Summary
- UNESCO World Heritage Site: The City of the Dead, located in Cairo, Egypt, is a legendary monument housing a series of Islamic cemeteries. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of Historic Cairo.
- Location and Access: The City of the Dead is situated beneath the Mokkattam hills, spanning about 4 miles. It can be accessed by taking a flight to Cairo and arranging a tour through a trusted travel agency.
- Historical Significance: The City of the Dead dates back to the 7th century AD, founded during the reign of Amr Ibn Alas. It became the official cemetery of old Cairo in the 9th century. Throughout the centuries, it saw expansions, renovations, and the burial of prominent figures.
- Name and Etymology: The Arabic name “Al Qarafa” is derived from a Yemeni clan, and the term became associated with the urban cemeteries of Cairo.
- Attractions: The City of the Dead is divided into Northern and Southern Cemeteries, each featuring a wealth of historical and architectural marvels, including mosques, mausoleums, and funerary complexes.
Across the endless streets and milestones of Egypt is a legendary monument called the City of the Dead which houses a number of incredible Islamic cemeteries that became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site under the wonders of Historic Cairo.
Cairo is a blessed city filled with the artistic and grand elements of the golden Islamic age that ruled half of the world for more than 1400 years. In this magical attraction is a number of the most majestic group of Islamic art and decorations worthy of enchanting the eyes of everyone who comes across it. It remains an active city that embraces both life and death.
Location and How to Get City of the Dead
The location of the city of the dead gained the name Cairo Necropolis or Qarafa which acted as an extensive Islamic-era burial found in the golden capital of Cairo which spanned from the north to the south of the Cairo citadel just beneath the Mokkattam hills, beyond the legendary historical walls of the city. It has a length of around 4 miles (6.4 km) which became part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site “Historic Cairo“.
It is divided into two complete main areas known as the Northern Cemetery which is called the Eastern Cemetery or Qarafat Ash-sharq due to its position east of the old city walls, plus the older southern cemetery is found on the southern part of the Cairo citadel. There is also a smaller cemetery found north of Bab al Nasr.
The city of the Dead can be accessed through a number of ways which include catching a flight to Cairo and then booking with a trusted travel agency that will arrange the needed vehicle, expert driver, and knowledgeable tour guide who will showcase all the historical, artistic, and cultural significance plus you will get a closer look into the unique customs and habits of the city.
Geography and Facts about the City of the Dead
The city of the Dead “Al Qarafa” is found extending to the northern and southern sides of Cairo Citadel just below the Mokattam hills which covers an area of about four miles (7 square km) long.
The entire city is divided into two parts the northern Cemetery which is also known as the Eastern Cemetery and the southern Cemetery which is another minor cemetery just north of Bab Al Nasr. The city holds a population of more than 500,000 up to 5 million.
City of the Dead History
The city of the dead can be traced back to the seventh century AD when the city of Fustat was founded by Amr Ibn Alas. In the middle of the 8th century, the necropolis was founded to cover about 300 hectares. During the Abbasis’ rule, it became the official cemetery of old Cairo in the 9th century Ahmed Ibn Tulan and the Islamic scholar Imam Al Shafi was buried there. It expanded to new areas such as Al Qata’I which is close to Ibn Tulun Mosque and Salah El-Din Citadel.
In the Fatimid dynasty in the 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries, they renovated the entire area and changed the character of the entire cemeteries, and the custom of visiting the graves and dead family members and ancient ancestors was popularized. Most of the Calipha were buried in their own personal mausoleum which is found in Khan Al Khalili Bazaar. Due to the burying of the city of Fustat in 1168 AD, where the city of the dead lost its importance. In the 11th century was used as a burial ground that was abandoned by a famine.
In the Mamluk dynasty across the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, many of the sultans and elites were buried next to and attached to a mosque, and the area also was enlarged to be called the greater Qarafa. In the late 14th century the plague spread and many cemeteries were built. It was later declined under the start of the Ottoman and Khedival empires from the 16th and 19th AD the religious buildings and cemeteries were repaired and the family of Mohammed Ali Pasha built an incredible mausoleum filled with the most incredible decorations.
City of the Dead Name and Etymology
The city of the dead is known in Arabic as Al Qarafa which are both frequently used. The Arabic name is a toponym that is derived from a Yemeni clan descended from the Banu Ma’afir tribe called the Banu Qarafa ibn Ghusn ibn Wali clan that once owned a land plot in the city of Fustat.
After the famine of the 11th century, the area was completely abandoned and then transformed into a burial ground under the name Qarafa which became associated with the urban cemeteries of Cairo. The term became highly specific to the cemeteries found in this area only.
City of the Dead Attractions
The Southern Cemetery is the oldest and biggest necropolis dating all the way to 642 CE beginning from the Cairo citadel in the north all the way south district of al Basatin. Some of the finest Monuments in the Southern Cemetery are:
- Sayyida Nafisa Mosque
- Mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi’i
- Hosh al-Basha
- Sayyida Aisha Mosque
- Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya
- Mausoleum of Shajar al-Durr
- Mausoleum of Amir Qawsun
- Zawiya of Shaykh Zayn al-Din Yusuf
- Sultaniyya Mausoleum
The Northern Cemetery was mostly created in the Mamluk era (1250 – 1517 AD) as it is now known as the Mamluk Desert Cemetery found between the Kobri Al Ebageah to the east and the Shari’a Salah Salem to the west in Cairo. It holds the cemetery of Bab Al-Wazir and the cemetery of Bab Al Nasr. Some of the marvelous Monuments in the Northern Cemetery include:
- The funerary complex of Sultan Qaytbay
- Khanqah-Mausoleum of Sultan Barsbay
- Khanqah of Faraj ibn Barquq
- Funerary complex of Emir Qurqumas
- Mausoleum of Qansuh Abu Sa’id
- The funerary complex of Sultan Inal
- Qubbat Afandina
- Tomb and Khanqah of Khawand Tughay (or of Umm Anuk)
- Mausoleum of Tarabay al-Sharifi (in the Bab al-Wazir Cemetery)
City of the Dead Facts
- The city of Cairo has a meaningful historical significance which dates all the way to the 7th century as it is one of the world’s oldest cemeteries.
- Across the entire burial ground are a number of houses and homes found living among the tombs.
- The cemeteries are filled with a great number of tombs which are grouped and enclosed with a wall structure or a massive courtyard.
- All the necropolis contains a number of massive monumental mausoleums and funerary complexes which contain a number of famed scholars, Islamic Saints, state officials, and rulers with their families.
- It is a renowned repository of Islamic architecture from all ages from the 7th century till today.
- The City of the Dead is a bustling place filled with magnificent markets, shops, and other economic activities where everyone engages in various trades for a living.
- The city holds a number of great historical monuments that hold marvelous spiritual value plus it is able to showcase the development of Islamic architecture and the culture of Cairo.
