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 hot spot 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 United States passport.
Passports For Travel
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 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 features two notable World Heritage Sites. The first site is Coptic Cairo, once known as Babylon and has roots in ancient history. This site is of great importance religious, cultural, and historically, it is featured in many religious texts and much cultural lore. Coptic Cairo features five original churches as well as the first mosque and synagogue built in Egypt.
Muslim Landmarks
Another World Heritage Site in Cairo is, Islamic Cairo. This is the medieval core of Cairo. Those who visit Cairo are witnesses to the most grand and beautiful monuments to Islamic culture in Cairo. Impressive monuments include the Al-Hakim Mosque, the Qalawun complex, Midan Hussein and Sayyidna al-Hussein Mosque. The Syyidna al-Hussein Mosque is one of the most sacred sites in all of Egypt.
Pyramids
Another must see site is the Saqqara Pyramids. This complex contains an ancient necropolis where many important ancient Egyptian figures are buried. Important structures include the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the Pyramid of Teti, the Tomb of Ankhmahor, and much more. These are some of the oldest excavated sites in Egypt.
Giza
Dahshur is another ancient site that features large pyramids. These pyramids include the famous Bent Pyramid, the Red Pyramid of Sneferu, which is believed to be Egypt’s oldest”true”pyramid” and the Black Pyramid.. These pyramids are often compared to the pyramids of Giza, most prefer the pyramids at Dahshur though as they are not as laden with tourists as those at Giza.
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 museum has seven sections, some sections are dedicated to Tutankhamen’s treasures, monuments of the Old World, sarcophagi and much more.