Cairo

Cairo is the national capital of Egypt, set along the banks and islands of the Nile River where the delta begins. The Arabic name Al-Qahirah translates to the Victorious. Medieval travelers described the early quarters as the City of a Thousand Minarets because of the numerous Islamic domes and stone towers.

The Fatimid general Jawhar al-Siqilli founded Al-Qahirah in 969 north of the older garrison camp of Fustat. Saladin assumed control of the region in the late 12th century, building a limestone citadel to guard against invading crusaders. Mamluk sultans governed from this fortress between the 13th and early 16th centuries, establishing colleges, stone mosques, and trade caravansaries. The Ottoman Empire took the territory in 1517 and retained the city as an administrative provincial center. Rebuilding started under Muhammad Ali in the early 19th century, before Khedive Ismail oversaw Parisian-style boulevards and landscaped squares in the 1860s.

The Egyptian Parliament, national ministries, and the Supreme Constitutional Court convene in the capital district. El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company, established in the southern industrial quarter, builds commercial trucks and passenger buses. Olympic Group manufactures household appliances, specializing in electric water heaters and refrigerators. Orascom Construction builds transport infrastructure, commercial water plants, and processing facilities. Al-Ahram, based in the city since the 19th century, publishes daily newspapers and educational books. The Port of Cairo handles freight barges moving agricultural produce and construction gravel along the river.

Al-Azhar University organized academic teaching in the 10th century and continues higher instruction in Islamic theology and applied sciences. Khan el-Khalili dates to the late 14th century, trading in brass lanterns, woven rugs, and spices. The Egyptian Museum occupies an early 20th-century pavilion, housing pharaonic stone statuary and gold jewelry. The Cairo Tower stands 187 m (614 ft) tall on a central river island, featuring an exterior concrete lattice designed by architect Naoum Shebib. Al Ahly SC contests premier association football derbies and represents the city in continental club championships.