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By Root 2140 0

walks in Islamic Cairo is a loop made around the northern section of Khan al-Khalili. Starting at Midan Hussein, walk north up Sharia al-Gamaliyya, a once-important medieval thoroughfare and home to fine clusters of Mamluk-era mosques, madrassas and caravanserais. After about 300m, on your left you will see the Wikala al-Bazara (Map; Sharia al-Tombakshiyya; adult/student E£15/10; 10am-5pm), a beautifully restored caravanserai. Continue heading north until you hit the T-intersection of Sharia Al-Galal, marking the old northern wall. The recently restored ancient gates here include the square-towered Bab an-Nasr (Gate of Victory; Map) and the rounded Bab al-Futuh (Gate of Conquests; Map), built in 1087 as the two main northern entrances to the new walled Fatimid city of Al-Qahira. Passing through Bab al-Futuh and heading south again, you can return to the bazaar via Sharia al-Muizz li-Din Allah. Don’t miss the spectacular Beit el-Suhaymi (Map; Darb al-Asfar; adult/student E£25/15; 9am-5pm), an extensively restored complex of three houses. You’ll find it tucked down a small alley on your left. This part of Islamic Cairo is also home to the city’s most historic and architecturally significant madrassas, including the Madrassa & Mausoleum of Barquq (Map; baksheesh requested; 6am-9pm) and the Madrassa & Mausoleum of Qalaun (Map), which at the time of research remained closed for restoration.

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CITY OF A THOUSAND MINARETS

Anyone who has stood on a Cairo rooftop, or woken to a thousand calls to prayer, will tell you that Cairo has been justifiably nicknamed ‘Madeenet el alf Midhana’ – the city of a thousand minarets. The first minarets of Cairo were built at the corners of its first mosque, the mosque of ‘Amr, commissioned by the caliph Mu’awiya in 673 AD. While these no longer exist, mosques and minarets were added by the successive Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman rulers until the skyline was filled to the brim with Cairo’s landmark spires.

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EAST OF KHAN AL-Khalili

If you walk east from Midan Al-Hussein along Sharia al-Azhar and bear right after breasting the top of the hill, walking under the overpass and straight on, you’ll come to the fascinating Northern Cemetery (commonly known as the ‘City of the Dead,’ home to the splendid Mosque of Qaitbey (Map).

SOUTH OF KHAN AL-KHALILI

On the other side of Sharia Al-Muski, a busy market street runs due south down past the Mausoleum of Al-Ghouri (Map; closed for renovation at the time of research) and the exquisite Mosque & Madrassa of Al-Ghouri (Map; admission free) to the twin minarets of Bab Zuweila (Map; adult/student E£10/5; 9am-5pm), the sole surviving gate from the old city’s southern wall. The view from the minarets is about the best in Cairo. Continuing south from Bab Zuweila, you pass through the Street of the Tentmakers (Map), a covered bazaar filled by craftsmen specialising in appliqué work.

Commenced by Saladin (Salah ad-Din al-Ayyoub) back in the 12th century, the Citadel (Map; 2512 1735; Midan al-Qala’a, Al-Helmiya; adult/student E£40/20; 8am-5pm Oct-May, 8am-6pm Jun-Sep) is one of the city’s busiest tourist attractions – but we’re not quite sure why. Its walls encircle an assortment of three very different and not terribly impressive mosques, and several palaces housing some fairly indifferent museums. The best part of any visit is marvelling at the view from the two terraces; on a clear day you can see all the way to the Pyramids of Giza.

Don’t miss the Mosque of ibn Tulun (Beit al-Kritliyya, Al-Helmiya; Map; Sharia ibn Tulun; admission free; 8am-6pm), 800m southwest of the Citadel. It’s quite unlike any other mosque in Cairo, mainly because the inspiration is almost entirely Iraqi – the closest things to it are the ancient mosques of Samarra. Right next door to Ibn Tulun is the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Map; 2364 7822; Sharia ibn Tulun, Al-Helmiya; adult/student E£30/15, video E£20; 8am-4pm), two 16th-century houses restored and furnished by a British major between 1935 and 1942. It’s well worth a visit.

Old Cairo

Once known as Babylon,