#671 Old Cairo, Egypt

Of all the legendary old medinas in the Middle East, Cairo's is probably the original. Because of Egypt's central location and historical importance to Europeans, it's also likely that this was the one that was first encountered by many. The layers of civilization, from the Roman ruins of the Babylon Fortress, to some of the earliest Christian churches and Judaic synagogues, to mosques, madrasas, and hammams, with modern shops and markets being the most recent layer are interwoven and full of heritage. Founded in the 10th Century, reaching its peak in the 14th Century, it has long been the center of the Islamic and Arabic World. With no less than 600 registered historic monuments or buildings dating from the 7th to the 20th centuries, it has a wealth of urban examples from all eras such as the middle ages to the modern times.

Wandering an old Islamic city is probably one of my favorite things to do, and Cairo's old city did not disappoint. Starting with the busy tourist bazaar and ending up in random back streets with lights strung up, people's washing hanging up to dry, and cats sunning themselves on a chair, it is always exciting.

On the eastern banks of the Nile River Caliph Omar founded his enclosed city of Al-Fustat in 640 after the death of the Prophet Mohamed sent the Muslim armies conquering neighboring lands. The plain and severe mosque of the Prophet in Medina (Mosque of 'Amr ibn al-'As) was built. The later Abbasids preferred their suburb of Al-Aksar to the north, while partial independence with Governor Ahmed Ibn-Tulun (870) meant the development of Al-Qatai in the northeast, including the magnificent Mosque of Ibn-Tulun, although Abbasids destroyed much of the area when they returned. This was also a time when the Jewish population founded their Ben Ezra Synagogue (in 882). The Fatimids created the quarters of Al-Qahira and Al-Azhar from 969, and although their name and many towers, walls and gates survive, their two grand palaces do not. 1172 saw the arrival of Saladin of the Ayubbids, and the first Mameluke mosques.

While most Egyptians converted to Islam in the 12th Century, Cairo and Egypt have a 12-million-strong population of Coptic Christians (despite centuries of persecution from rulers and Crusaders), the oldest Christian denomination founded by Saint Mark the Apostle, and their base is Old Cairo.

In addition to this, there is the presence of the Greek Orthodox Church with the Church and Monastery of St. George, though the most famous church in Old Cairo is the Hanging Church, St. Virgin Mary's or 'the Staircase Church' (due to its 29 approaching steps) founded in 690, which is built over part of the walls of a Babylon Fortress gate.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Cairo
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/89
http://wikitravel.org/en/Cairo/Old_Cairo

#743 Ceuta & Melilla, Spain




www.marrocos.com

When I lived in Morocco, the two African enclaves belonging to Spain fascinated me. That Spain would continue to claim such a territory in a vestige of colonialism was crazy, especially with repeated calls from Morocco to return them. It is also ironic considering that Spain demands the return of Gibraltar (#877). Despite being strategic port cities, they have little appeal for most Spaniards to the point that the Spanish government had to offer them tax-free status in order for them to get people to live there.

Mellila according to www.paradiseintheworld.com

http://hablemosunpocodetodo.blogspot.com/2010/08/ceuta-y-melilla.html

They were a convenient place for us to be able to renew our Moroccan visas, but an unfortunate flat tire set us back so when we arrived at Mellila in the middle of the night, I felt bad leaving our Moroccan friend alone on the Moroccan side (with the rental car that could not cross), that I never even got there. I went to Ceuta, but my boyfriend didn't want me to leave Morocco, so it prevented me from really luxuriating and enjoying it. I think he was jealous he could not visit without his passport, and I suppose it was selfish of me to want to linger there with them waiting.

I remember Ceuta being a particularly unexciting little Spanish town, with the banks and shops closed because it was Sunday. There was a beautiful mosaic in the bank, however... funny how you remember these things!

Looking at photos of Mellila and Ceuta (known as Sebta in Arabic) I would like to return and see them again with adult eyes.

Source: http://paradiseintheworld.com/melilla/




#746 Old Medina, Rabat, Morocco

The view of the twin city of Sale across the river mouth as viewed from Rabat's old city.

I think if I had to pick a favorite capital city in the world, it might be Rabat, in Morocco. It is small and manageable, but central to the country and all the things one might need such as beaches, culture shows, and heritage. The incredible half completed Hassan Mosque (#864) sits on the top of the river cliff overlooking Sale the equally magnificent old city across the water (the Oued Bou Regreg). But one of the glories of Rabat is the old city which sits majestically on the cliffs above the beach, overlooking all that was important in its trade-packed history where it has risen to importance and fallen into village obscurity. It is not a huge old town, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in pretty alleyways and excellent shopping!

I think one of my favorite memories is from my first visit to the city. I was shopping in the old souq for souvenirs and gifts for Christmas, but it was hot and almost lunchtime, and one by one all the shops closed up for an afternoon siesta. The pretty wooden doors were soon all boarded up and the previously busy street was empty and quiet.
Returning years later when I was visiting Morocco for a friend's wedding, I was impressed that the beautiful sun shades and arches were still there and just as beautiful as I remembered.
The city is painted white and blue and green, but not overly so, and it is kept clean and safe because of both it's small size and the tourists that pass through, but it is local in a way that Fes and Marrakech are touristy.

Rabat has really only been the capital of Morocco since it was part of the French protectorate (away from the intrigues of the traditional capitals of Fes (#929), Meknes, and Marrakech (#988), although there were two brief imperial capital periods. However, it has been settled since the 8th century BC, with the necropolis at Chellah, a Phoenician then Roman settlement (called Sala Colonia), evolving into a Berber kingdom (keeping prominence as a settlement long after the Romans were gone, similar to its more northern cousin Volubilis (#912)). In the 10th century, the Zenata tribe that controlled Sale built a ribat (fortress-monastery) on the site of the Kasbah, which was later rebuilt by the Almohads in the 12th century. After the successful campaigns against the Spanish Reconquista under Yacoub al-Mansour, Ribat al Fatah (Victory Fortress) was expected to become a great capital, and the extensive walls and Bab Oudaia gate were built, the grand mosque planned, but all came to a halt with Al-Mansour's death in 1199 and the town fell from significance.
In the 17th century there was an injection of new settlers in the area with refugees from Muslim Spain, Christian renegades, Moorish pirates, corsairs and other adventurers, many of whom roamed the Atlantic for Christian slave labor, only partially reined in by the Alawite sultans. The old city has survived from this era, and the modern capital (since 1956 independence) was a recognition of its suitable location, but the old part of the city is definitely smaller than those in Fes, Meknes and Marrakech.
Inside you will find the Souq as-Sebbat with lots of jewelry for sale, and a small flea market near the river. In the days of the Sallee Rovers, the broad open area near the Kasbah was site of the slave auctions.

Source: Lonely Planet Morocco 6th Edition 2003