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Destinations & Articles
Egypt
Exploring
the Cairo of the Fatimids
Published in the
Summer 2010 Issue of Canadian World
Traveller
By Habeeb Salloum (habeeb.salloum@sympatico.ca)
"You
must walk Cairo's Muizz li'Din Allah Street! It's full of
history. I'm still in awe at what I've seen." Husn Abboud,
a budding Arab Canadian writer seemed to be in a trance as she
related to me the high point of her trip to Egypt.
Now,
a year later, I stood with Ahmad, the muezzin (the
official appointed to call adherents to prayer)
of Al-Hakim bi Amr Allah Mosque, atop Bab Al-Futuh,
one of the three remaining of the 60 gates of the city's once
all-encompassing 10th century Fatimid walls. As I surveyed
Muizz Street below me, I thought of Husn's words that had
given me the urge to explore this venerable city within a
city.
Over
1,000 years have passed since the foundation of this ancient
town was laid yet still Fatimid Cairo abounds with domes and
minarets. Even though from my vantage point, the town appeared
rundown, it still had the majesty of history.
Undiscovered
Cairo
Long
noted for the Giza Pyramids with their Sphinx and the city’s
Museum of Antiquities, Cairo has other equally appealing
tourist attributes. It abounds with Islamic monuments,
virtually unknown to the vast majority of visitors from the
West.
The
city's magnificent historic mosques with their appealing domes
and minarets are a world of history and exoticism, waiting to
be discovered.
More
than the pharaohs' monuments colourful oriental bazaars and
plush hotels, these mosques will, no doubt, one day draw
streams of visitors. Still hidden from view to western
travellers, they are like underground gems waiting to be
mined.
Unlike
in the neighbouring countries, there still remain a good
number of historic churches and mosques in Egypt since the
country never suffered the same fate as the Arab lands of the
Fertile Crescent where Crusaders and Mongols destroyed most of
the old mosques.
 Magnificent
Mosques
For
visitors not acquainted with the Islamic face of Cairo, a
guide well versed with its mosques and Islamic history is a
must.
To get an overview of the hundreds of these Muslim
houses of worship, the itinerary should include four historic
mosques: Ibn Tulun, Al-Azhar, Sultan Hassan and Muhammad
Ali, representing the handiwork of the main Islamic
dynasties in Egypt.
All of these mosques are open to tourists
and are worth lingering visits. However,
if one is to get a real feel of historic Cairo, visiting the
well-preserved Fatimid district is a must. It was established
on the 5th of August in 969 A.D.
Capital
of Fatimid Empire
With
the planet Mars in the ascendant, the first stone of Cairo was
laid by General Gawhar who had conquered Egypt for the North
African Dynasty, the Fatimids (a Shicite Islamic sect). He
named it Al-Qahira (the Conqueror), the Arab name for Mars,
from which the name Cairo is derived. Subsequently, the city
became the capital of the Fatimid Empire, which once included
all of North Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
In
the centuries that followed, Cairo flourished and became one
of the most prosperous urban centres in the world.
 Historic
Street
The
town Gawhar established, remnants of which were spread below
us, has remained the heart of Cairo until our times. Of
course, the rulers that followed added their own touches.
Ayyubids, Mamluks, and later, Ottomans, all embellished Muizz
Street, the main avenue of the Fatimid city, with their
structures - the highest and most varied concentration of
medieval monuments in the city.
In
these centuries, medieval Cairo became one of the towns of the
Arabian Nights. Ibn Buttuta, the famous 14th century Arab
traveller, after visiting the city, wrote: "I arrived at
length at the city of Cairo, mother of cities, mistress of
broad provinces and fruitful lands, boundless in the multitude
of buildings, peerless in beauty and splendour..."
As
I gazed on these historic monuments, I thought of the emirs
and sultans who had vied with each other in erecting a more
magnificent mosque or madrasa (school). The forest of minarets
of these structures today help to give Cairo its Arab/Muslim
atmosphere and make this area of the city a picture of
oriental splendour.
 Minarets
of Al-Hakim
As
we walked down from Bab Al-Futuh to the door of Al-Hakim
Mosque (990-1013), Ahmad turned to me, "Did you say that
you were of Syrian origin? Are you a Druze?" I was
somewhat astonished, "No! Why do you ask?" He said
that money was needed to complete the renovation of the mosque
and he thought that if I were a Druze
I
would consider donating some money.
The
Fatimid ruler, Al-Hakim bi Amr Allah, who built the mosque, is
important in the Druze (a Muslim sect) religion. However, in
Islamic history, Al-Hakim is famous for his eccentricities and
arbitrary edicts. He declared himself divine and gave birth to
the Druze sect - found today in the greater Syria area.
His
mosque, noted for its unique minarets, was allowed to fall
into ruins until it was recently renovated by funds from the
Bohras, an Ismaili Shi'i sect, found in India.
Travelling
Back in Time
From
this controversial mosque, walking down Muizz Street was like
travelling back centuries. A traveller will never find so much
history concentrated in one spot. There are at least forty
interesting historic structures in the area - for those
interested in Islamic history, all worth exploring. Crowning
these monuments are those structures that go back to the
Fatimid age.
 Architectural
Gem
After
a few minutes walk, I stopped to examine the Al-Aqmar
Mosque (built between 1121-1125), a true seminal monument,
important in Cairo's architectural history.
One of the few
Fatimid buildings still almost intact, it contains among its
decorations a unique stone facade, fine examples of Fatimid
woodcarving and many historical inscriptions.
Outside
the mosque, a young well-dressed youth, noting that I was
trying to read an inscription commented, "I see you are
interested in our old mosques! Don't you think that we should
be moving into the future, not always thinking of the past?
We
need technical colleges, not religious monuments." I did
not have a chance to answer before he disappeared in the
crowd. Like many students throughout the Arab world, he
believed that emphasizing the historic past was preventing the
country from moving into the modern age.
Centre
of Learning
Past
a series of other venerable monuments, I reached Al-Azhar
Mosque - the greatest gift the Fatimids gave to the Muslim
world. Founded in 970 by Gawhar, it soon began to play an
important role in the religious life of the Muslim world, and
this has continued until our times. Also, at a very early
stage, it became a centre of high learning. Today, it competes
with the Qarawiyin Mosque in Fez, Morocco, as being the oldest
university in the world.
In
recent years, the subjects taught there have been modernized.
In addition to the traditional studies, commerce, medicine and
science have been added. Today, Al-Azhar and the nine other
campuses it administers, cater to over 100 thousand students.
Through
the centuries ruler after ruler expanded the mosque until in
our times it has become a great combination of styles - all
blending well together. Only the Central Court and a few other
minor parts of the mosque go back to the Fatimid era.
 Trinkets,
Tea & Thoughts
After
exploring this world-renowned mosque-university, I roamed
through the edging Khan al-Khalil, one of the greatest
oriental bazaars in the world, ending my day by purchasing a
few souvenirs, of course, after much bargaining. Tired, I sat
down in the very crowded Fishawi's Tea House, much
frequented by entertainers, intellectuals and tourists.
Here,
over a cup of tea, I contemplated the passing scene. The
250-year old cafe, still operated by the same family,
consisted of two long parts divided by a much-used alleyway.
Between the bumps of passers-by, I thought of the Fatimids and
their surviving monuments.
These
impressive structures are well worth exploring not only by
those travellers interested in the history of Islam and its
civilization but also by anyone who wants to discover Egypt
beyond its famous pyramids and temples of the Pharaohs.
More
Info About Egypt:
Egyptian
Tourist Authority in Canada
2020 University, Suite 2260
Montréal, QC H3A 2A5
Tel.: 514-861-4420
Fax: 514-861-8071
Email: info.ca@egypt.travel
Official Website: www.egypt.travel
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