Egypt: the capital and its attractions

Thanks to its strategic location at the intersection of trade routes from Europe to East Africa and Asia, Egypt has become one of the most developed countries in Africa. Desert landscapes with majestic pyramids, coral reefs and cozy beaches on the Red Sea attract many tourists from all over the world every year. Since ancient times, the center of Arab culture: literature, theology, painting, cinema and music - was Egypt.

The capital of the country is Cairo. It is located near the place where the Nile forms its delta. The city was founded in the II century AD, but its western regions were built only in the XIX and XX centuries, so there are wide streets and a lot of open space. Old Cairo is located on the eastern bank of the Nile and is characterized by dense architecture.

The first capital of Egypt - Memphis

The city has long been the administrative and cultural center of the country. Now Memphis is under silt, archaeological excavations are still being carried out. The place where the city once stood is called the "open-air museum".

The modern capital of Egypt

The city of Cairo is Egypt's largest industrial center . The capital is rich in numerous factories of food, textile, chemical industries. Here there are foundries and automobile factories. In the suburbs of Cairo there are large oil refineries, which Egypt is proud of. The capital is also the financial center of the country and an important transport hub. Tourism is an important sector of the economy of the state.

Egyptian Museum

Founded in 1835, the Egyptian Museum is so large that even if you spend one minute around each exhibit, it will take about nine months to inspect it.

It houses the world's largest collection of artifacts of Ancient Egypt. On the first floor there are exclusive exhibits from the tombs of the pharaohs of the Ancient and Middle Kingdoms. One of the most interesting - a collection of 1700 items from the tomb of young Tutankhamun. On November 4, 1922, the English archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the mastaba of a teenage pharaoh. This find is considered the greatest in history.

Tomb of the Holy

The largest Muslim tomb in Egypt is in Cairo. This is the place of resting one of the most important figures of Islam - Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i. He was born in 767 in Gaza and was one of the most influential Muslim lawyers and theologians. After a long journey to the Middle East, he settled in Egypt, where he established a system for describing the origin of Islamic laws. Almost 500 years after his death, Sultan Saladin erected a madrasah on his grave, which the sultan Al-Malik al-Kamil then turned into a majestic mausoleum.

Kahwa Cairo

The Egyptians are very fond of coffee (the name comes from the Arabic "kahwa"). This is an integral part of the life of the inhabitants of Egypt. The capital is rich in such cafes, which are more than 200 years old, but they do not resemble, say, the same old Viennese establishments. The only element that distinguishes them from the market tray is a narrow copper table in front of the entrance, on which there is a kettle with water and a loud radio receiver. In most such cafes, women are not allowed entry.

Information for drivers

Very safe and friendly in general, you can call Egypt. Its capital is the largest city in Africa and the 11th in the list of the most populated in the world. But it is interesting that there are almost no rules on the roads of Cairo. Drivers do not hesitate to drive on the opposite or on the sidewalks, just to shorten the route. Buses rarely stop at designated stops: usually passengers jump right on the run.