Discount Hotels Cairo
Historical interest: Cairo
    
Cairo is an ideal case study of so many aspects of Middle Eastern culture and
history; many of the most important historical figures have passed through Cairo.
Today the city is very much a blend of the old and new, the traditional and the
modern. When many people think of Cairo, they think of the pyramids. But that
is only the beginning.
Officially speaking, Cairo was founded in 969 AD. However, to claim that Cairo
is merely a thousand years old is, in fact, historically inaccurate. The city's
long journey across history started more than four millennia ago.
Throughout the ages, Cairo managed to survive by fulfilling its rulers' wishes,
be they ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs or Turks. To please them, the
city assumed various names: Memphis, Heliopolis, Babylon-in-Egypt, Al-Fustat,
Al-Qataei, Al-Askar and most recently, Al-Qahira.
For some perspective on the antiquity of Cairo, consider the fact that, in
the 5th century BC, the great Greek historian Herodotus visited the then 2,000-year-old
pyramids - as a tourist.
About 5,000 years ago, Narmer (Menes) unified Egypt and became the first Pharaoh.
Narmer chose the site of Memphis, about 25kms south of today's downtown Cairo,
as his capital. About 400 years later, the Sphinx and the Pyramids were built
at Giza.
After the long rule of the Pharaohs, Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great
in 332 BC, and by Rome in 30 BC. At one point, it was even part of the Byzantine
Empire. Christianity arrived around 50 AD, and Islam came with the armies of
Amr Ibn al-'As in 640 AD.
After the death of Saladin in 1193, a period of unrest lasted until the Mongols
invaded in 1258. Later invaders included the Ottomans in 1517, and the French
and British briefly from 1798 until 1811, before Muhammad Ali took control of
the country.
The 1860s was a significant era for Cairo. The booming cotton industry and
the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 meant that the city went through a period
of growth and modernization.
The 20th century saw significant events such as military coups, two wars with
Israel and international crises over the ownership of the vital Suez Canal.
Cairo is a modern city but, because of its long and varied history, it is at
the same time an ancient one.
Selection of hotels in this region:
InterContinental Semiramis Cairo | | Sheraton Cairo Hotel Towers & Casino | | El Gezirah Sheraton Hotel, Towers & Casino | | Pyramids Park Inter-Continental Resort | | Sheraton Heliopolis, Towers and Casino | | Le Meridien Pyramids | |
Click below for a
full list of hotels and online booking
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