Day Tour Visit Islamic Religion Historical Sights

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Coptic Cairo

   Cairo's day tours to Christian and Islamic Sights starts at with Pickup from your hotel in Cairo By Tour guide to Start your full day tour visiting Old Cairo that known as Christian Coptic Cairo which is Among the most important locations visited by the Holy Family where the spiritual impact of their presence is most felt still, There you will be able to visit and Enter the Church of Abu-Sergah and St. Barbara, the hanging church, and the old jewish synagogue – Ben Ezra Synagogue.

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

2. Synagogue Ben Ezra

   The Ben Ezra Synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת בן עזרא; Arabic: معبد بن عزرا), sometimes referred to as the El-Geniza Synagogue (בית כנסת אל גניזה) or the Synagogue of the Levantines (al-Shamiyin), is situated in the Fustat part of Old Cairo, Egypt. According to local folklore, it is located on the site where baby Moses was found. This was the synagogue whose geniza or store room was found in the 19th century to contain a treasure of forgotten, stored-away Hebrew, Aramaic and Judeo-Arabic secular and sacred manuscripts. The collection, known as the Cairo Geniza, was brought to the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England at the instigation of Solomon Schechter. It is now divided between several academic libraries, with the majority being kept at the Cambridge University Library.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

3. The Hanging Church

   Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, is one of the oldest churches in Egypt which dates to the third century. It belongs to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage. The church is approached by twenty-nine steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church". The land surface has risen by some six metres since the Roman period, so the Roman tower is mostly buried below ground, reducing the visual impact of the church's elevated position. The entrance from the street is through iron gates under a pointed stone arch. The nineteenth-century facade with twin bell towers is then seen beyond a narrow courtyard decorated with modern art biblical designs. Up the steps and through the entrance is a further small courtyard leading to the eleventh-century outer porch.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

4. The Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Barbara is one of the many famous Coptic Orthodox parishes that can be found in the district of Coptic Cairo. The building is located on the eastern part of the Babylon Fortress and is one of the oldest buildings in Cairo, dating back to the 5th or 6th century AD. However, like many other buildings of Coptic architecture, it was rebuilt several times, most notably by the end of the 11th century. St. Barbara's Church stands north of the Coptic Museum and is east of the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga), on the eastern side of Fort Babylon. It was originally dedicated to Abu Kir and Yohanna (or Ss. Cyrus and John). When the remains of St. Barbara were brought here, a separate sanctuary was built. Thus, there are now two separate churches that were built on this location. Athanasius, a wealthy scribe and a secretary of Abdel-Aziz Ibn Marwan (governor of Egypt between 685 and 705 AD), had built the church.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

5. Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus

   The Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchus, also known as Abu Serga, is built upon an ancient Roman fort in Old Cairo. The history of the church is still being debated. Some scholars believe that it dates to the late fourth to early fifth centuries AD, while others believe that it should approximately be dated to 17th century AD. This church has acquired a special religious status among Coptic churches because it is associated with the Holy Family's journey through Egypt. It is named after renowned early fourth century AD saints, Sergius and Bacchus, both of whom were martyred at al-Resafa in Syria for their Christian beliefs. Like various other early Christian churches, the Church of Abu Serga and its underground cave are designed in the basilica layout, and thus together consist of three parts: the narthex, nave, and sanctuary. The church is characterized by its unique architectural and artistic elements that reflect the spirit of Coptic church architecture in Egypt.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

6. Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As

   Then transfer to Islamic start with The mosque of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As is the oldest surviving mosque in Egypt and Africa. General ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs was one of the first companions of the Prophet Muhammad. After conquering Egypt in 20 AH/640 AD, he founded its first Islamic capital, Fustat, which falls within the modern city of Cairo. A year later, by order of the Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, he also founded the eponymous mosque of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, which thus became the new capital’s very first building. During the early years following the conquest, the mosque served as a place of gathering for Muslim community and ‘Amr’s troops, which at the time remained a minority in Egypt. Several of the Prophet’s companions assisted in the building’s construction, including al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awam and Ubada ibn al-Samit. The structure underwent many architectural changes throughout its lifetime, such that very little of the original survives today.

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

7. Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan

   The Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan is one of the largest and architecturally exquisite mosques in all of Egypt. It was commissioned by the Mamluk sultan Hasan ibn al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun sometime between 757 AH/1356 AD and 764 AH/1362 AD, and is located at the end of Muhammad Ali Street, opposite its nineteenth century neighbor al-Rifa’i mosque in Salah al-Din Square. The mosque consists of an open courtyard with fountain in its centre. The courtyard is surrounded by four iwans (a rectangular space that is open on one side). Doorways at the four corners of the courtyard allow access into four madrasas, educational institutions, where the four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence were taught. Each consists of a court and iwan, in addition to the rooms of the students and annexed service units. The mosque has two minarets built in the Mamluk style.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

8. Located on Salah al-Din Square, al-Rifa’i Mosque was built in the nineteenth century to Equivalent its fourteenth-century neighbor, the mosque of al-Sultan Ḥassan. The mosque gets its name from the tomb of Ali who was known as "Abu Sheibak", he was the grandson of imam Ahmad al-Rifa’i. when the mosque was completed, it was imputed directly to Ahmad al-Rifa’i who founded the Rifa’i Sufi order. Although he was never buried here, the mosque witness a joyous annual Sufi celebrations commemorating his birth. The original structure was a Fatimid mosque, which was then transformed into a shrine for Ali Abu Sheibak. Finally, Hoshiyar Hanim, the mother of Khedive Ismail, commissioned the current design of the mosque and put in charge of the construction the architect Hussein Pasha Fahmi. Part of the plan was to have a mausoleum for the family of Muhammad Ali as part of the extension, which was made by imported building materials from Europe, such as Italian marble.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

9. Citadel of Saladin

   The Citadel of Sultan Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin) is one of the most iconic monuments in Islamic Cairo, and among the most impressive defensive fortresses dating to the Middle Ages. Its strategic location on the Muqattam Hills gave it a formidable defensive position, and offered, as it still does today, an unrestricted panoramic view of Cairo. Sultan Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi was the first to order the construction of a fortress over the Muqattam Hills in (572 AH/ 1176 AD), but it was not completed during his lifetime. This was achieved during the reign of Sultan al-Kamel ibn al-Adel (604 AH/1207 AD) who decided to reside in it, making it the official residence of the rulers of Egypt. In the mid-nineteenth century, Khedive Ismail moved the official residence to Abdeen Palace in downtown Cairo.

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

Where it starts and ends

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

ar, de, en, it, fr, es

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 15 travelers per booking

Operated by

Book My Egypt Tours

Know before you go

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Entrance fees -Depending on the Tour Options Chosen

Photos