Further Distractions
Wikala of al-Ghouri
A wikala, also known as a caravanserai, is a medieval merchants’ hostel that catered for travelling traders. They stabled their animals on the ground floor, slept in the rooms above and haggled with their clients in the courtyard. This is the best preserved of the handful of Cairo’s remaining wikalas. The stables now house artists’ studios, while the courtyard is used for theatre and concerts. Around the corner is the striking striped al-Ghouri complex, with its mosque-madrassa and mausoleum. Part of the mausoleum now serves as a cultural centre, offering twice-weekly Sufi dancing performances.
Sharia el-Azhar, Islamic Cairo
Opening hours: Daily 0800-2400.
Admission: EŁ6.
City of the Dead
Many tourists may feel squeamish at the thought of visiting the City of the Dead, but dozens of ‘tomb squatters’ have made it their home and other Cairenes come to visit and picnic at the graves of their relatives, an ancient tradition. This huge necropolis is divided into the northern and southern cemetery on either side of the Citadel and contains some outstanding Islamic architecture. The finest monuments are in the northern cemetery. The Mosque of Qaitbey, a Mamluk ruler, has an intricately carved dome, the finest in the Muslim world, while the splendidly decorated interior surrounds a peaceful courtyard. Visitors are advised to stick to the main streets in the cemeteries for safety reasons.
Islamic Cairo
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free; EŁ6 (Mosque of Qaitbey).
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