But a city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time.
Patrick Geddes
The Citadel of Saladin in Islamic Cairo
The airport to the most ancient civilisation that had Greek, Roman and Arab rulers transiting through, this city on the banks of the Nile intrigues and fascinates everyone who comes here. Standing as the ruling seat of Egypt for almost a thousand years, Cairo’s origins date back to the 1st century. Then called Al-Qahirah, meaning The Victorious, it became Cairo in its anglicised version.
Present-day Cairo grew from the 641 CE Arab military settlement of Al-Fustat, its predecessor being the Roman colony of Babylon (in the Christian Quarter). Prior to the Romans, the city of Memphis, Men-Nefer or Hut-ka-Ptah in Egyptian, was the seat of the Kingdom. This is where the Pyramid fields of Giza, Saqqarah and others are.
The Citadel of Saladin
Salah Al-Din, the ruler who overthrew the Fatimid Caliphate, saw an enormous threat in the crusader attacks from the Christian world. To protect the dynasty, he felt the need for a wall and a military citadel and started their construction between 1176 and 1183 AD. His plans for a surrounding wall didn’t materialise but the citadel sitting at a strategic position became a significant structure for 700 years.
Three major reconstructions later, the citadel in its current form is predominantly from the first half of the 19th century. The citadel had four enclosures in each direction, but now only two of them remain- the Northern and Southern.
Structures within the citadel
Defeating the very purpose for which they built it, the citadel’s functions have ranged from being a centre for horse trading, a garrison, and a residential palace with deep religious roots. The walls and bastions of the fortress remind us of its military history and so does the military museum within it. Though, the building that houses it today housed the harem of Muhammad Ali, the 19th century Pasha (A governor or a general) during the Ottoman reign.
While this post talked about the military background of the Citadel of Saladin in Islamic Cairo, its inclusion in the UNESCO Heritage list is largely because of its contribution in the early days of Islam. The highest point in the citadel is the Mosque of Muhammad Ali that highlights the skyline of Cairo. Apart from these, the Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque from the Mamluk period and the Al-Gawhara Palace Museum are some of the notable buildings within.
More on the mosques, next on ImageWrighter!
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