The Significant Locations Of Cairo
by Admin on Feb.14, 2012, under Uncategorized
The ancient Egyptians are a civilization that fascinates us still today. Cairo, the capital of Egypt, was at the core of civilization. Founded in 969 C.E., it has evolved into a religious and cultural hotspot for Africa and the Middle East. Cairo is the largest city in Egypt and boasts many resort hotels and tourist attractions. A trip to Cairo offers the best of the modern world as well as a peek into life in ancient Egypt. The first step towards planning your Cairo trip is getting your U S passport.
Passports
Obtaining a passport used to be quite the ordeal, however, now with online passport services, it’s a cinch. Anything you need done regarding your passport is just clicks away. A name change, a pasport renewal, a replacement, it’s all done online now. No more waiting in lines or waiting for weeks on end for your passport to arrive. Because these services are expedited, as passport is easily obtained in time for any trip, no matter the deadline.
World Heritage Sites
Cairo has two World Heritage Sites, each quite notable. The first is Coptic Cairo, the site that was once known as Babylon. This is a hugely important (and interesting) spot for religious, cultural, and historical reasons. Five of the original churches still stand, as well as the first mosque ever built in Egypt and the first synagogue.
Muslim Landmarks
Another World Heritage Site is Islamic Cairo, the medieval core of Cairo. This is where travelers visit to see the grandest, most beautiful, and most important Islamic monuments in all of Cairo, including Al-Hakim Mosque, Qalawun Complex, Midan Hussein and Sayyidna al-Hussein Mosque, a site exclusive to Muslims and hands-down one of the most sacred sites in the country.
Pyramids
If traveling to Egypt, a must see site would have to be the Saqqara Pyramids. This site is an ancient necropolis where the most prominent figures in Egyptian history have been buried. Highlights of these structures include the Step Pyramid of Dioser, the Pyramid of Teti, and the Tomb of Ankhmahor. They are worth visiting because these represent the oldest excavated grounds in Egypt.
Dahshur
Another ancient site that features large scale pyramids is called Dahshur. Dahshur is home to the famous Bent Pyramid, as well as the Red Pyramid of Sneferu. The latter is believed to be Egypt’s oldest standing pyramid. Some people prefer these pyramid sites as opposed to the pyramids of Giza because there are less tourists mulling about.
Antiquity
Cairo is rich in ancient history, because of this the museums feature amazing artifacts and exhibits. The most famous is the Egyptian Antiquities Museum. The museum built in 1902 contains the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world, over 120,000. The museums has seven sections, some sections are dedicated to Tutankhamen’s treasures, monuments of the Old World, sarcophagi and much more.