As described in the legend written by the ancient Egyptian priest Manetho, as far back as the 3rd – 4th millennia BC, both Lower and Upper Egypt were one state. And on their border appeared the capital of ancient Egypt - the legendary Memphis. After hundreds of years, the union of these two states did not. Egypt is again divided. The capital of Upper Egypt was Thebes, on the site of which is modern Luxor.
Alexandria - the capital of Egypt
Due to its territorial location, Egypt very attracted conquerors, because of which changes took place in the country and new capitals appeared, disappearing with time. After the Assyrians, the country was conquered by the Greeks and Thracians, led by Alexander the Great.
The rule of Egypt was entrusted by Macedonian to his friend Ptolemy. In gratitude, Ptolemy decided to perpetuate the name of a friend and founded a new city. Alexandria - the capital of Egypt - became the center of world culture of that time. Ptolemy's successors succeeded each other. Here the great Cleopatra ruled, enchanting Caesar with her beauty and mind. After the conquest of the Greeks, Egypt became a province of Rome, and then for a long time was part of Byzantium.
The rise of cairo
Egypt was not an Arab country. A new round in the history of Egypt began with the advent of Islam. The Arabs, having conquered Egyptian lands from Byzantium, introduced the Arabic language and Islam. The ancient capital of Egypt at that time was in the city of Al Fustat. But he could not maintain this status for a long time. After the collapse of the Arab Caliphate , the new Fatimid state was founded, which was located in the west of North Africa. The Fatimids conquered Egypt and founded the city of Al-Qahira, which became the capital of the country. The name of the city in translation means "city of victory." So in 969, Cairo was founded - the capital of Egypt at the present time.
Cairo is not just a big city, but a huge and densely populated metropolis. More than 14 million people live in this city. In the architecture of Cairo, there is a mixture of various styles, from ancient to the most modern. The capital of Egypt, Cairo, whose name means “the city of a thousand minarets” - is a very beautiful and contrasting city. Its distinctive feature is the neighborhood of poverty and luxury. In addition to numerous minarets and architectural monuments, the city has a large number of bazaars with souvenir shops offering goods symbolizing Egypt and its history. The hallmark of the city and its main architectural attraction is the citadel, which is a defensive structure. It was built for more than thirty years, and it was ready only by the beginning of the XIII century. An attraction of the capital of Egypt are its mosques. Each of them has its own story. The most famous of them is the mosque of Muhammad Ali.
Cairo is located in close proximity to the unique Egyptian pyramids and sculpture of the Sphinx, therefore it is a very popular and attractive tourist center for travelers.