Al-Azhar Park Half Day Tour

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Explore Cairo’s history and beauty on the Al-Azhar Park Half Day Tour. Visit iconic landmarks and enjoy breathtaking city views. Book now!

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Bab Zuweila - Your journey begins with a pickup from your hotel in Cairo or Giza by an Emo Tours guide, who will take you to Bab Zuwayla. This iconic monument, with its grand dimensions, flawless stonework, and elegant twin minarets atop its rounded towers, is a standout in Cairo. It is the last remaining gate of the city’s southern wall from the Fatimid era. Located at the end of Khiyamiyya Street, it opens onto the historic al-Muizz Street, leading to Bab al-Futuh. Constructed by the Fatimid vizier Badr al-Jamali in 485 AH/1092 AD, the gate was named after the Zuwayla tribe from North Africa, who settled near it. Also known as Bawabat al-Mitwalli, it was named after the mitwalli al-hesba, the finance and tax official stationed there. Mitwalli, considered “one of the righteous friends of Allah,” is believed to perform miracles in this area.
Qalawun Complex - The Qalawun complex (Arabic: مجمع قلاون) is a vast religious complex in Cairo, Egypt, built by Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun between 1284 and 1285. Situated at Bayn al-Qasrayn on al-Mu’izz street, it includes a hospital (bimaristan), a madrasa, and a mausoleum. Despite controversies during its construction, it is celebrated as a major monument of Islamic Cairo and Mamluk architecture, renowned for its contributions to legal scholarship, charitable activities, and its rich architectural design.
Aqsunqur Mosque - The Aqsunqur Mosque (Arabic: مسجد آق, Turkish: Aksungur Camii), also known as the Blue Mosque (Arabic: الجامع الأزرق, Turkish: Mavi Cami) or the Mosque of Ibrahim Agha (Arabic: مسجد إبراهيم أغا مستحفظان, Turkish: İbrahim Ağa Camii), is located in Cairo, Egypt. It is one of several “blue mosques” worldwide. Found in the Tabbana Quarter (Darb al-Ahmar district) in Islamic Cairo, between Bab Zuweila and the Citadel of Cairo, the mosque also serves as a funerary complex. It houses the mausoleums of its founder Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur, his sons, several children of the Bahri Mamluk sultan an-Nasir Muhammad, and its main restorer, Ibrahim Agha al-Mustahfizan.
al-Salih Tala’i Mosque - The Mosque of al-Salih Tala’i (Arabic: مسجد الصالح طلائع) is a late Fatimid-era mosque built by the vizier Tala’i ibn Ruzzik in 1160. Located south of Bab Zuweila, just outside the southern entrance to old Cairo’s walled city, the mosque was commissioned by Tala’i ibn Ruzzik, a powerful vizier of the Fatimid Caliphate. As the Fatimid Caliphate ended in 1171, this mosque is the last major Fatimid monument still standing. Some of its original decorative elements influenced post-Fatimid architecture in Cairo.
Al-Aqmar Mosque - Al-Aqmar mosque, located on al-Muizz Street, was commissioned by the Fatimid Caliph al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah in 519 AH/1125 AD. Supervised by Vizier al-Ma’mun al-Bata’ihi, it was renovated during Sultan Barquq’s reign in 799 AH/1397 AD under Prince Yalbugha al-Salmi. The mosque’s main façade is one of Egypt’s oldest surviving stone façades, featuring intricate stone carvings and repeated phrases like “Muhammad and Ali” alongside Qur’anic verses in Kufic script. The architect skillfully aligned the façade with the street while maintaining the prayer direction inside. The Coptic Museum’s façade, built in the 20th century, was inspired by Al-Aqmar Mosque’s design.
Madrasa of Sultan Barquq - The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq, also known as the Mosque-Madrasa-Khanqah of Az-Zaher Barquq (Arabic: مسجد ومدرسة وخانقاه الظاهر برقوق), is a religious complex in Islamic Cairo, Egypt. Commissioned by Sultan al-Zahir Barquq, it was built between 1384 and 1386 CE (786 to 788 AH) as a school for religious education in the four Islamic schools of thought. The complex includes a mosque, madrasa, mausoleum, and khanqah, with the dome added last. It was the first major structure built during the Circassian (Burji) dynasty of the Mamluk Sultanate. Located on Muizz Street, it forms a significant part of the Mamluk architectural ensemble in the Bayn al-Qasrayn area, alongside the Complex of Sultan Qalawun and the Madrasa of al-Nasir Muhammad.
Bab El Nasr - Bab al-Nasr (Gate of Victory) is a gate in the northern wall of Fatimid Cairo, opening onto al-Gamaliya Street. Built in 480 AH/1087 AD by vizier and commander-in-chief Badr al-Jamali during Caliph al-Mustansir bi Allah’s reign, it replaced an earlier brick gate by Cairo’s founder, Jawhar al-Siqilli. Badr constructed a new stone tower farther north, originally named Bab al-Izz (Gate of Glory), but it retained the name Bab al-Nasr. The gate features two square towers with an entrance between them, adorned with shields in raised relief, symbolizing the protective role of the Fatimid fortifications.
Bab al-Futuh - Bab al-Futuh is a gate in the northern wall of Fatimid Cairo, opening onto al-Muizz Street, which leads to Bab Zuwayla. Built by vizier and commander-in-chief Badr al-Jamali during Caliph al-Mustansir Billah’s reign in 480 AH/1087 AD, it, along with Bab al-Nasr and Bab Zuwayla, exemplifies pre-Crusades military architecture in the Islamic world. Initially named Bab al-Iqbal (Gate of Prosperity), it retained the name of the older gate it replaced, Bab al-Futuh. The gate’s two towers have rounded fronts, connected by a platform with shafts for pouring boiling oil on invaders. The arch is decorated with a diamond lattice, each containing a sculpted shape.
Al Moez Ldin Allah Al Fatmi - Al-Muizz li-Din Allah al-Fatimi Street is a major north-to-south street in historic Cairo, Egypt. Dating back to the city’s foundation by the Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century, it was the city’s main artery, often called the Qasaba. It was the central axis of Cairo’s economic zones, with concentrated souqs (markets). The street’s prestige attracted many monumental religious and charitable buildings, making it a dense repository of historic Islamic architecture, especially in the Bayn al-Qasrayn area, which features some of Islamic Cairo’s most important monuments.
Bayt Al-Suhaymi - Located on al-Darb al-Asfar Lane in al-Gamaliyya on al-Muizz Street, Bayt Al-Suhaymi is a prime example of Cairo’s domestic architecture. The first part of the house was established by Shaykh Abd al-Wahhab al-Tablawi in 1058 AH / 1648 AD, with a later section added by Haji Ismail Chelebi in 1211 AH / 1796 AD, merging the two parts into one house. Named after its last resident, Shaykh Muhammad Amin al-Suhaymi, a senior scholar and Shaykh of the Turkish riwaq of al-Azhar mosque during the Ottoman Period, the house was sold to the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Antiquities in 1931 for six thousand pounds. It features several buildings around a picturesque courtyard, with facades adorned with wooden mashrabiyyas (grilled windows), a large Maq’ad (seated balcony), and a furnished reception hall.
Al-Azhar Park - The Aga Khan Trust for Culture appointed Sites International to develop and design the master plan, landscape architecture, selected architecture, and site supervision/project management of Al Azhar Park. The 74-acre site, atop a 500-year-old landfill, is uniquely situated amidst Old Cairo’s splendor, bordered by the 800-year-old Ayyubid wall. The design theme draws from Old Cairo’s Islamic heritage, aiming to provide green open space for the densely populated city. The master plan features a major pedestrian spine running north-south, linking the park’s varied landscape elements. Furniture and lighting fixtures were custom-designed by Sites International, using local artisans from a nearby quarry district. The tour concludes with a drop-off at your hotel.

What's Included

Private transportation
Tour guide
Bottled water
In-vehicle air conditioning
Entry tickets

What's Not Included

Gratuities

Additional Information

Explore the rich history and beauty of Cairo with our Al-Azhar Park Half Day Tour. This guided tour will take you to iconic landmarks such as El Moez Le Din Allah Street, Bayt El Sehaymi, and the stunning Al-Azhar Park. Discover the intricate architecture and vibrant culture of these historic sites as you wander through the bustling streets of Cairo. Immerse yourself in Egypt’s past while enjoying breathtaking views of the city from Al-Azhar Park. Book your tour today and experience the magic of Cairo like never before.