Cairo
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world, situated near the ancient pyramids of Giza along the banks of the Nile River.
The pyramids most people associate with Cairo actually predate the city by roughly 3,500 years, making them older to Cairo's own founders than Cairo is to us today.
Founded by the Fatimids
Cairo was founded in 969 CE by the Fatimid dynasty as a new capital following their conquest of Egypt, though the region had already been home to earlier settlements for centuries. The city's name derives from the Arabic al-QΔhirah, meaning "the victorious."
A Center of Islamic Scholarship
Cairo grew into one of the medieval world's great centers of trade, culture, and Islamic scholarship, anchored by Al-Azhar University, founded in 970 CE and considered one of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world, still a leading center of Sunni Islamic learning today.
Neighbor to Ancient Wonders
Though closely associated with them in the popular imagination, the Giza pyramid complex significantly predates the founding of Cairo itself, having been built roughly 3,500 years earlier by ancient Egyptian civilizations, making the pyramids far older than the city that grew up nearby.
Modern Metropolis
Today, Cairo is a sprawling megacity of over 20 million people in its greater metropolitan area, serving as the political, economic, and cultural heart of modern Egypt. Its historic Islamic architecture, bustling markets such as Khan el-Khalili, and position along the Nile continue to draw visitors from around the world.
