Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings
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Top Architectural Buildings in Cairo, Egypt
Architectural Buildings in Cairo
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Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings
Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings
Open now
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Architectural Buildings
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Open now
Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings
Architectural Buildings
Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
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Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
What travellers are saying
- Myo MCoquitlam, Canada20,851 contributionsReally a "big sprawling" site with the Muhammad Ali Mosque as its "main feature" but which is not the only one to visit at this site, I made a total of "four stops" each at a smaller site within this big site (but all four just pretty close to one another): the first stop at the "smaller mosque" which is just quite a plain one with its own "interior square" to walk around along the corridors on four sides (with just some specific item of a sundial or such where I was taken to by the caretaker gentleman); the second stop at the "main mosque" Muhammad Ali with some round-shaped pavilion-like structure in the middle of its "interior square" and where on one side of the square is a small-but-glittering clock tower and where on another side of the square by "looking up above" is really a great view of the "grand architecture" of the Mosque seen almost in its entirety with the main dome & the two tall minarets (with the only parts not seen from that square being the two smaller domes on the opposite side of the Mosque); the third stop at the viewpoint (actually located right on the back side of Muhammad Ali after going through its square) for a "nice panorama" of the city although the skyline with modern buildings is not nearby but kind of a distant view; and finally the fourth stop at the National Military Museum which is a "pretty sizeable" outdoor area with plenty of miscellaneous military hardware items on display (such as old cannons, modern artillery guns, tanks, armored vehicles some of which with rockets mounted on them & actually also 2 or 3 small planes) and where apart from those various armaments are also a number of stone busts of some great "warrior pharaohs" from the times past & also standing statues (somewhat larger than life-sized) of Egypt's "first two presidents".
After about a half-day of about 3.5 hours, I headed from here to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun at just a short 10-to-15-minute taxi ride away (not a great architectural-styled mosque as the Muhammad Ali Mosque at this site, but actually one with an "interior square" larger than that at Muhammad Ali and above all with a minaret "for going up" where from the top are nice views all around including that of this great citadel).Written 9 May 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - Myo MCoquitlam, Canada20,851 contributionsDefinitely one to "look up" to after entering through the gate to its front grounds, I would say that its exterior architecture which gives the Church somewhat of an appearance of "hanging in the air" (or "being lifted up from the ground"). In any case, fairly nice (although "kind of stuffy" at the time with quite a number of people & incense smoke in the air) is the Church's interior with its walls quite filled with portraits of saints & such (including that of the Virgin & the Baby Jesus) and also one row alongside a wall lined with "relics of saints" (not sure of the contents inside with their exteriors wrapped with colorful cloths); but yes actually above all else, the "most worthwhile" of my visit here is not for those inside but for those outside (along both sides of the front grounds of the Church) which are these colorful & "pretty sizeable" mosaics depicting religious scenes (including one of the Baby Jesus on a donkey or such with his parents by his side).
After arriving a little late in the day, I only had time for this church in the Coptic Christian area of the city (with just passing by another church looking like a basilica or such located right beside this one and nothing else seen such as some remains of the Babylon Fortress or such) although it was a nice delicious lunch at a restaurant nearby after the church visit (just a few-minute walk to the right after coming out of this church).Written 5 May 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - FaysordinarylifeEmirate of Ajman, United Arab Emirates69 contributionsA well preserved place. The architecture is so beautiful. Once you enter the place you feel you are in a different world. The entrance is so crowded. You can find all kind of stuff for shopping outside the madrassa.Written 23 December 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Ahmed AL-HABBAAQaha, Egypt560 contributionsVery beautiful palace, with a premium location beside the rive Nile. Very accessible. Free entry to Egyptians. Beautiful architecture with alot of wonderful paints and monuments.Written 28 March 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Osama TarekCairo, Egypt67 contributionsThe hole of Abdulrahman Kathkhuda is the best Sabil in the islamic world, it has a brilliant architecture that you will love to see and shot with your lens
P.s visit it in the morning to enter it from insideWritten 18 September 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - YB The BloggerCairo, Egypt117 contributionsOvernight sleeping Train to Luxor , approx 10 hour but it is amazing experience with the family .
They offer dinner and breakfastWritten 22 December 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - BobPrazToronto, Canada216 contributionsThis is actually two charming early 14th-century buildings facing each other (sort of like the al-Ghuri mosque-mausoleum complex near al-Azhar) on the street leading from the Sultan Hassan mosque to the Ibn Tulun Mosque. As a result, it's a nice location to admire on a walk between those two more impressive mosques. The mosque is on the north side of the street while the khanqah (a religious space and lodge for sufis/Muslim mystics) is on the south side.
If you're interested in Cairo's medieval (Mamluk) architecture, then they're worth a closer look. Although the two buildings look identical at first sight, they're actually different in many ways. The two minarets seem to be identical, however, and the visual effect of having them frame the street on both sides (almost like goal posts!) is clearly deliberate, and demonstrates how medieval builders were trying to dominate the skyline along certain important avenues in Cairo.
One interesting detail to notice on the outside of the khanqah is the pharaonic block above the doorway. The inside of that building, to my knowledge, is not open for visitors (or at least I've never seen it open). I don't think it's being used for anything currently.
The mosque, however, opens for prayer times only; you can usually have a look inside just after prayers finish, before the imam closes it up again. There are some lovely painted ceilings and other interesting details, including some excavations of a cistern (apparently) at the back. If you're only visiting the highlights of Islamic Cairo, though, it may not be worth going out of your way.Written 28 August 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - Galina LHurghada, Egypt8 contributionsAmazing place! In the middle of Islamic Cairo. The guide inside Sabil speaks Arabic only, but he is in love with his job and gives a lot of information about Sabil-kuttab and history of Egypt in general.
There are a lot of stands with explanations inside the Sabil-kuttab in English and Arabic.
Ticket is very cheap, 20LE for foreign adults, students and Egyptians tickets are cheaper.Written 13 December 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - Fatima solimanCairo Governorate, Egypt71 contributionsit's very easy to reach because it's located in the city between the museum and old Cairo, but needs half day to visit because it was built to be the royal house.
the palace has huge gardens and include some museums and representing the Arab culture and Islamic arts.Written 25 February 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cairo
- These places are best for architectural buildings in Cairo:
- Cairo Citadel
- Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary)
- Mosque-Madrassa of al Ghouri
- Aisha Fahmi Palace
- Qa'a of Muhhib Al-Din (Uthman Kathkhuda)