Centered on the east bank of the River Nile, slightly south of the fertile delta, lies Cairo. The largest city in Africa and the Middle East, Cairo was anciently referred to as “Mother of the World” by her Arab inhabitants, and is still today one of the most influential cities in the Islamic world.
Founded in 969 AD, Cairo is considered a “recent” city in comparison to the 6,000 years of known Egyptian history. She is, nonetheless, the center of Egypt in every way. A fourth of all Egyptians live in the metropolitan area, numbering almost 18 million people. Her powerful spot on the Nile made Cairo a prize in military conquests in early years, and today contributes to her economic strength both in Africa and the world.
Sprawling along the Nile towards the Great Pyramids at Giza, Cairo offers surprising enchantment for willing tourists. The Citadel and a profusion of mosques, including the Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali, give Cairo one of the most exotic skylines in the world: picture an abundance of majestic minarets surrounding numerous elegant, Arabic domes. The street-life too, where ancient customs and trades thrive in a very modern world, is mesmerizing with its twisting avenues alive with the swirl of daily activity from eager merchants and oriental bazaars.
But the allure of the Egyptian desert in all her magical mystery is nowhere so intensely displayed as on the Giza plateau. It is here that the impressive icons of Egypt, the Great Pyramids and Sphinx, stand as imposing reminders of men who refused to be forgotten.
The last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Giza Pyramid Complex is believed to have been predominantly constructed during the 25th-century BC primarily under the direction of the Pharaohs of the 4th Dynasty.
The traditional beliefs of ancient Egypt called for the immortalization of their Pharaohs: once a reigning Pharaoh passed to the next life he became deified as Osiris, King of the Dead. Part of the spirit of the dead pharaoh would remain with his body, and would need to be properly cared for in order for the new Osiris to fulfill his work in the next world. The pyramids were created to care for that portion of the spirit which would remain with the body.
