Скачать или смотреть The Complex of Religions (Old Cairo)

The Religious Complex is located in Old Cairo area where it contains various churches and mosques in addition to “synagogue” Jewish Temple that is so near to the historical mosque of Amr Ibn El ‘Aas.

The significance of the place lies in the fact that it is home to the three monotheistic religions and some of the oldest religious buildings in Egypt, with Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque representing Islam, the Hanging Church representing Christianity and Ben Ezra Synagogue representing Judaism.

Right before you reach the main gate, Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque comes on your left. The original mosque was built in 641 AD by General Amr Ibn Al-Aas, the commander of the Muslim army that conquered Egypt, and was the oldest mosque built in Africa, although it has been rebuilt over time.

As you walk, old cemeteries and closed doors of old buildings come on your left and souvenir and antique shops come on your right.

You know it’s time for your first stop when you reach remarkable steps that take you below the main street. And, this is where you can start your journey inside the first group of the complex's seven churches.There you can find historical churches like those of Abu Serga and of St. Barbara.

Passing through that corridor, at the end you can find a route on your left that takes you to more churches and one on the right that takes you to Ben Ezra. Crossing through the gates of the synagogue, you can find the Star of David on the main door and on the windows on the outside of the building and a sign that reads “Property of the Jewish Community in Cairo.”

The synagogue is one of the last surviving remnants of the Jewish community that once lived in Egypt and is the only one that is open to the public.

Ben Ezra has a remarkable presence of arabesque ornamentation inside the synagogue. Just looking inside the building, you can tell that there is an upper floor that was once used during ceremonies that were held there, but is now locked. While the entrance to the synagogue is very easy, there are signs everywhere inside that photos are not allowed.

Following a short tour in the area, you can head back to the steps to resume the trip. Your next stop is St. George Church, which is right across from the metro station.When you enter there, you mustn’t miss the beautiful painting on the ceiling of the church and the colourful windows inside the main hall.From there, you can find the Coptic Museum to your left. First inaugurated in 1910, the museum holds ancient artefacts, art and sculptures from Egypt’s Christian history.

While standing outside the museum, you can see the remnants of the Roman fortress of Babylon.Walking from there, the Hanging Church comes on your left.Before you step inside the building, you can go around the church and see how the church was built on top of the Roman fortress.While there's more to Fustat that these seven churches, the mosque and synagogue, these are the most remarkable landmarks of the area.

If you are looking to go there and avoid the crowd, you might want to go during the week or preferably on a Saturday not a Friday.