7 Historic Places in Cairo You Should Not Miss in Egypt

The Pyramids and the Sphinx are the best-known historic landmarks in Egypt generally and in Greater Cairo in particular, and visitors come to them from every country in the world, struck by this storied monument.

This place is the finest witness to ancient Egyptian civilisation, and the Pyramids are also one of the most puzzling mysteries in history.

The Pyramids are among the best historic places in Cairo and one of the seven wonders of the world — three pyramids, of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. The Pyramids contain royal tombs these kings built to be buried in.

You can take memorable photographs while visiting the Pyramids, and see the storied Sphinx. You can also buy small replica artefacts to commemorate your trip to the Pyramids.

And you should not miss the outstanding sound and light show that tells all the secrets of ancient pharaonic civilisation — and do not forget the horse and camel rides either.

One of the 7 best-known historic places in Cairo and one of the most storied military fortresses in history, standing atop the Mokattam hill and built in the Mamluk era.

The main purpose of building the Citadel of Saladin on the Mokattam was to protect old Fustat and Cairo from crusader attacks, and the citadel is known for its high fortified walls.

The citadel houses the Mosque of Muhammad Ali with its two tall minarets, each reaching 85 metres. The mosque has no loudspeakers, as it was designed so that the echo carries the sound clearly.

The distinctive inscriptions on the walls are one of the citadel's main features, and it also holds a number of old shields, weapons and cannon along with historic artefacts.

It holds many ancient pharaonic artefacts and statues as well as the mummies, which are evidence of the scientific advances of the ancient Egyptians.

You can also see jewellery of pure gold and glass vessels. The Egyptian Museum is one of the finest witnesses to the storied character of ancient Egyptian civilisation.

One of the best-known historic places in Cairo and one of the most important buildings of the Fatimid era. Bab Zuweila's historic fame comes from being where the heads of the Tatar envoys were displayed.

Bab Zuweila sits at the end of Al Muizz Street and consists of a wall flanked by two minarets you can climb to take the best photographs and enjoy an outstanding view.

What most sets Cairo Tower apart is its great height, reaching 187 metres, which gives visitors an outstanding view of the whole city with its historic landmarks and its many districts.

The tower sits on the banks of the Nile and was built in a circular form so visitors can see the whole of Cairo. At the top of the tower there is a fine restaurant, along with striking lighting on the tower itself.

If you love museums and ancient artefacts, you cannot miss the Coptic Museum, one of the best-known historic places in Cairo, holding more than 16,000 artefacts.

The museum is also known for its distinctive stone architecture, and in front of the entrance stands a statue of the museum's founder, Marcus Pasha. This is the largest museum of ancient Coptic artefacts in Egypt.

We cannot talk about the historic places of Cairo without mentioning Al Muizz Street among them. Al Muizz is the largest open-air museum of Islamic historic sites in the world.

What most sets Al Muizz apart is its wonderful atmosphere when wandering at night. It runs from Bab al-Futuh in the north to Bab Zuweila in the south, and between them are many heritage streets and lanes.