Perspective Top Travel

Diversity begins in Cairo

Modern Cairo. (Ahmed Elkhamisy/YJI)

CAIRO – As many of us might know, Cairo is a huge city with one of the biggest populations in Africa and the world.

The diversity in Cairo is impressive, as it’s a home for more than 20 million Egyptian and foreigners who live there.

One of the coffins of King Tutankhamun, on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. (Ahmed Elkhamisy/YJI)
Anubis Shrine of Tutankhamun on display in the Egyptian Museum. (Ahmed Elkhamisy/YJI)

In Cairo we can see how history and time both change a city. We can clearly see the changes everywhere, starting from the Age of the Pharos until today.

We can start our journey into the city’s history from the great Pyramids of Giza which were built thousands of years ago.

Now, these pyramids are one of the most important historic places in the world.

Then came the Coptic age of Egypt, which left us many places and historic Christian churches that still exist.

An historic mosque. (Ahmed Elkhamisy/YJI)

Years later came the Islamic influence, which spread all over the country and made many renovations in the city, renaming it “Cairo.”

Islamic culture also left its print on the city by building places such as “Fatimid Cairo.”

Next, Cairo experienced being part of the kingdom of Egypt, which started in 1805 and lasted until 1952.

During this period, Egypt faced many Western occupations from both France for two years then the United Kingdom for 70 years. The excuse the occupiers gave was to protect Egypt. The kingdom was dealing with it under the condition of protecting the king.

At this time the city was affected a lot by Western culture. After visiting Paris and falling in love with Parisian style, the king built a whole new partition in Cairo called “Khedivial Cairo” that resembles Paris.

This part of the city looks like Europe and now it’s downtown Cairo, home to the most important places in the city. 

From the top of Cairo Tower, a view of Zamalek Island, a wealthy old neighborhood in Cairo. (Ahmed Elkhamisy/YJI)

Cairo today is in between the ancient places and historic buildings and the new modern housing projects with huge malls and trending places.

To me, Cairo will always be a living example of how time and diversity can affect a city.

Ahmed Elkhamisy is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.

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