Babylon Fortress, Cairo
The Babylon Fortress is often called the birthplace of Cairo. It is the oldest part of the city and dates back to the Bronze Age.
The Babylon Fortress gets its name from Babylon in Mesopotamia. It is believed that the area was once ruled by the Mesopotamian King, Nebuchadnezzar. It was later the site where the Roman Emperor Trajan placed his legions to subjugate the people of Egypt. At the time it marked the boundary between Middle and Lower Egypt. Today it is part of Coptic Cairo where the Christian population of the city lives. When the Arabs invaded Egypt, the fortress defended the city for seven months before falling to the army led by General Amr Ibn Al As.
Today the Babylon Fortress has several Coptic structures built into its walls. The towers are 10 meters high and have a diameter of 31 meters. It has a pattern typical of Roman fortresses with five blocks of limestone and three blocks of brick. There are six Coptic churches, a convent and the Coptic Museum within the walls. It is also called the Qasr el Shamee or the Palace of Candles because candles illuminated the towers on the first of every month.
The Babylon Fortress gets its name from Babylon in Mesopotamia. It is believed that the area was once ruled by the Mesopotamian King, Nebuchadnezzar. It was later the site where the Roman Emperor Trajan placed his legions to subjugate the people of Egypt. At the time it marked the boundary between Middle and Lower Egypt. Today it is part of Coptic Cairo where the Christian population of the city lives. When the Arabs invaded Egypt, the fortress defended the city for seven months before falling to the army led by General Amr Ibn Al As.
Today the Babylon Fortress has several Coptic structures built into its walls. The towers are 10 meters high and have a diameter of 31 meters. It has a pattern typical of Roman fortresses with five blocks of limestone and three blocks of brick. There are six Coptic churches, a convent and the Coptic Museum within the walls. It is also called the Qasr el Shamee or the Palace of Candles because candles illuminated the towers on the first of every month.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cairo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Babylon Fortress on Map
Sight Name: Babylon Fortress
Sight Location: Cairo, Egypt (See walking tours in Cairo)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cairo, Egypt (See walking tours in Cairo)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cairo, Egypt
Create Your Own Walk in Cairo
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cairo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Cairo Walking Tour
Old Cairo, otherwise known as Coptic Cairo or Masr al-Qadima, largely predates the city of Cairo as we know it. Some Egyptologists think that a settlement here existed as far back as the 6th century BC. Later, the Romans built on the site a fortress named Babylon. Today, this ancient threshold of history is still in place, its weathered ramparts and sturdy bastions bearing witness to the ebb and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Cairo Downtown Walking Tour
Egyptians often refer to Cairo as Ma峁, which is the Arabic name for Egypt. This is due to the city's importance for the country, in part manifested by its closeness to the ancient pyramids. Indeed, the area of present-day Cairo has been the center of Egypt since the days of the pharaohs. The strategic territory at the base of the Nile Delta first hosted the town of Memphis.
By the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
By the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
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