Excursion tour in Cairo. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

Cairo Catholic Church Let’s move further. The upcoming famous architecture monuments of Cairo that deserve to be mentioned are Great Pyramid of Giza, Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Cairo Tower, and Cairo Opera House. An overview of interesting facts and a collection of photographs are available for each monument. In order to plan a route for your real-life sightseeing tour in Cairo, use our interactive map of sights in of Cairo that is available below this article.

Great Pyramid of Giza, Cairo

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Pyramid of Cheops has another name: The Pyramid of Khufu. The construction officially began in 2470 BC.
»  For over three thousand years, the pyramid had been the highest on Earth – 146.6 metres; over time it became 138.75 m.
»  It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World and the last one that still exists.
»  The base of the structure is 53,000 square metres, which roughly equals 10 football fields. The total weight of the pyramid is 5 million tons.
»  The pyramid was built of large stone blocks. The average weight of one block is about 2.5 tons, and the largest one weighs 15 tons.
»  There was an entrance covered with granite blocks at a height of 15.63 metres. Nowadays tourists enter the pyramid through a breach made in 820.
»  The pyramid has three burial chambers placed one above the other, but according to scientists, they had never been used for burial. Scientists have put forward many hypotheses about the technology used to build the pyramid, but none of them was confirmed.

Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Cairo

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Mosque of Muhammad Ali was built between 1830 and 1848 and is located in the Citadel of Cairo. It was built in memory of his beloved son who died at the age of 22.
»  There is also a tomb of Muhammad Ali himself who died in 1849. His body was moved here in 1857. The burial sarcophagus is made of very valuable Carrara marble imported from Italy.
»  The mosque is located on the highest point of the city and can be seen from any part of the city. It’s a very beautiful colourful construction crowned with a large dome that is 52 metres high and 21 metres in diameter and has two high pointed minarets.
»  There is a huge prayer hall (1,600 square metres) inside.
»  Both the inside and outside of the building are decorated with carved patterns. A clock tower was erected in the courtyard of the temple. This clock was presented by King Louis Philippe of France.
»  The mosque is the main landmark of Cairo, so all tourists, even women, are allowed to enter it, but a certain dress code should be followed.

Cairo Tower, Cairo

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Cairo Tower was built by Naoum Shebib between 1956 and 1961. The exterior of the tower was designed in the Arabic style and decorated with concrete grids.
»  It looks like a high minaret from afar. The tower is 187 m high.
»  On the upper floors, there is an observation platform with telescopes and a revolving restaurant on it. Here, visitors are serviced by waiters dressed like pharaohs.
»  On the ground floor, there is a night club where visitors can enjoy the performance of eastern beauties and professional dancers.
»  The local legend says that the Cairo Tower was built at the expense of the CIA when General Nahib took a bribe and gave money to Abdel Nasser. However, adamant Nasser ordered to give money to the Revolutionary Command Council that decided to build this tower.

Cairo Opera House, Cairo

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Cairo Opera House is the biggest and most famous theatre in Africa and the Middle East. It was built in 1988 after the old theatre constructed in 1869 had been set on fire.
»  Japan helped build the Opera House after President Hosni Mubarak visited the country. The joint team of Japanese and Egyptian architects developed the project of the theatre in the Islamic style.
»  The building is equipped with sophisticated and modern audiovisual systems. In the building, there are three audience halls. The Main Hall has three tiers and a presidential box and seats 1 300 spectators. The Small Hall seats 500 spectators. The Open-Air Theatre can seat up to 1 000 people.
»  Here, you can enjoy opera and ballet performances and symphony concerts. The repertoire also includes concerts of famous troupes from different countries.
»  The Ballet of the Bolshoi Theatre performed on the Cairo stage three times.
»  In the ballet troupe of the theatre, Russian and Ukrainian dancers work.
»  Men can enter the Main Hall only if they are dressed in a jacket and a tie.
Cairo - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Plan your own tour over Cairo on the monuments map

More to see in Cairo
Cairo offers its visitors to attend various sightseeing objects. Among memorable places of the city travellers will find numerous colorful markets and ancient religious buildings, historic sites, museums, art galleries and unique natural reserves. Birqash Camel Market is traditionally very popular among vacationers. The market is located in Cairo suburbs, in a place called Birkash. The market is a huge field, on which hundreds of camels are sold. These animals are the main product of the market. Buyers and sellers come to the famous camel market from different cities, and travelers visit it as a local landmark. Hanging Church is a beautiful architectural monument. The first religious building on the site of the church appeared in the 9th century. The chair of the church is made of marble, and its hall is decorated with unique religious artifacts and icons. Every day hundreds of tourists come to the church to admire the beauty of the building and walk through the picturesque courtyard of the church. Bab Zuweila is a striking monument of the Middle Ages. The construction of the monument was completed in the 10th century. Visitors of the building are welcome to climb the ramparts or one of the minarets – they feature wonderful panoramic views of Cairo and its suburbs. Townhouse Gallery is an interesting cultural institution. This is a beautiful three-story building, in which six artist studios are open, as well as a bookstore and library. The gallery has become the location … Read further

Tours through neighbours of Cairo

Secure Connection
Main Office
Weegschaalstraat 3, Eindhoven
5632 CW, The Netherlands
+31 40 40 150 44


Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About us
Copyright © 2002 - OrangeSmile Tours B.V. | Incorporated by IVRA Holding B.V. - Registered in The Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel KvK, The Netherlands) No. 17237018