Walk Through Cairo’s Medieval History with the Princes & Sultans Tour

Islamic Cairo is considered one of the densest collections of Islamic architecture in the world, with roughly 800 mosques, tombs, caravanserais, hammams and schools lined up along its sprawling alleyways and narrow roads. Looking to guide us around every nook, cranny and gilded corner of this medieval time capsule of a neighbourhood, local initiative Athar Lina and Megawra are putting on a walking tour titled ‘Princes and Sultans Tours’, focusing on the rich tapestry of history formed by Egypt’s most opulent rulers.

Starting from Bab al-Azab, the route will pass through 11 different monuments including Madrassa of Khasqudam al-Ahmadi, Darb al-Husr Playground, Ahmad Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Gayer Anderson Museum.

The tour will then invite you to explore the history of royals and rulers through hand-written texts on Sabils, and discover the secrets of the sacred Khanqahs through muqarnas, which are stained glass and ornate motifs fashioned out of stucco and wood. Giving participants a glimpse into the future of art, the tour will also wind through narrow alleyways of the Ahmad Kuhia neighborhood to explore Augmented Reality graffiti art.

Zooming out from the details of Islamic history, the tour will end with a panoramic view overlooking the meandering streets of al-Khalifa from the rooftop of Athar Lina and Megawra’s headquarters, the Saliba House.

This guide is part of the Athar Lina Heritage Design Thinking School project in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Solidarity. The tour will start on December 25th, from 10 AM until 12:30 PM, and will cost EGP 210. To sign up, visit https://forms.gle/wiZjf4JidnrbmBFAA