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Backpacking Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah | Cairo | Egypt

Reposted March 2 2021

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​Al-Mu'izz street, in full, Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah, is probably the oldest street in Islamic Cairo and has the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world. It's named after Al-Muʿizz li-Deen Illah, the fourth caliph of the Fatimid dynasty.
Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah Cairo Egypt
​Greetings from Cairo (December 2015) and my first photo story from the latest stage of this seemingly never-ending journey. Cairo to Cape Town - Overland.

Shouldn't I be posting about the Pyramids? Na, been there, done that, last trip and to be honest, I wasn't overly impressed. I was shocked that for such a site, UNESCO listed and all, of the amount of trash there. Shame on you UNESCO.

Time for something different. Day 2 in Cairo and I headed east, on foot, stopping at the KAZAZ food joint for a fava bean-filled pita bread known as foul (fool) and through the streets, quiet in the early morning, to the Islamic Quartier.
Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah Cairo Egypt
​Above: Panorama shot at the Al-Hakim Mosque. Unique are the twin minarets and are the earliest surviving minarets in the city. It was constructed in 928 and has been used as a prison, a fortress and a school. Today it operates as a place of worship.

At the northern end of Sharia al-Mu'izz, you have Bab al-Futuh, Conquest Gate and at the southern end, you have Bab Zuwayla. In between, there is a long list of historical architectural wonders. Mosques, madrasas (Islamic schools), caravanserai and a hammam.

​Old man outside the Al-Aqmar mosque, suitably photoshopped:
Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah Cairo Egypt
Inal Hammam. Could do with a scrub, the pollution in Cairo is crazy.
Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah Cairo Egypt
Inside the Madrasa Khanqah Of Sultan Al-Zahir Barquq
Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah Cairo Egypt
Sharia al-Mu'izz li-Deen Illah Cairo Egypt
Another minaret, another mosque. An interesting day out. Stay tuned for the next photo story from Egypt.

Thanks to the guys at Dahab Hostel Cairo. Kudos!
​
This post has been rewritten for Nomadic Backpacker and is based on my travels in Africa in 2015/2016

Related Posts:

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  • Visiting the Khatmiyya Mosque in Kassala | Sudan
  • Visiting Victoria Falls in the rainy season | Zimbabwe
  • Backpacking the Island of Mozambique
  • Step Djoser Pyramid | Saqqara | Egypt​
  • Lamu to Mtwapa Kenya 2016
  • Cairo to Cape Town - Overland
  • Hiking the Skeleton Pass - Chimanimani - Zimbabwe
  • Meroe Pyramids | Sudan

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  • HOME
  • About
    • ABOUT Me
    • About the Blog
  • Sitemap
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  • DONATE
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  • destinations
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