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| CAIRO | |||||||||||||||||
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| Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is a city of sharp contrasts between ancient and modern. Its site on the banks of the Nile has been occupied for thousands of years, but it was during the 10th century AD, under the Fatimid dynasty, that the walled city arose as the capital of an empire. Partly because of its key role in the lucrative spice trade, Cairo gained fame as one of the great cities of the medieval world and the Arabic word for Cairo, al-Qahirah, means ?victorious?. This period of glory during the Middle Ages was followed by invasions and decline until the latter half of the 19th century. Then a new European-style city, based on Baron Georges Haussmann?s grand plans for renovating Paris, was built next to the old one. Phenomenal population growth in the 20th century has resulted in the construction of dozens of suburbs to accommodate the vast number of residents, called Cairenes. | |||||||||||||||||
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| Blaring traffic, crowded pavements, and modern architecture dominate the western part of Cairo. The city?s ancient quarters are a maze of narrow streets dotted with historic mosques and lively outdoor bazaars, and congested by slow-moving donkey carts. City services have not kept pace with Cairo?s tremendous population growth, and many of the poorest residents have settled in makeshift housing. More than 200,000 people live in the City of the Dead, a huge area with the mausoleums and tombs of Cairo?s early religious leaders. Yet these urban challenges do not overshadow Cairo?s unsurpassed vitality, its cultural life, or its dramatic monuments, including the Sphinx and Great Pyramids, world-famous landmarks that are located in the nearby desert. | |||||||||||||||||
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| Giza?s Sphinx and the Great Pyramids The mysterious Sphinx, with its lion?s body and human head, and the perfect symmetry of the pyramids at Giza are world-renowned symbols of Egypt?s ancient heritage. The oldest of the three pyramids, all of which contain royal funeral chambers, was built around 2600 BC. The imposing statue of the Sphinx was formed from huge blocks of limestone more than 4,000 years ago. |
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| Sight from egyptian village. | |||||||||||||||||