metal chandelier alongside the curved double staircase that leads down to the first floor.
In its interiors, Islamic geometric patterns festoon spaces, ceilings, and elevators. The building is enveloped with an assortment of textures and materials made from wood and stone, creating a unique museum atmosphere for its stunning displays.
For researchers, a library and a gift shop can also be found inside, where several books about the history and architecture of the museum are available.
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UNESCO to help Islamic Art museum with restoration after bombing
A UNESCO team will travel to Cairo to assess damage inflicted on a renowned Islamic art museum by a blast targeting a nearby security headquarters, Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, Mohammed Ibrahim, said on Sunday.
At a news conference, Ibrahim also said the museum will receive 100-thousand US dollars from the UN cultural agency to help with restoration efforts.
The director-general of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has issued a statement strongly condemning the attack and the damage to the history and identity of the Egyptian culture, he said.
The explosions on Friday, which targeted police and the main security headquarters, shook the museum located in the nearby old Cairo district of Bab el-Khalq, propelling steel and ceiling plaster onto its glass cases and wooden artefacts and breaking water pipes.
On Sunday, museum workers were attempting to clear up the debris and recover pieces of damaged artefacts scattered on the ground.
Ibrahim also added that after reconstruction, some of the damaged antiquities will be put on display to show what terrorism is doing.
Built in 1881, the Cairo Museum of Islamic Art is home to one of the world's richest collection of artefacts from Islamic history.
The museum recently underwent an eight-year renovation which cost 14.4 (m) million US dollars.
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Mohamed Ali Palace, Cairo, Egypt - Known as Manial Palace
Mohamed Ali Palace, Cairo, Egypt - It was previously known as Mohamed Ali Palace as an attribution to him, but now it is famously known as Manial Palace and Museum which is found in Al Saraya street, El Manial district of southern Cairo, Egypt.
Mohamed Ali Tewfik was the owner of this palace and that is the reason why it was once referred to and known as Mohamed Ali Palace, until later on when it was transformed into a historic house museum that carries different antiquities related to the settings and lifestyle of the late 19th and early 20th century Egyptian royal prince and heir apparent.
For those who enjoy visiting the real palaces where the old princes and kings used to live, this is one destination we recommend when it comes to visit Egypt. Mohamed Ali Palace, or Manial Palace as it is known, is a compound that is divided into five different buildings, these buildings have a lot of rooms and are also surrounded by Persian and English gardens as well as a small branch of the Nile. This palace carries the extensive art, silver, clothing, and furniture that used to belong to the middle ages.
The design of the whole place is different and it seems that there was a lot of effort exerted in the bringing it to life. It was built in the European Art Nouveau and Rococo style that is mixed with some Islamic architecture. The interior design of the place takes the breath away and makes one think about how people used to live in such a place since there is a lot of ceramic tile work done.
After all those years of the construction of the palace, it is still in a very good shape and the furniture placed inside is also different but yet in very good forms. This is not considered a so much visited place yet it deserves much more attention from the public, just in the same way they tend to visit and get impressed by Muhammad Ali Mosque that is located inside the citadel (
Every single room found in every single building will take you through a different experience and will leave you always astonished with the different tiles that are used to give the room a different look and at the same time tend to give it a different feeling and atmosphere.
This is considered a very good place to visit when it comes to the attractions near the middle of the city, since it is not much far away from the downtown area ( and at the same time it is worth it for all the different things that you will manage to come across and see.
To get the chance to enter all the rooms inside and make a good tour through the whole place, you have to be ready for spending about three or four hours in total.
For those who have made their minds about visiting Mohamed Ali Palace, they should know that it opens everyday except Tuesday from 9 AM and closes at 4 PM, and better to avoid it on Friday during Friday prayer time because you will most probably find nobody there to help you if you want guidance.
Mohamed Ali Palace entrance fee for the Egyptians is 20 Egyptian pounds, which means that it would be for about 40 Egyptian pounds for foreigners, and those who want to take pictures, they will need to pay extra 50 Egyptian pounds for the tour inside; not expensive for a magnificent place like this one.
We know, there are a lot of things which might be considered much more important to some people when it comes to Cairo attractions, such as visiting the Egyptian Museum ( going to the Pyramids ( or even visiting the citadel ( but they have to dig deep because they will most probably find new gems hidden in every corner related to this country.
Interested in getting to see more of the places and attractions related to this person who was the main reason behind starting modern Egypt? You could visit Muhammad Ali Mosque during the same day if you have enough time and if the other destination will still be open, in order to see how his buildings which were inspired by the Islamic world look like.
There are lots of other places to visit in Cairo, Egypt, that will tell you more about the history of Egypt, such as Cairo citadel, the Egyptian Museum, going to the Islamic Art Museum ( visiting the Pyramids, giving the new grand National Museum for Egyptian Civilization a try ( and even getting the chance to walk through the old streets of Cairo which will take you to El Moez street and all the different old mosques that are found there ( Khan El Khalili ( and will even take you through Al Azhar area.
Mohamed Ali, or Manial, Palace should be definitely on your list of things to visit in Egypt and feel astonished with how those people used to live.
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo - Egypt
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Cairo, Egypt - Travel to Egypt and discover what you could see there with us!
There are different things to do in Egypt and different Cairo attractions to head to and one of them is the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo which is considered the latest addition to the Egyptian treasure and which have succeeded in attracting the eyes of the tourists so far.
We have to mention that it is the latest addition to the Egyptian treasure because it opened in February 2017 with a lot of things to be seen inside. A collection of 50,000 Egyptian artifacts will be displayed there but will divided according to the section it is related to, which will present the Egyptian civilization from the prehistoric times until these days.
The new Egyptian museum has taken some collections from other museums in the country, such as the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Coptic Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Manial Palace and Museum in Cairo, as well as the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is found in the ancient city of Fustat, which is now part of Cairo. Although the place is still partially opened and there are still a lot of things under construction, it seems to be one successful place to go and visit while being in Egypt and definitely a place for school children to learn something through out their years of school by taking them to trips there.
One of the good rooms or exhibition galleries that is now open is the one showing different types of crafts, such as pottery, textiles, carpentry, and jewelry; It is really exciting and interesting to go through this room.
The place from the outside is also magnificent since the buildings are breathtaking and at the same time it has a good view on the small lake found there.
The Egyptian museum of civilization working hours are from 10 Am till 10 PM, giving people the chance to visit it anytime during the day. The entrance fee ticket for this museum is 10 Egyptian pounds for Egyptians and a little bit more for the foreigners, which is considered fair enough.
There are different activities offered in this museum of civilization which are related to the educational level, the cultural, as well as some other training activities. The place is not just about the museum, but there are other facilities to be found as well, such as stores, laboratories, library, conference room, cinema, theater, and an educational center.
Showing the world and telling every visitor about the Egyptian civilization history was one of the main goals of this museum and it's main mission.
This great Egyptian museum is divided into different parts from the inside. At the moment, there is the temporary exhibitions gallery, but there will also be the Cairo Capital Museum, the Core Exhibition Museum, the Thematic Galleries, the Royal Mummies Gallery, and the Archaeological Treasure.
We totally recommend this museum for those who are searching for different things to do in Egypt and different new places to go to. Since the place is still partially opened, we prefer that you put it back in the list, maybe they will open other parts as well.
This is definitely a place to go to in order to know more about ancient Egypt and the Egyptian civilization and collect as much memories from your trip to Egypt as possible. The one thing we would advice you with is to never spend a lot of time at this place because it is still not fully opened and you will not get the chance to see a lot of things there; just have a look and go on with your trip, because it is also not that close to the other beautiful destinations and attractions which you will need to see in the city before leaving.
Egypt history is wide and huge and there are different things in Cairo that could reveal this history along with the Egyptian civilization and culture. These things come in the form of places like museums, citadels, mosques, etc. that could take you through a tour and get you introduced to the ancient Egyptian kings and queens.
Egypt tourist attractions are numerous and every single one of them will give you some good information about Egypt that will let you go back home satisfied with your trip to Egypt and the things you have managed to know about it.
After getting done with your tour through the National Museum of Egypt, you could also visit The Islamic Art Museum ( Go to Mohamed Ali's Palace ( and also visit The Pyramids of Giza (
Egypt is not just about Cairo, but you could plan to visit other cities as well, such as Alexandria ( or Fayoum (
Egypt Bombing Damages Islamic Art Museum
Centuries-old glass and porcelain pieces were smashed to powder, a priceless wooden prayer niche was destroyed and manuscripts were soaked by water spewing from broken pipes when a car bombing wreaked havoc on Cairo's renowned Islamic Art Museum. Experts scrambled to try to save thousands of priceless treasures as ceilings crumbled in the 19th-century building, which had just undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation. The explosions, which targeted police and the main security headquarters, shook the museum located in the nearby old Cairo district of Bab el-Khalq, propelling steal and ceiling plaster onto its glass cases and wooden artifacts.
Hear Voices from Old Cairo: The Governor of Egypt
The governor of Egypt, Qurra ibn Sharik, expresses his displeasure with a local official, AD 709. From a document in the Oriental Institute Musuem (1:49)
Image: Letter from the governor of Egypt to an official, OIM E13757 (D. 028097) / Photo Anna Ressman
View on our Online Collections:
Exhibition Catalog No. 24. Download the Exhibit Catalogue (OIMP 38):
Selected audio in the exhibit A Cosmopolitan City: Muslims, Christians and Jews in Old Cairo, presented at the Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago, February 17–September 13, 2015
Content: © 2015, The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago. Interface © Brenda López Silva
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Mohamed Said Baalbaki: Fictional Museum / Viennoise Hotel, Cairo (Egypt)
In this video we have a look at Berlin-based artist Mohamad Said Baalbaki's Fictional Museum at Cairo's Hotel Viennoise, and speak with the artist about his work. Said Baalbaki's conceptual exhibition presents itself as a museum, with exhibits (bones, objects, papers, photos etc.) that tell the fictional story of the German archaeologist Werner von Königswald and his discovery on an excavation site in Jerusalem on the eve of the First World War. The presentation specifically revolves around Al-Buraq, which is a winged horse with a man's head featured in Islamic tradition related to the Pegasus of Greek mythology.
Mohamad Said Baalbaki's Fictional Museum is part of a project, the artist is working on since several years. Since 2007, he has been exploring the mechanisms of perception within the context of the museum: Why and how does an artefact presented in a museum convey the impression of utmost credibility and authenticity to the spectator? My research thus focuses on the authority and power of the museum as an institution and its reception by society. The Al-Buraq project ...aims to show how much the perception of art depends on religious or ideological factors. Judging observations and research results -- even those that seem to be utterly objective -- depends on cultural conventions. Every interpretation of a work of art is thus tied to subjective motives and reasons.
This is the third short film that was produced as part of the arts documentation workshop supported by the Swiss Arts Council, Pro Helvetia, and that we were invited to by the Egyptian Art TV channel Medrar TV, with the participants Medrar.TV, Mada Masr, Ahram Online Culture, and VernissageTV. This video is in Arabic language, with English subtitles (please activate subtitles in the video player).
Mohamad Said Baalbaki: Fictional Museum at Viennoise Hotel, Cairo (Egypt). Opening reception, May 10 & 12, 2014. Video by Esraa Elfeky, Heinrich Schmidt, Mohammad Helmy, and Rowan El Shimi. This video was produced as part of the arts documentation workshop supported by the Swiss Arts Council, Pro Helvetia.
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Art TV pioneer Vernissage TV provides you with an authentic insight into the world of contemporary fine arts, design and architecture. With its two main series No Comment and Interviews, art tv channel VernissageTV attends opening receptions of exhibitions worldwide, interviews artists, designers, architects. VTV provides art lovers with news, reports and features from the international art scene. VernissageTV: the window to the art world. Das Fenster zur Kunstwelt. La fenêtre sur le monde de l'art. A janela para o mundo da arte. La ventana al mundo del arte. نافذة على عالم الفن. 到艺术世界的窗口。Окно в мир искусства. Since 2005.
Islamic Arts Museum, Malaysia - #MH48hours
Containing one of the best collections of Islamic decorative arts in the world is KL's outstanding Islamic Arts Museum. Aside from the quality of the exhibits, which include fabulous textiles, carpets, jewellery, calligraphy-inscribed pottery and an amazing reconstruction of an ornate Ottoman room, the building itself is a stunner, with beautifully decorated domes and glazed tilework.
Watch the full episode: 'The Charm of Old Malaya' -
Cairo police base rocked by deadly explosion
At least five people have been killed in three bomb blasts in Cairo apparently targeting police. The first blast at the police HQ, at about 6:15am local time, killed four and injured about 70 others, according to state sources. The blast, reportedly a bomb in a vechicle, also damaged the nearby Museum of Islamic Art building. In a second blast hours later, a small IED was detonated next to police vehicles near the Behooth metro station in the Dokki district. One person was reported killed in the explosion. A third blast hit a police directorate in Talbiya, in Giza. The explosion was caused by a crude home-made device, police said, and there were no casualties. The explosions came one day before the third anniversary of the revolution that brought down Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's third and longest-serving president. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Doha.
Egypt struggles to restore Cairo's historic heart
Islamic Cairo is packed with ornate monuments, mosques and mausoleums, and its narrow streets are punctuated with trinket shops, cafes and traditional old homes -- an urban fabric layered in centuries of history. But the task to patch up decades of dilapidation is immense, and Egyptian authorities are struggling to come up with the cash.
Salah Eldin Citadel; Medieval Islamic Fortification in Cairo
Salah Eldin citadel, Cairo, Egypt - There are different names given to this old citadel in Cairo; it is called Salah Eldin citadel, some call it Saladin citadel, while another group of people refer to it as Cairo citadel. In the end, all these names refer to the same attraction and landmark in Cairo, Egypt (
Salah Eldin citadel, Cairo, Egypt, was built by Salah Al-Din, the Ayyubid ruler, who wanted to protect the city from crusaders. Not just that, but one of the reasons behind building the citadel is to build a wall that would surround Cairo and Fustat and make them a whole.
Cairo citadel is located just beneath Muqattam Hill, which is now a residence area, and thus was considered hard to attack and at the same time is located in a place that overlooks old Cairo city. The location of Salah Eldin citadel is considered in old Cairo now and it is too close to El Moez street and Khan El Khalili ( and it is also a few minutes away by car to the place where the religious community is found.
Cairo citadel, Cairo, Egypt, is one important tourist attraction that tourists always visit when they travel to Egypt, but this does not only happen because of the place and how old it is, but it happens because it hosts different museums and mosques inside as well which add to its heritage.
A tour within Salah Aldin citadel will take about two hours if one will intend to enter all the museums and mosques found inside. There are three mosques found inside Salah Al-Din citadel and they are: Muhammad Ali mosque which is the most famous, the biggest, and the one that could be spotted from outside ( Al-Naser Muhammad mosque where the sultans used to perform their Friday prayers, as well as Sulayman Pasha mosque.
In addition to the mosques which the tourists will see inside Cairo citadel, there are also three different museums which they will pass by. The first one is Al Gawhara Palace which was established by Muhammad Ali Pasha and was the place where he received his different gifts. The second one is the Carriage Museum where different unique Royal carriages are found from different historical periods. The third and last museum is the Egyptian Military Museum which is the official museum for the Egyptian Army.
These are the different stops which you will consider during your visit to Salah Al Din citadel in Cairo, Egypt, but when it comes to the whole historical place, we should mention that it has a good weather and offers the visitors an excellent view for old Cairo from above, where the mosque of Muhammad Ali is found.
This citadel is sometimes referred to as Muhammad Ali citadel, which mainly started in the 19th century and which goes back to the famous mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha that is placed inside and which is a main attraction for all those tourists visiting the citadel.
Visitors are allowed to enter the mosques, they just have to dress appropriately and take off their shoes while inside and women should cover their heads; they will just be banned on Fridays during the Friday prayer times except of those men who intended to pray. The citadel open its gates for the public everyday from 9 AM until 4 PM and the ticket fee is 50 Egyptian pounds.
Salah El Din citadel is located near the center of Cairo and this gives the tourists the chance to choose another historical destination they could head to in the same day, such as visiting El Muizz street of old Cairo which is attached to Khan El Khalili area and market and which is the place where several mosques are located ( it is perceived as an open air museum found in the area of old Cairo.
In addition to the historical places, tourists could also think about having lunch or dinner at Al Azhar park where they will walk through green passages and end up having their lunch with a view of old Cairo along with Salah El Din citadel in the background (
Old Cairo is part of Cairo, Egypt, that dates back to the Fatimid time and it is mainly referred to the part that carries El Moez street, Al Azhar, and Khan el Khalili ( although there are still other historical areas which are considered part of this old Cairo world, such as the place where the religious community is found ( the place where the three religions are found in the same place where there is Amr Ibn El-Aas mosque, the hanging church, as well as Ben Ezra synagogue. There are know different areas related to old Cairo but which are not considered historical or touristic, they are just old residential areas famous for their old stories.
Have you ever been to any of these historical attractions in Cairo, Egypt? Have you visited Salah El Din citadel before? Tell us what do you think about your experience.
Smuggled artefacts on display in Cairo museum
(4 Jul 2018) LEADIN:
A host of smuggled artefacts have been returned to Egypt and are now on display in the national museum.
The objects date from ancient times to the Islamic period.
STORYLINE:
This ancient Egyptian coffin has finally been returned home.
It was one of thousands of artefacts smuggled out of the country. But many have now been retrieved after Italian police confiscated them a month ago.
They can now be seen at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
I am extremely happy to be here in this moment amidst these fantastic things and I am particularly satisfied that the good co-operation between Egypt and Italy allowed these precious artefacts to come back to Egypt where they belong, says Paolo Sabbatini, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute.
Egyptian authorities have said the artefacts were likely excavated and smuggled out of the country in secret, as no museum has records of them.
But now they can be enjoyed by visitors in their home country.
We can appreciate these beautiful items in their own homeland, says Guiseppina Capriotti Vittozzi, Manager of the Italian Archaeological Centre.
And they are from all the periods of the Egyptian civilisation, from the more ancient times to the Islamic period. And we have some very precious objects, for example, a very beautiful wooden coffin with very accurate hieroglyphs.
The artefacts include five burial masks, 11 vessels, 151 small statutes and a large number of coins from different eras, according to Sabah Abdel Razek, General Director of the Egyptian Museum.
This exhibition is particularly for the returned artefacts from Italy. It arrived in the Egyptian Museum on Friday night, June 29th. It was prepared in the restoration department in order to be displayed in this exhibition, she says.
Egypt says it has retrieved around 1,000 artefacts from 10 different countries over the past two years.
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Religious Community Cairo - Islam, Christianity and Judaism
Religious Community, Cairo, Egypt - The old city of Cairo is the place where the three different religions are found through the historical sites and buildings; Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
For the Egyptians, those who are always driving through the streets of this city, there are lots of places which they might pass by regularly without ever thinking about the history laying down there, but for tourists who are coming to visit this city for the first time, these places might be considered hidden gems and will always feel the need to pass by them.
Old Cairo for some people is just about Khan El Khalil ( and El Moez street area ( but there are treasures found in this place, which was once known as Al Fustat in the old times, that combine between seeing Islamic mosques, Christian churches, and Judaism Synagogues.
The old city of Fustat, which people now refer to as old Cairo, hosts the place known as Mogamaa El-Adyan (Complex of religions) and this is the place where the religious community and combination in Cairo, Egypt, was first born.
There are some religious buildings found in this area and it is also the place where the three different religions are found. In Mogamaa El-Adyan, you will find the famous Amr Ibn El-Aas mosque, you will get across the hanging Saint George church, and you will eventually come to the point where you will see Ben Ezra Synagogue.
Of course, like any other place in the world and in Cairo mainly, you could reach this religious community and Mogamaa El-Adyan from different directions - and could even reach it through using the metro and reaching a station called Mar Girgis right in the middle of the place - but the whole place have one gate only to enter from.
Before you reach the main gate, you will find the huge mosque of Amr Ibn El-Aas on the left and this is considered the oldest mosque to be built in Africa by General Amr Ibn El-Aaas, the commander of Muslim army, but which has been rebuilt over time.
Once you enter the security gate, the walk will start with some historical old buildings and souvenir shops before you are taken a few steps below the main street to where the seven old churches are found and which include Saint George, Saint Barbara, and Abu Serga churches.
At the end of that passage that let you see all those different churches found out there, you will come at the point where you will see Ben Ezra synagogue and will be welcomed to the Jewish community in Egypt. This is considered one of the only Jewish surviving remnants in Egypt and it is also the only synagogue that is open to the public to come inside and see it.
Whenever you enter any of these religious sites, you should always take in how the whole thing has been built, pay attention to the ceilings, and try to take in every single part related to the place as a whole, because those ancient people used to pay attention to the smallest of details.
Even though there are a lot of historical things one could actually see in this religious community area, Mogamaa El-Adyan, those seven churches along with the mosque and the synagogue are considered the highlight of the whole trip and at the same time the landmarks of the area as a whole.
This area is not far away from Cairo Citadel ( which holds Muhammad Ali Mosque ( and Al Azhar park ( it needs about half an hour by car if there is traffic and a little bit less if the streets are moving, so you could get the chance to visit another historical place after finishing this religious community of Cairo, Egypt.
Coming to the days which are supposed to be better for visiting this place, we have to say that doing it during the days of the week is always better than weekends and if you don't have the chance to do that then try to stay away from Fridays because they are considered the most crowded.
The best thing about visiting these historical religious places is the fact that they are free of charge, you could get inside without having to pay anything and they are usually working until 4 PM.
Some of these places ban taking pictures in them, so you should always read all the signs to know whether you are allowed or not; Ben Ezra synagogue ban taking any pictures inside.
This is a beautiful place to visit in Egypt because it feels good seeing the three different religions in the same area. Being close to a residence area known as Maadi, which is located by the Nile river, you could always go and enjoy a good meal by the Nile after you finish your trip, if not, then you could complete with other historical destinations such as going to the downtown area and visiting the Egyptian museum ( or the Islamic Art Museum (
Egypt is always a good idea!
Indonesian Islamic Art
Mirjam Shatanawi
A glimpse at the most commonly used survey books of Islamic art and
architecture is revealing: none of them devote any attention to Indonesia, the world's
largest Muslim country. Likewise, exhibitions of Islamic art in museums, with very few
exceptions, stop at the borders of South Asia. The exclusion of Indonesia from the field
of Islamic art can be traced back to the late 19th century when Western art historians and museums started to study the artefacts they collected from Muslim regions, and Islamic art as a field of enquiry emerged.
The True Description of Cairo: A Sixteenth-Century Venetian View
Nicholas Warner, architect and architectural historian
Examine the imagery, context, accompanying Latin text, and underlying narrative of a remarkable 1549 woodcut by Matteo Pagano depicting an aerial view of Cairo, only two impressions of which are known to survive. Presented with the opening of the New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia.
This program is generously supported by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.
Downtown Cairo; The Place of the Historical Landmarks
Downtown, Cairo, Egypt - Downtown area in Cairo is the place where most of the historical landmarks are found and which is the home for several hotels that tourists could book at and stay close to everything.
There are different areas found in Cairo and those which are considered the oldest are Heliopolis and Downtown, but when it comes to the historical sightseeing places then downtown is richer and holds more museums and palaces.
In the downtown area, the streets and their buildings are one attraction thing all by themselves, so firstly you will need to walk through these old streets and enjoy the old French style buildings. After this walk, or maybe during it - depends on where you intended to walk, you will start visiting the museums that will tell you more about the history of Egypt, some of them are related to the Pharaonic and thus taking that style, while others are related to different other eras, such as the Islamic for example.
There is a list of must-see things in Cairo, Egypt, and some of these are found in the downtown area. From these places, you will come across the famous Egyptian Museum which holds different artifacts but which some of them are being transported to the new grand National Museum of Egyptian Civilization ( The tour inside this museum is beautiful and informational, there are descriptions written attached to the artifacts displayed, the only tip is to have your bottle of water with you because the place inside is hot (
The Islamic Art Museum is another historical place to visit, and which is not usually chosen by a lot of tourists but which actually holds great artifacts and lots of information about the Islamic history. This museum was restored a couple of years ago after a bomb was exploded near the area it is found in (
Around the area of downtown, which is just minutes away by car and is a fine space to walk, you will reach El zamalek island and area which is the place where Cairo tower is found. Cairo tower is also among the list of important famous landmarks which people always think about visiting. Cairo tower was the longest building in Africa for 10 years but now is the longest in North Africa and Egypt for 50 years now (
The best thing about these historical places that one could visit in downtown, Cairo, Egypt, is the fact that there are lots of palaces that take the breath away. One of the examples of these palaces that is not in downtown but is so close, in Dokki area, is Mohamed Ali Palace, which is about the five different buildings which are filled with lots of rooms carrying several artifacts and surround by beautiful gardens (
Downtown Cairo (known in Arabic as وسط البلد) has been the urban center of Cairo since the 19th century and until these days. The buildings of the place were built during the days of Khedive Ismail who stressed that it should take the look and style of the European architecture and thus was built to look like the French buildings since French architects were part of the process.
There are different famous buildings in this area and some cafes which are considered the landmarks of the place. Groppi and Cafe Riche are those which have been there since a long period of time and which are considered now part of it, so you should pass by them to feel the whole historic atmosphere and sense since they survived several eras and a lot of years.
Those buildings which are considered more well known than others and more appealing include Yacoubian building, Chourbagui building, Ministery of Religious Endowment on Hoda Sharaawy street as well as some other buildings in the same street, the diplomatic club, and some of the buildings that date back to El Khedive Ismail and which were not affected by the fire that happened before.
There are several different hotels found in downtown Cairo which make it easier for tourists to choose something that is so close to most of the historical destinations that one will be willing to visit.
The Nile River is minutes walk away from downtown area and thus you could go there and see the beauty of Egypt from the side of the Nile ( and you could also visit Zamalek area where you could find different parks like El Andalus park ( and the aquarium grotto museum ( that's of course apart from the fact that Zamalek is considered the richest area in Cairo with green views and trees.
Cairo citadel ( the old city of Cairo where the religious community is found, and even El Moez street areas are considered beautiful areas to get to see the way the buildings were built and fall in love with the architecture.
Doors Open at Cairo's Museum of Islamic Art
The largest collection of Islamic art in the world is back on display. Today, Cairo's Museum of Islamic Art officially opened after nearly a decade of renovation.