Cairo Citadel

Cairo Citadel

The Citadel of Cairo

The Citadel of the Mountain (Jabal al- Qal) in Cairo is one of the major works of military architecture of the Middle Ages. Located on a spur that has been artificially cut off from the Mokattam Hills, the citadel overlooking the city of Cairo and turned back to the rocky hills and the desert behind . Founded by Salah al -Din al- Ayyubi ( Saladin ) in 1176 AD, the citadel was a sign of the coming of a new regime whose roots were strangers and tastes were military. For nearly seven centuries (1206-1874 AD), it was the seat of government for the Ayyubids (1171-1250 AD ), Mamluks (1250-1516 AD ), Ottomans (1516-1798 AD), and Muhammad Ali Family (1798-1952 AD), as well as a real and symbolic barrier between the rulers and the ruled. During this long period, it was the theater in which the history of Egypt was played.

The Citadel is one of the greatest monuments in the world of medieval warfare, especially when viewed from the rear (north), the Citadel reveals a very medieval character.

The area where the Citadel is now started, that's life not as a major military base of operations, but also the" Dome of the Wind", a pavilion created in 810 by Hatim Ibn Hartama, who was then governor. In fact , this area was well known for its cool breeze. These early governors, not realizing its strategic importance, it is sufficient to use the pavilion for its view of Cairo. Between 1176 and 1183, Salah ad -Din (Saladin to Westerners 1171-1193 AD), an Abbasid Ruler, fortified the area to protect against the attacks of the Crusaders, and since then has never been without a military garrison. Originally, it served as both a fortress and a royal city.

Legend has it that Salah ad -Din chose the site for its healthy air. The story goes that he hung pieces of meat around Cairo. Everywhere rotten meat in a day, with the exception of the Citadel area where it remained fresh for several days. But in reality , this provides a strategic advantage both to dominate Cairo and to defend outside attackers . Salah ad -Din had come from Syria where each town had a kind of fortress to act as a stronghold for the local ruler so it was natural that he would bring this custom in Egypt.

Early Photograph of the Citadel

Salah ad- Din techniques were used to build the most modern fortress from the time of the construction of the original citade. Large , round towers were built in projection on the walls and the defenders could direct flanking fire on those who could climb the walls . The walls themselves were ten meters (30 feet) high and three meters (10 ft ) thick.

Early Photo Showing the Citadel from the Back Side

The Bir Yusuf (the good of Salah ad -Din ) was dug to provide occupants of the fortress with an inexhaustible source of drinking water. Some 87 meters (285 ft ) deep, it was cut but rock solid to the water table. This is not just a tree. There is a big enough ramp for the animals to descend into the well to run machinery that lifted the water. Unfortunately, the well is closed to tourists these days.

Most of the fortification was built after the reign of Salah ad -Din, as added by almost all invaders including the British, some of which have destroyed much of what existed before them.

After the death of Salah al- Din , his nephew, Al- Kamil, reinforced the Citadel by enlarging several of the towers. More precisely, he locked the Burg al -Haddad (blacksmith Tower) and Burgar - Ramlab ( Sand Tower ) making them fully three times larger. These two towers controlled the narrow passage between the Citadel and the Mokattam hills. Al- Kamil also built a number of large dungeons ( turns) around the perimeter of the walls, three of which can still be seen overlooking the Citadel parking area . These massive structures were square , up to 25 meters ( 80 feet ) high and 30 meters (100 ft) wide. In 1218, the death of the father of al- Kamil, Sultan al- Kamil now transferred his residence to the Citadel where he built his palace in what is now the southern district. While the palace is no longer exits, until the construction of Abdeen Palace in the mid 19th century it was the seat of government for the country of Egypt.

When Mumluks finally overthrew the Ayyubid leadership in 1250, their sultan Baybars al- Bunduqdari ( 1260-1277 ) settled in al- Kamil palace. He isolated the compound of the palace by the construction of a wall that divided the fortress into two separate enclosures connected by the Bab (gate) al- Qullah . The area was once the palace is considered the southern district stood , while most of the Citadel is considered appropriate housing in the North.

An- Nasir Muhammad, an interesting Sultan of that time who ruled during three distinct periods (1294-1295, 1299-1309 and 1310-1341) demolished most of the old buildings inside the South and replace much larger structures. Unfortunately, the only remaining factory built by him is the An- Nasir Mohammed Mosque . It was begun in 1318 and completed in 1355 and is located near the door of the cabinet. We also know he has built a large courtroom with a large green dome dominating the other structures inside the South. Beside it was built the Qasr al- Ablaq (striped palace) with its black and yellow marble . This palace , used for official ceremonies and conduct the affairs of the state, was a staircase leading to the lower chamber and the royal stables where An- Nasir kept 4,800 horses.

The Ottomans controlled Egypt in one way or another between 1517 and the early 20th century, with the exception of a brief French occupation. Much of what we see of the Citadel actually dates from this period. The lower chamber where the stables of An -Nasir came to be known as al- Azab name because some of the Ottoman soldiers, known as the Azab regiments were stationed in the lower chamber. These soldiers were not allowed to marry until they retired , and in fact the word Azab can be translated as " license."

The Ottomans rebuilt the wall that separates the North and South boxes and the Bab al- Quallah. They also built the tallest tower in the Citadel today, Burg al- Mokattam that rises above the entrance to the Citadel Salah Saalem off road . The tower is 25 meters (80 feet ) high and has a diameter of 24 meters (79 ft). In 1754 , the Ottomans rebuilt the walls of the lower chamber and added a fortified gate called Bab el- Azab.

Bab el-Azab between the two rounds

From the late 16th century until the French occupation, the strict military structure of Ottoman soldiers gradually deteriorated . During this period, the Azab troops began to marry, and have even been allowed to build their own home in the fortress. By the mid 17th century, the Citadel became a gated community with private shops and other commercial and public baths and a maze of small streets.

The Ottoman Muhammad Ali Pasha, one of the great builders of modern Egypt , came to power in 1805 , and was responsible for considerable alteration and building within the Citadel. He rebuilt much of the exterior walls and replaced most of the buildings of the decaying interior . He also reversed the roles housings North and South , which makes the housing northern his private domain, while the southern district was opened to the public. His Mohammed Ali Mosque, built in the Ottoman style called Baroque that imitates the great religious mosques of Istanbul, today dominates the southern district .

South of the mosque in Hawsh is the (Jewel) Palace Gawharah. This structure was built between 1811 and 1814 and houses the Egyptian government until it was transferred to Abdeen Palace .

Today, there is also a museum of the National Police to the Citadel. It was built on the site of the Mamluk Striped Palace just opposite the Mosque of An- Nasir Muhammad . It features displays of law enforcement dating back to the dynastic period . However, in 1983, a room lined palace was discovered buried under the rubble, and can be seen at the southern end of the terrace. The terrace offers a magnificent view of Cairo.

Just through the Bab al- Qullah inside the North, there is Muhammad Ali Harem palace that was built in the same style as Ottoman Jewel Palace . The statue is in front of Ibrahim Pasha by Charles Cordier. The palace served as the residence of the family for the Khedive until the government was moved to Abdeen Palace . It was a military hospital during the British occupation and was returned to Egyptian control after World War II . Since 1949 , he was the Military Museum of Egypt (founded by King Farouk ). While the museum has many artifacts illustrating warfare in Egypt , one of the most interesting attractions is the summer show. This room contains a complex system of marble fountains, ponds and canals designed as a cooling system, and this is probably the last of these examples in Cairo. In the courtyard of the livery behind the gate of the museum is a statue of Sulayman Pasha that originally was in the city center. Just beyond the museum is a small Carriage Museum in what was the mess British officer until 1946. Borrowed from the Carriage Museum more Bulak , it contains eight cars used by the family of Muhammad Ali. Just behind the museum is in the Burg - Turfah (Masterpiece Tower) , one of the largest square towers built by al- Kamil in 1207.

Near the northern end of the housing is the mosque of Suleiman Pasha Mosque.Suleiman is not as big in size as is or Muhamed Ali Al -Nasir, but it is decorated and adorned with a fine example of a mosque Ottoman style. Despite all this.

The highlight of the Citadel may be the view it offers of Cairo. Looking out of the city, one can appreciate how the city earned its nickname, "The city of a thousand minarets ", and on a clear day, you can even make the outline of the Giza pyramids in the distance.


Today, the Citadel is the most visited monument in Islamic Egypt. In the walls of several large buildings that are open to the public, including the famous Muhammad Ali Mosque (1828-1848 AD), which dominates the skyline of Cairo, the Mosque of Sultan al- Nasir Muhammad (1318), Sulayman Pasha mosque ( 1528 AD ) ; Gawhara palace and several museums.