People and Lifestyle In Cairo Egypt

People and Lifestyle In Cairo Egypt

Cairo is a vibrant, exhilarating, exotic, fascinating and welcoming city. Home to the best Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic sights in Egypt, this city is where you never know what incredible, half-forgotten monument you might stumble across while wandering around. Enjoy the Nile view from your hotel room balcony, visit the capital's medieval markets by Khan El-Khalili, or walk down the Nile promenade. There are also plenty of cinemas, theatres and modern malls. Go for an opera or enjoy oriental music dance shows. Good for short breaks and long stays; you’ll get to see the Giza Pyramids, thousands of ancient artifacts in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and much more.

Cairo is the amazing city full of life and movement, and it is that way almost 24 hours a day, with the noisy honking of horns, children playing in the streets and merchants selling their goods.

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, with a total population of 22,726,000. It's located near the Nile Delta. It was founded in 969 AD. Nicknamed "the city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life. Cairo was founded by the Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century AD, but the land composing the present-day city was the site of national capitals whose remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo. Cairo is also associated with Ancient Egypt as it is close to the ancient cities of Memphis, Giza and Fustat which are near the Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza.

Egyptians today often refer to Cairo as Maṣr, the Egyptian Arabic pronunciation of the name for Egypt itself, emphasizing the city's continued role in Egyptian influence. Its official name is al-Qahirah , means literally "the Vanquisher" or "the Conqueror". Cairo has the oldest and largest film and music industries in the Arab world, as well as the world's second-oldest institution of higher learning, al-Azhar University. Many international media, businesses, and organizations have regional headquarters in the city; the Arab League has had its headquarters in Cairo for most of its existence.

Cairo is along the Nile River, immediately south of the point where the river leaves its desert-bound valley and branches into the low-lying Nile Delta region. Although the Cairo metropolis extends away from the Nile in all directions, the city of Cairo resides only on the east bank of the river and two islands within it on a total area of 453 sq km (175 sq mi).

The most famous square in Cairo is Tahrir Square. Tahrir Square was founded during the mid 19th century with the establishment of modern downtown Cairo. It was first named Ismailia Square, after the 19th-century ruler Khedive Ismail, who commissioned the new downtown district's 'Paris on the Nile' design. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 the square became widely known as Tahrir (Liberation) Square. Several notable buildings surround the square including, the American University in Cairo's downtown campus, the Mogamma governmental administrative Building, the headquarters of the Arab League, the Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel, and the Egyptian Museum. Being at the heart of Cairo, the square witnessed several major protests over the years. However, the most notable event in the square was being the focal point of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution against former president Hosni Mubarak.

The weather in Cairo is moderate and low in humidity at almost any time of the year, except for some specific times in summer. Highs of 36°C are common in July and lows of 21°C have been witnessed; the winter months in Cairo, especially January, are much more pleasant with temperatures ranging between 21°C and 15°C. Accommodation by the Nile offers some relief from the summer heat due to the lovely breeze that comes from the river. In March, April, and June the Khamaseen winds blow from the desert bringing with them higher temperatures and sand.

 

Important sites in Cairo

Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara pyramids, Memphis (First Capital of united Egypt), Citadel Saladin, The Egyptian Museum, Al-Azhar Mosque, Khan El-Khalili, Old Cairo, Cairo Tower.



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