Egypt
The Guardian, UK (David Shariatmadari)
See the above page for the rest of the three-page story.
- Cairo's Al-azhar Mosque
Al Ahram Weekly (Samir Sobhi) Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque, whose history is sometimes overlooked by visitors, is one of Egypt's most important cultural and artistic treasures Al-Azhar is one of the most serene places to pray in, and the area...
- Remnants Of Islamic, Coptic Buildings Discovered In Luxor
Al Masry Al Youm An Egyptian expedition team working in Luxor discovered remnants of ancient Islamic and Coptic buildings, the Ministry of Antiquities announced Wednesday. The remnants include churches, minarets and domes and are located in the Luxor...
- Tourism: Eco-tourism Holds Promise, Peril For Egyptian Oasis (dakhla)
npr (Peter Kenyon) With audio (4m 21sec) and photographs. At this time of year, Egypt's hotels and cruise ships are packed with thousands of visitors eager to see the Great Pyramids or Luxor's famed Valley of the Kings. But a quietly growing eco-tourism...
- Historic Haunts
Egypt Today (Ethar El-Katatney) In a city that’s been home to a number of religions and cultures over the centuries, it’s not unusual to see a McDonalds jostling for space with a centuries-old mashrabeya, or a minaret leaning over a small alleyway....
- Daily Photo - Islamic Cairo
Historic Cairo, photos taken in 2003 Restored water house, Khan el-Khalili The Blue Mosque Damage remaining from the earthquake of 1922 in Cairo, photographed from the minaret of the Blue Mosque Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes...
Egypt
Travel: Islamic Cairo
The Guardian, UK (David Shariatmadari)
The attendant, Samir, unlocked the wooden door to the minaret and left me to go in alone. I had taken off my shoes to cross the threshold, but he explained I would need them again for the minaret climb. As I walked unaccompanied up the stone steps in the half-light, avoiding assorted debris, I felt a bit like I was trespassing. But this wasn't a private part of Cairo's Mosque of al-Ghouri - the minaret is open to any visitors who want to see it. It's just that not many do.
Once on the roof I was able to look out across the mass of sand-coloured houses and shops towards the citadel and the Muqattam hills. From there a spiral staircase – I had to feel my way up part of it because it was pitch black – took me to a balcony about three-quarters of the way up the minaret. A creaky ladder led to the level at which the muezzin, in the days before loudspeakers, would have made his call to prayer. I decided not to risk it. Instead I just sat and looked at what could have been a vision from the middle ages: the narrow street below, crammed with goods for sale – huge bales of cotton, clothes and carpets – and people walking to and fro between the market and the old city gates.
The idea of being immersed in the past is something that tempts millions of tourists to Egypt each year. The country's ancient heritage, is, of course, the big draw, but the problem with this is that the rest of its history can get overlooked.
See the above page for the rest of the three-page story.
- Cairo's Al-azhar Mosque
Al Ahram Weekly (Samir Sobhi) Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque, whose history is sometimes overlooked by visitors, is one of Egypt's most important cultural and artistic treasures Al-Azhar is one of the most serene places to pray in, and the area...
- Remnants Of Islamic, Coptic Buildings Discovered In Luxor
Al Masry Al Youm An Egyptian expedition team working in Luxor discovered remnants of ancient Islamic and Coptic buildings, the Ministry of Antiquities announced Wednesday. The remnants include churches, minarets and domes and are located in the Luxor...
- Tourism: Eco-tourism Holds Promise, Peril For Egyptian Oasis (dakhla)
npr (Peter Kenyon) With audio (4m 21sec) and photographs. At this time of year, Egypt's hotels and cruise ships are packed with thousands of visitors eager to see the Great Pyramids or Luxor's famed Valley of the Kings. But a quietly growing eco-tourism...
- Historic Haunts
Egypt Today (Ethar El-Katatney) In a city that’s been home to a number of religions and cultures over the centuries, it’s not unusual to see a McDonalds jostling for space with a centuries-old mashrabeya, or a minaret leaning over a small alleyway....
- Daily Photo - Islamic Cairo
Historic Cairo, photos taken in 2003 Restored water house, Khan el-Khalili The Blue Mosque Damage remaining from the earthquake of 1922 in Cairo, photographed from the minaret of the Blue Mosque Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes...