One of Cairo's most popular tourist attractions is the Citadel which houses a number of museums, ancient mosques and other sites, located on a spur of limestone that had been separated from its parent Moqattam Hills by quarrying the Citadel reveals a very medieval character.
In the twelfth century Salah ad-Din Al ayyubi the founder of the Ayyubid era realized the strategic importance of the area, and decided to fortify the area to protect it against attacks by the Crusaders, and since then, it has never been without a military garrison. Originally it served as both a fortress and a royal city.
Legend mentions that Salah ad-Din chose the site for its healthy air. The story goes that he hung pieces of meat up all around Cairo. Everywhere the meat spoilt within a day, with the exception of the Citadel area where it remained fresh for several days. But in reality this location provides a strategic advantage both to dominate Cairo and to defend outside attackers. Salah ad-Din had come from Syria where each town had some sort of fortress to act as a stronghold for the local ruler so it was only natural that he would carry this custom to Egypt.
Salah ad-Din used the most modern fortress building techniques of that time to construct the original Citadel. Great, round towers were built protruding from the walls so that defenders could direct flanking fire on those who might scale the walls. The walls themselves were ten meters high and three meters thick.
The Bir Yusuf (Salah ad-Din's Well) was dug in order to supply the inhabitants of the fortress with a source of drinking water. Some 87 meters (285 ft) deep, it was cut though solid rock down to the water level. It is not simply a shaft. There is a ramp large enough so that animals could descend into the well in order to power the machinery that lifted the water. unfortunately, the well is closed to tourists these days.
After the death of Salah ad-Din, his nephew, Al-Kamil, reinforced the Citadel by enlarging several of the towers. Specifically, he encased the Burg al-Haddad (Blacksmith's Tower) and the Burg ar-Ramlab (Sand Tower) making them three times larger. These two towers controlled the narrow pass between the Citadel and the Muqattam hills. Al-Kamil also built a number of great towers around the border of the walls, three of which can still be seen overlooking the Citadel parking area. These massive structures were square, up to 25 meters tall and 30 meters wide. In 1218, Sultan al-Kamil moved his residence to the Citadel where he built his palace.
When the Mumluks finally overcame the Ayyubid rulers in 1250, their sultan Baybars al-Bunduqdari moved into al-Kamil's palace. He isolated the palace by building a wall that divided the citadel into two separate enclosures linked by the Bab (gate) al-Qullah. The area where the palace once stood is referred to as the Southern Enclosure, while the larger part of the Citadel is referred to as the Northern Enclosure.
The Ottomans controlled Egypt between 1517 and the early 20th century, except for a brief French occupation. Much of what we see of the Citadel actually dates from this period. The Lower Enclosure came to be known as the al-Azab because some of the Ottoman soldiers, known as the Azab troop, were stationed in the Lower Enclosure. These soldiers were not allowed to wed until after they retired, and in fact the word Azab can be translated as "bachelor".
Later the strict military structure of the Ottoman soldiers gradually collapsed. During this period, the Azab troops began to marry, and were even allowed to build their own housing within the fortress. By the mid 17th century, the Citadel had become an enclosed residential district with private shops and other commercial activities, as well as public bath and a network of small streets.
The Ottoman Muhammad Ali Pasha, one of the great builders of Modern Egypt, came to power in 1805, and was responsible for considerable alteration and building within the Citadel. He rebuilt much of the outer walls and replaced many of the interior buildings. His Mohammed Ali Mosque (see also), built in the style called Ottoman style that imitates the great mosques of Istanbul, today dominates the Southern Enclosure
South of the Mosque is the Gawharah (Jewel) Palace. This structure was built I the 18 century housed the Egyptian government until it was later moved to the Abdeen Palace.
Today there is also a National Police Museum at the Citadel.
There is also Muhammad Ali's Harem Palace that was built in the same Ottoman style as the Jewel Palace. The statue in front is of Ibrahim Pasha by Charles Cordier. The Palace served as a family residence for the Khedive until the government was moved to Abdeen Palace. It was a military hospital during the British occupation and was only returned to Egyptian control after World War and became the Military Museum of Egypt (founded by King Faruq). While the Museum has many artifacts illustrating warfare in Egypt, one of the most interesting attractions is the Summer Room. This room contains an elaborate system of marble fountains, basins and channels used as a cooling system, and is probably the last such example in Cairo. In the court behind the carriage gate of the museum is a statue of Sulayman Pasha that originally stood in the city center. Just beyond this museum is a small Carriage Museum , it contains eight carriages used by the Muhammad Ali family. Just behind this museum is the Burg at-Turfah (Masterpiece Tower), one of the largest of the square towers built by al-Kamil in 1207.
Near the far end of the Northern Enclosure is the Suleyman Pasha Mosque. It was the first Ottoman style mosque built in Egypt and dates from 1528. It was built to serve the early Ottoman troops.
In the twelfth century Salah ad-Din Al ayyubi the founder of the Ayyubid era realized the strategic importance of the area, and decided to fortify the area to protect it against attacks by the Crusaders, and since then, it has never been without a military garrison. Originally it served as both a fortress and a royal city.
Legend mentions that Salah ad-Din chose the site for its healthy air. The story goes that he hung pieces of meat up all around Cairo. Everywhere the meat spoilt within a day, with the exception of the Citadel area where it remained fresh for several days. But in reality this location provides a strategic advantage both to dominate Cairo and to defend outside attackers. Salah ad-Din had come from Syria where each town had some sort of fortress to act as a stronghold for the local ruler so it was only natural that he would carry this custom to Egypt.
Salah ad-Din used the most modern fortress building techniques of that time to construct the original Citadel. Great, round towers were built protruding from the walls so that defenders could direct flanking fire on those who might scale the walls. The walls themselves were ten meters high and three meters thick.
The Bir Yusuf (Salah ad-Din's Well) was dug in order to supply the inhabitants of the fortress with a source of drinking water. Some 87 meters (285 ft) deep, it was cut though solid rock down to the water level. It is not simply a shaft. There is a ramp large enough so that animals could descend into the well in order to power the machinery that lifted the water. unfortunately, the well is closed to tourists these days.
After the death of Salah ad-Din, his nephew, Al-Kamil, reinforced the Citadel by enlarging several of the towers. Specifically, he encased the Burg al-Haddad (Blacksmith's Tower) and the Burg ar-Ramlab (Sand Tower) making them three times larger. These two towers controlled the narrow pass between the Citadel and the Muqattam hills. Al-Kamil also built a number of great towers around the border of the walls, three of which can still be seen overlooking the Citadel parking area. These massive structures were square, up to 25 meters tall and 30 meters wide. In 1218, Sultan al-Kamil moved his residence to the Citadel where he built his palace.
When the Mumluks finally overcame the Ayyubid rulers in 1250, their sultan Baybars al-Bunduqdari moved into al-Kamil's palace. He isolated the palace by building a wall that divided the citadel into two separate enclosures linked by the Bab (gate) al-Qullah. The area where the palace once stood is referred to as the Southern Enclosure, while the larger part of the Citadel is referred to as the Northern Enclosure.
The Ottomans controlled Egypt between 1517 and the early 20th century, except for a brief French occupation. Much of what we see of the Citadel actually dates from this period. The Lower Enclosure came to be known as the al-Azab because some of the Ottoman soldiers, known as the Azab troop, were stationed in the Lower Enclosure. These soldiers were not allowed to wed until after they retired, and in fact the word Azab can be translated as "bachelor".
Later the strict military structure of the Ottoman soldiers gradually collapsed. During this period, the Azab troops began to marry, and were even allowed to build their own housing within the fortress. By the mid 17th century, the Citadel had become an enclosed residential district with private shops and other commercial activities, as well as public bath and a network of small streets.
The Ottoman Muhammad Ali Pasha, one of the great builders of Modern Egypt, came to power in 1805, and was responsible for considerable alteration and building within the Citadel. He rebuilt much of the outer walls and replaced many of the interior buildings. His Mohammed Ali Mosque (see also), built in the style called Ottoman style that imitates the great mosques of Istanbul, today dominates the Southern Enclosure
South of the Mosque is the Gawharah (Jewel) Palace. This structure was built I the 18 century housed the Egyptian government until it was later moved to the Abdeen Palace.
Today there is also a National Police Museum at the Citadel.
There is also Muhammad Ali's Harem Palace that was built in the same Ottoman style as the Jewel Palace. The statue in front is of Ibrahim Pasha by Charles Cordier. The Palace served as a family residence for the Khedive until the government was moved to Abdeen Palace. It was a military hospital during the British occupation and was only returned to Egyptian control after World War and became the Military Museum of Egypt (founded by King Faruq). While the Museum has many artifacts illustrating warfare in Egypt, one of the most interesting attractions is the Summer Room. This room contains an elaborate system of marble fountains, basins and channels used as a cooling system, and is probably the last such example in Cairo. In the court behind the carriage gate of the museum is a statue of Sulayman Pasha that originally stood in the city center. Just beyond this museum is a small Carriage Museum , it contains eight carriages used by the Muhammad Ali family. Just behind this museum is the Burg at-Turfah (Masterpiece Tower), one of the largest of the square towers built by al-Kamil in 1207.
Near the far end of the Northern Enclosure is the Suleyman Pasha Mosque. It was the first Ottoman style mosque built in Egypt and dates from 1528. It was built to serve the early Ottoman troops.
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