The City of the Dead in Cairo

The City of the Dead is now one of the biggest cemetery areas in the world. It is an Islamic cemetery, and it is also inhabited by more than half a million people who find refuge amid impoverished conditions. It has become a tourist attraction. Small tours are organized so people can see historic tombs, mausoleums, and mosques, as well as see the cemetery dwellers.

This area was a place where the rich people and rulers were buried in the past, and some of the tombs and mausoleums are large and extravagant. The poor people of Egypt moved in for refuge amid the tombs and mausoleums. Some of the attractions in the area include the fortress called the Citadel of Cairo or the Saladin Citadel and Mumluk mausoleums. The City of the Dead is a place to visit for its past history and current way of life. But your experience may be improved by learning more about the cemetery area and planning before you enter.

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Some History of the City of the Dead

The City of the Dead,Cairo, Egypt.

In the 7th century, this area near the Nile River in Cairo was used as an Arab graveyard after they conquered Egypt. People started to live there early on. It became a place for people to find lodging when people visited the cemetery or Cairo. Groups established Islamic schools there.

The rulers of the various empires put their mausoleums in different places in the area. From 989 to 1171, the Fatimid dynasty ruled, and they built shrines and places for pilgrims to stay while visiting the cemetery. Then the Ayyubid rulers built their own and destroyed much of the Fatimid construction. The Mumluks are known for building some of the biggest and best built structures.

Starting around 1956, the poor people started arriving in a big influx. Then in 1992, an earthquake in the area brought another influx of people looking for a place to stay. The people of the area are usually shunned by others in Cairo, so they tend to marry among themselves. Now the area has its own distinctive culture.

It is now one of the biggest cemetery areas in the world, and the people say they need the shelter provided by the mausoleums and shrines. Apartments, houses, and shacks crowded into the area provide shelter for hundreds of thousands of people. Altogether, estimates of the popular range from 600,000 to a million.

During the day, you can see clothes lines stretched out and children playing in the streets and alleys. Among the tombs, people have crowded in shacks, houses, eating places, small shops, and even small apartments, but the sanitary conditions are poor.

The area is alongside some of the most popular places for tourists to go to in Cairo. It is by the Ramses Train Station and the Martyrs Square where the Martyrs metro station is. Many tourists use these stations when visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza that are nearby, so many people see one of the biggest modern necropolis in the world on their way to the most famous ancient necropolis in the world.

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What to See in the City of the Dead in Cairo

City of the Dead located outside Cairo, Egypt

The whole City of the Dead area is a huge area stretching across Cairo for 6 kilometers (4 miles). Six distinctive cemetery sections are in it. By planning, you can maximize your time in the places you are most interested in. Walking is not hard at the main attractions and is the best way to experience the area, but we recommend that having a private vehicle available is the best way to get around quickly and conveniently from spot to spot.

There are 6 cemetery areas in the City of the Dead:

1. Northern Cemetery (Al-Sahra') — Mumluk sultans built huge monuments and mausoleums that are often visited. This is the most often visited area of the City of the Dead because of the large construction. Autostrade is the eastern boundary and Salah Salim Highway is the western boundary.

2. Bab el Nasr Cemetery — This cemetery area might be the smallest. It is also the easiest to reach from the Martyrs metro station because it is only two kilometers or a mile away. You can walk through it to see the old city walls. In the past, it was a Fatimid cemetery. Hundreds of small shacks and houses have been built there. It is west of the Salah Salim Highway.

3. Al-Qarafa — This is the oldest cemetery. The first Arabic rulers buried their dead there, and Saladin built the Citadel of Cairo. The Citadel of Cairo marks the northern end of this sector, and Al-Basatin is the southern end.

4. Bab Al-Wazir Cemetery — This location is north of the Citadel mount. You can find Mumluk construction as well as a Fatimid cemetery.

5. Al-Sayyida Nafisa — This was known as the northern gateway area to Al-Qarafa, and it is known for Abbasid Caliphs tombs and Fatimid shrines. The western side of this sector is a modern cemetery.

Knowing a little about each will help you decide where to go to.

6. Zeinhom — No information: not a recommended area.

Book a Tour or Go Independently?

The Tombs of the Caliphs and the City of the Deads, Cairo, Egypt

The City of the Dead is so huge that you could visit it over several days. If you do not speak Arabic, going on a private tour with an English-speaking guide who is experienced and knows the area can make your tour more enjoyable and informative. He could also take you to the best places to eat and help negotiate for the crafts and artwork on sale there.

The private guide can also help with transportation so that you will not face the challenge of negotiating the public transportation or taking taxis. There is a lack of clear signage because not many foreigners visit. The taxi drivers in Cairo are known for scamming foreign tourists and sometimes stealing. Going at your own pace, you can have a flexible itinerary since you set the agenda. A good guide and driver can help you go and see and do what you enjoy.

How to Go to the City of the Dead in Cairo

Bab El-Wazir cemetery in Cairo, Egypt

The City of the Dead is convenient to reach because the Martyrs metro station (called Al Shohadaa Station), Ramses Square, and Cairo Station (Misr Station or Ramses Station) of Egyptian National Railways are on the west side of it. The Martyrs metro station is the meeting point of Line 1 and Line 2. The City of the Dead is also close to both the airport and the Pyramids of Giza.

So, it is convenient for travelers to go to see it or perhaps make a stop to visit while traveling. Ramses Square is one of the landmarks of Cairo. The Cairo Station of the Egyptian National Railways goes to other cities.

Metro

From Cairo University in western Cairo, you can take metro line 2 to Martyrs Station (ticket price about $1 USD).

From the Pyramids of Giza, you can take a taxi for about 11 minutes (perhaps $3 to $4 USD) to Cairo University. Then from there take metro line 2 to Martyrs Station. This trip might take only about 16 to 20 minutes. Or choose our hassle-free private tours to visit these areas.

From Cairo Airport (CAI), you can go to the Martyrs Train Station in about 19 minutes by taxi or vehicle to go to the western side of the City of the Dead.

From other cities using the railways, you can simply get off at Cairo Station and walk or take a taxi or private vehicle.

Walking

Other than taxis, public transportation in the necropolis area is limited. However, the best way to tour the area, see the sights and meet the people, shop and eat is to simply by walking. Though it stretches about 6 kilometers west to east, a good guide can take you through good routes to the places that interest you.

Walking Tour Distances

From Martyrs metro station to Bab Al-Nasr Cemetery

This cemetery is easy to reach from the Martyrs metro station because it is only two kilometers or a mile away. You can walk there in less than half an hour. If you walk through it going east, you can cross the Salah Salim Highway to reach the Northern Cemetery (Al-Sahra') that is the most often visited area of the City of the Dead.

From Ramses Square Martyrs metro station and Cairo Station to the Al-Qarafa Sector and the Citadel of Cairo or Saladin Citadel

You could take a taxi for about 6 minutes, but by walking, you could get there in about an hour including stopping to shop and buy snacks on the way. It is about an hour's walk going southwest from Ramses Square. It is on the north side of the Al-Qarafa cemetery. From the citadel, you could walk southwards and seen the Arab graves and mausoleums area.

To the Most Popular Northern Cemetery (Al-Sahra')

Mausoleum of Sultan Al Zaher Barquq, Cairo, Egypt

From the Cairo Citadel: This is a 40-minute walk northeast going direct. If you wish, you could stroll through Al-Azhar Park on the way, a large green park that has been listed as one of the 60 best city parks in the world. You can get drinks and refreshments and have a meal there. It used to be a garbage dump, but the land has recently been reclaimed and turned into a public park.

From the Ramses Square Martyrs metro station and Cairo Station: You could walk for about an hour. You would pass by Al-Azhar Park just to the south. Going by taxi or private vehicle would take about 7 minutes.

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For anyone who is willing to explore more of the City of the Dead, going inside with an experienced guide makes for a better and more convenient experience. He or she can help take you along the best routes and avoid getting lost and steer clear of crime. With a tailor-made trip, you can enjoy

the journey at your own pace as everything is well taken care of.