​Cairo - a city of a thousand minarets - PHOTO

Cairo. 19 April. REPORT.AZ/ Al Gahira or Cairo today is a huge metropolis, merged into a single unit with the other metropolis - Giza. 

Report presents a photo report from the capital of Egypt.

The name of the Egyptian capital and the largest city in Africa means "the victorious city". Cairo is located on both sides of the Nile river and has been inhabited for more than 6,000 years ago.

A gray, dusty, polluted city is extraordinarily beautiful, interesting and exciting, if you only take a closer look at him. Firstly, the city has assimilated a culture of all those who come here. Here you can see the rich European architecture, intricate architecture of the East, and do not get surprised if you see the minarets of the mosques in the style of Istanbul Hagia Sophia. Like thousands of years ago, today a huge impact on the life of the city has a religion. Cairo is not by chance called the city of "a thousand minarets" - the number of local mosques is staggering, to visit them all is almost impossible for ordinary tourists.

It is also possible to see a mosque, a synagogue and a Coptic church next to each other on the street.

Also Cairo has its inner city - the fortress of Selaheddin Ayub - very similar Ichari Sheher by its form and structure, only a bit larger though. An interesting element in the fortress of Selaheddin Ayub is a clock which has been granted by the French to locals in 19th century. The French wanted to get preferential treatment by giving this clock, that they have made, but ... the clock was defective, and since that time it has been constantly repaired. The Clock located in the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha, built in honor of the Ottoman governor.

Surprisingly, but a dusty Cairo has its wonderful parks. One park is Al-Azhar Park with spectacular views of the city, where you can even see the pyramids. But the most mysterious and breathtaking place in Cairo can be considered the City of the Dead. When in the 1960s the Aswan Dam was built in Egypt, they had to evict the residents of villages to the southern part of the city. People were paid money, and told that they could go wherever they want. People went to Cairo and settled there. The capital was difficult to take such a large number of people, so the number of cemeteries gradually began to increase. As a way out, the newcomers buried their loved ones in the yard or in the basement of the house. To this day, the children still sometimes chase the ball near the graves of their grandparents.

One more part of the city - the Nile Corniche deserves to be mentioned as well.. Cairo has seen many floods of the Nile. The river is tamed today, it no longer floods, but still has enormous influence on the culture, the way of life and economy of the country.

Well, what the east city does not have the eastern market ?! Islam forbids Muslims from gambling - casinos, slot machines, but has never been prohibited trading bargaining. You should never agree immediately on the proposed price, bargain and get your own price.

The city keeps living its unique life for many thousands of years. And, despite the turmoil in February 2011, the city and its residents gradually come to life, inviting visitors to plunge into the atmosphere of this incredible city.