Cairo
The Citadel was begun by Salah al-Din in 1176 on a spur of al-Muqattam to defend the city, and it was the seat of government in Egypt for nearly seven hundred…
The Citadel was begun by Salah al-Din in 1176 on a spur of al-Muqattam to defend the city, and it was the seat of government in Egypt for nearly seven hundred years. Mamluk and Ottoman rulers and Muhammad Ali all added palaces and mosques within its walls. Today it holds the Muhammad Ali Mosque, the mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad, the Sariya mosque and several museums, among them the military and police museums. Its walls and towers overlook the old city, with views over the Sultan Hasan and al-Rifa'i mosques below.