"CIUDADELA OF SANDINO AND THE COPTO NEIGHBORHOOD" TOUR.

"CIUDADELA OF SANDINO AND THE COPTO NEIGHBORHOOD" TOUR.

Ciudadela of Cairo, or Saladin Citadel, is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo, Egypt, built by Salah ad-Din (Saladin) and developed by later Egyptian rulers. It was the seat of government in Egypt and the residence of its rulers for almost 700 years, from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Its location on a promontory in the Mokattam Hills near the center of Cairo dominates a strategic position overlooking the city and dominating its skyline. At the time of its construction, it was among the most impressive and ambitious military fortification projects of its time. 1 It is now a preserved historic site, including mosques and museums. In addition to the initial Ayubid-era construction begun by Saladin in 1176, the Citadel underwent significant development during the Mamluk Sultanate that followed, culminating in the construction projects of Sultan An-Nassir Muhammad in the 14th century. In the first half of the 19th century, Muhammad Ali demolished many of the older buildings and built new palaces and monuments around the site, giving it much of its present form. In the 20th century it was used as a military garrison by the British occupation and then by the Egyptian army until it was opened to the public in 1983. In 1976, it was proclaimed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site of Historic Cairo which was " the new center of the Islamic world, reaching its golden age in the 14th century.In general, the fortress complex is divided into two parts: the North Enclosure (where the National Military Museum is currently located) and the South Enclosure (where is currently the Muhammad Ali Mosque). The Northern Precinct was historically reserved for military garrisons, while the South Precinct was developed as the residence of the Sultan. There is also a lower western enclosure that was historically the site of the stables. However, these functional distinctions were largely erased in the 19th century under Muhammad Ali Pasha, who overhauled the entire site and constructed buildings of div These are many functions throughout the Citadel.

One of the epicenters of the city of Cairo that the traveler should take into account is the now called Qasr al-Sham neighborhood, also known as the Coptic Quarter of Cairo. The name "Coptic" was given to those indigenous inhabitants who resided in the city when the Arabs conquered Egypt. These, mostly Egyptian Christians, came to be called "Copts", continuing to this day under that name those who are mostly of Orthodox confession. According to the Gospel, this area of ​​the city of Cairo was where the Holy Family lived in their exile to Egypt, so the streets of the Coptic neighborhood are full of Christian history, but also Jewish. The Museum of Coptic Art is in the center of the area, and different religious temples are erected around it. In addition, some paintings of the old walls are preserved. The Coptic Museum was built in 1908 and is, as you might guess, dedicated to Coptic art. The famous Nag Hammadi Manuscripts (from the 3rd and 4th centuries) stand out, together with other ivory objects, papyri or pieces of architecture that date between 300 and 1000 years and make up its museum collection.

Itinerary

• Pick up at your hotel, or the one closest to your accommodation by a guide from our agency.
• You will start with a panoramic tour to the citadel of Sandino, where you will have time for photos.
• Walking tour of the area.
• All visits to the different facilities and museums have the presence of a specialist who will guide our tour, explaining in detail the meanings and history of the different attractions that we can observe.
• Return to the hotels.

The tour includes

• Guide service in Spanish.
• Entrance to Museums.
• Roundtrip and return hotel transfers.

Does not include

• Professional guide in English, French, Portuguese, German and Italian languages. If you want a guide in these languages, it is done on request and an extra charge must be paid.