The Citadel of Salah al-Din is one of the most important landmarks of Islamic Cairo, and one of the oldest medieval military citadels built in the Middle Ages.
was built to protect the royal residence and to dominate the two cities (Cairo and Old Cairo) recently unified as one city.
Also, Salah Eddin Al-Ayoubi (Saladin) arrived in Egypt in 1171 and carried out a series of actions that marked the history of the city. His arrival meant the abolition of Fatimid power and the reinstatement of Islam as the official religion of Egypt. Saladin decided to unify the two cities into which Cairo was divided at that time and to this end began to build a citadel on Muzzattam Hill in 1176, from which there is a spectacular view of the great city.
The Citadel of Saladin is one of the most interesting visits of the capital for the important role that played this place, the architectural beauty of the whole, the visit to the alabaster mosque and, of course, for the panoramic views. The tour is made on foot through a pleasant walk from the foot of the wall to the upper terrace of this citadel that served as a fortress for the royal residence.
It is a walled enclosure in whose inner perimeter is located the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, the Mosque of Suleyman Pasha, and the Mosque of Mohamed en-Nasir, in addition to the Military Museum, the Museum of Carriages, an outdoor museum, palaces and a couple of wells.
The main point of interest of the citadel is the visit to the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, better known by the name of Alabaster Mosque because this type of stone covers all the exterior of this temple of enormous proportions and Turkish style.
To enter the mosque you must be barefoot and not carry your shoulders uncovered. Once inside, its dimensions and luxurious decoration stand out, which in no way detracts from its facade. Inside this beautiful temple of minarets and domes is the tomb of Mohamed Ali. Outside, behind the mosque, is the terrace that offers a fabulous perspective of the city and, on clear days, the view reaches the pyramids of Giza, Saqqara and Abu Sir. Qaser Al-Gawhara
The Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun Mosque is of more modest proportions. It was founded in 1318 and, despite having lost much of its original decoration, is the best-preserved Mamluk building in the Citadel. Highlights include the two bulbous minarets with the remains of colored ceramic cladding. Inside it has columns that come from Egyptian, Byzantine and Greco-Roman buildings.
The Military Museum was founded by Mohamed Ali and houses costumes, weapons and shields. In the Museum of Carriages, you can see the vehicles from the time of the Khedive Ismail and Abbas. The open-air museum exhibits marble columns and fountains from the Ottoman era and finally Sulayman Pasha Mosque, which has an Anatolian floor plan.
Come and spend Day tour of Cairo with Vacations in Egypt and visit The Citadel of Saladin in Cairo.
