Excursion tour in Cairo. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

» The Pyramid of Cheops has another name: The Pyramid of Khufu. The construction officially began in 2470 BC.
»  For over three thousand years, the pyramid had been the highest on Earth – 146.6 metres; over time it became 138.75 m.
»  It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World and the last one that still exists.
»  The base of the structure is 53,000 square metres, which roughly equals 10 football fields. The total weight of the pyramid is 5 million tons.
»  The pyramid was built of large stone blocks. The average weight of one block is about 2.5 tons, and the largest one weighs 15 tons.
»  There was an entrance covered with granite blocks at a height of 15.63 metres. Nowadays tourists enter the pyramid through a breach made in 820.
»  The pyramid has three burial chambers placed one above the other, but according to scientists, they had never been used for burial. Scientists have put forward many hypotheses about the technology used to build the pyramid, but none of them was confirmed.

» The Mosque of Muhammad Ali was built between 1830 and 1848 and is located in the Citadel of Cairo. It was built in memory of his beloved son who died at the age of 22.
»  There is also a tomb of Muhammad Ali himself who died in 1849. His body was moved here in 1857. The burial sarcophagus is made of very valuable Carrara marble imported from Italy.
»  The mosque is located on the highest point of the city and can be seen from any part of the city. It’s a very beautiful colourful construction crowned with a large dome that is 52 metres high and 21 metres in diameter and has two high pointed minarets.
»  There is a huge prayer hall (1,600 square metres) inside.
»  Both the inside and outside of the building are decorated with carved patterns. A clock tower was erected in the courtyard of the temple. This clock was presented by King Louis Philippe of France.
»  The mosque is the main landmark of Cairo, so all tourists, even women, are allowed to enter it, but a certain dress code should be followed.

» The Cairo Tower was built by Naoum Shebib between 1956 and 1961. The exterior of the tower was designed in the Arabic style and decorated with concrete grids.
»  It looks like a high minaret from afar. The tower is 187 m high.
»  On the upper floors, there is an observation platform with telescopes and a revolving restaurant on it. Here, visitors are serviced by waiters dressed like pharaohs.
»  On the ground floor, there is a night club where visitors can enjoy the performance of eastern beauties and professional dancers.
»  The local legend says that the Cairo Tower was built at the expense of the CIA when General Nahib took a bribe and gave money to Abdel Nasser. However, adamant Nasser ordered to give money to the Revolutionary Command Council that decided to build this tower.

» The Cairo Opera House is the biggest and most famous theatre in Africa and the Middle East. It was built in 1988 after the old theatre constructed in 1869 had been set on fire.
»  Japan helped build the Opera House after President Hosni Mubarak visited the country. The joint team of Japanese and Egyptian architects developed the project of the theatre in the Islamic style.
»  The building is equipped with sophisticated and modern audiovisual systems. In the building, there are three audience halls. The Main Hall has three tiers and a presidential box and seats 1 300 spectators. The Small Hall seats 500 spectators. The Open-Air Theatre can seat up to 1 000 people.
»  Here, you can enjoy opera and ballet performances and symphony concerts. The repertoire also includes concerts of famous troupes from different countries.
»  The Ballet of the Bolshoi Theatre performed on the Cairo stage three times.
»  In the ballet troupe of the theatre, Russian and Ukrainian dancers work.
»  Men can enter the Main Hall only if they are dressed in a jacket and a tie.