Sights in Egypt
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Fishawi’s Coffeehouse
There are few specific things to see in the khan but Fishawi’s Coffeehouse, in an alley one block west of Midan al-Hussein, is an absolute must. Hung with huge mirrors and packed day and night, it claims to have been open continuously since the year 1773, except during Ramadan, when everyone is fasting. Entertainment comes in the form of roaming salesmen hawking wallets, carved canes, pistol-shaped cigarette lighters and packet after packet after packet of tissues.
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Royal Jewellery Museum
It's not easy, in a country with such a long line of monarchs, to make a name for yourself, but Farouk, the last king of Egypt, succeeded. Renowned for extravagance, excess, womanising and a love of gambling, he once lost US$150,000 in a single sitting at the gaming tables, at a time when the majority of his subjects struggled in poverty. The 1952 Revolution would no doubt have happened without him, but his decadence only hastened the demise of the house of Mohammed Ali.
The Royal Jewellery Museum is a testament to his excesses, housing a glitzy collection of personal and family heirlooms. Aside from the standard (medals, jewels etc), exhibits include diamond-encrusted…
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Graeco-Roman Museum
One of the sights not to miss is the large collection of realistic terracotta statuettes (tanagra) from the Hellenistic period. Also look for three different carved heads representing the city's founder, Alexander. From the Delta region, an impressive wall-hung mosaic from the 3rd century BC portrays Berenice, wife of Ptolemy III. Equally impressive is the giant Apis bull in basalt from the time of Hadrian, found at the Serapeum, and two carvings of the god Serapis - one in wood, the other in marble. Serapis is a wholly Alexandrian creation, a divinity part Egyptian (the husband of Isis) and part Greek, with echoes of Zeus and Poseidon. Ptolemy I promoted him as a way of…
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Faran Mosque
The Faran Mosque dates to 1704.
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Karim Francis Art Gallery
Francis is one of Cairo’s more influential curators.
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Egyptian Textile Museum
Directly across the street from the Madrassa & Mausoleum of Barquq.
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Tomb of Seshemnufer IV
The Tomb of Seshemnufer IV has a burial chamber you can climb down into.
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Omar Makram Mosque
Omar Makram Mosque is the place where anybody who's anybody has a funeral.
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Midan Orabi
Midan Orabi, which runs from Tahrir to the sea, was once the fine French Gardens.
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Shorbagi Mosque
The Shorbagi Mosque is built with salvaged remnants of antiquity.
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Zamalek Art Gallery
A light-filled space showing work of contemporary Egyptian artists, usually figurative.
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Nasr ad-Din Mosque
Adjoining the Tomb of Sheikh Nasr ad-Din is Nasr ad-Din Mosque with a 21m-high minaret.
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Gate of Diocletian
On the northern tip of the island are the Temple of Augustus and the Gate of Diocletian.
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Temple of Augustus
On the northern tip of the island are the Temple of Augustus and the Gate of Diocletian.
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Manuscript Museum
Contains ancient manuscripts and antiquarian books, and a temporary art exhibition space.
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Contemporary Image Collective
Excellent exhibits documenting Egyptian life and occasionally shows videos on its rooftop.
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Khanqah of Sultan Inal
The 1456 Khanqah of Sultan Inal is beautiful, thanks to restoration work, but not always open.
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Culturama
Culturama is an interactive show (15 to 30 minutes) portraying Egypt's history on nine screens.
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Mosque of Amir Qurqumas
The 1507 Mosque of Amir Qurqumas is beautiful, thanks to restoration work, but not always open.
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Italian Insurance building
Sharia Qasr el-Nil boasts some particularly fine architecture, notably the Italian Insurance building .
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Governorate Building
The Governorate Building houses a modest display on the history and fauna of the oasis.
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Palace of Arts
In the Gezira Exhibition Grounds, the Palace of Arts hosts rotating exhibits and performances.
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Alexan Palace
Alexan Palace is one of the city's finest 19th-century buildings, but was being renovated at the time of writing.
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Hanager Arts Centre
In the Gezira Exhibition Grounds, the Hanager Arts Centre hosts rotating exhibits and performances.
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Mustafa Kamal Necropolis
Mustafa Kamal Necropolis has four tombs, two in mint condition, and is interesting for the Doric columns at their centre.
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