Egypt Tips & Trips
Cairo:
In Arabic named Al-Qāhira is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Middle-East and Africa.
Its metropolitan area is the 16th largest in the world.
Located near the Nile Delta, it was founded in CE 969.
Nicknamed "the city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture,
Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life.
Cairo was founded by the Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century CE,
but the land composing the present-day city was the site of national capitals whose remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo.
Its also associated with Ancient Egypt as it is close to the ancient cities of Memphis,
Giza and Fustat which are near the Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza.Egyptians today often refer to Cairo as Maṣr ,
the Egyptian Arabic pronunciation of the name for Egypt itself, emphasizing the city's continued role in Egyptian influence.
Its official name is القاهرة al-Qāhirah , means literally "the Vanquisher" or "the Conqueror";
Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [elqɑ(ː)ˈheɾɑ], sometimes it is informally also referred to as كايرو Kayro [ˈkæjɾo].
It is also called Umm al-Dunya, meaning "the mother of the world".
De Citadel:
The Citadel is a fortified enclosure begun by Salah al-Din in
1176 AD on an outcrop of the Muqattam Hills as part of a large defensive system
to protect both Cairo to the north and Fustat to the southwest.
It was the center of Egyptian government and residence of its rulers until 1874,
when Khedive Isma'il moved to 'Abdin Palace. It is still occupied by the military today,
but is now open as a tourist attraction comprising, notably, the National Military Museum,
the 14th century Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad,
and the 19th century Mosque of Muhammad Ali which commands a dominant position on Cairo's skyline.
Egyptisch Museum:
All the beautiful ancient and antiquities you can find in the museum
the famous mask of King Tutachamon
statue's, art all kinds of part they find in tombs.
Transportation:
Cairo has an extensive road network, rail system, subway system and maritime services.
Road transport is facilitated by personal vehicles, taxi cabs,
privately owned public buses and Cairo microbuses. Cairo, specifically Ramses Square,
is the centre of almost the entire Egyptian transportation network.
The subway system, officially called "Metro (مترو)", is a fast and efficient way of getting around Cairo.
Metro network covers Helwan and other suburbs.
It can get very crowded during rush hour.
Two train cars (the fourth and fifth ones) are reserved for women only, although women may ride in any car they want.
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Revolution:
Cairo during the revolution in 2011
Egyptian Tahrir Square was the focal point of the 2011
Egyptian Revolution against former president Hosni Mubarak.
Over 2 million protesters at Cairo's Tahrir square.
More than 50,000 protesters first occupied the square on 25 January,
during which the area's wireless services were reported to be impaired.
In the following days Tahrir Square continued to be the primary destination for protests in Cairo.
As it took place following a popular uprising that began on Tuesday, 25 January 2011 and is still continuing as of February 2012.
The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations,
marches, acts of civil disobedience, and labour strikes.
Millions of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded
the overthrow of the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Despite being predominantly peaceful in nature, the revolution was not without violent clashes between security forces and protesters,
with at least 846 people killed and 6,000 injured.
The uprising took place in Cairo, Alexandria, and in other cities in Egypt,
following the Tunisian revolution that resulted in the overthrow of the long-time Tunisian president.
On 11 February, following weeks of determined popular protest and pressure, Hosni Mubarak resigned from office.
Khan El-Khalili:
Khan el-Khalili is an ancient bazaar, or marketplace. It dates back to 1385,
when Amir Jarkas el-Khalili built a large caravanserai, or khan.
(A caravanserai is a hotel for traders, and usually the focal point for any surrounding area.)
This original carvanserai building was demolished by Sultan al-Ghuri,
who rebuilt it as a new commercial complex in the early 16th century,
forming the basis for the network of souqs existing today.
Many medieval elements remain today, including the ornate Mamluk-style gateways.
Today, the Khan el-Khalili is a major tourist attraction and popular stop for tour groups.
