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In Egypt, under Mount Muqattam, north of the Citadel, is the Cairo Necropolis - the City of the Dead. Cairo is the capital of the state, consisting of many districts, one of which is this extensive cemetery. The age of the burial ground exceeds two thousand years, and the territory is constantly expanding. Now its length is more than 6 kilometers.

City of the Dead (Cairo)

Egypt is considered a Muslim country, only 15% of the inhabitants profess Christianity, so the City of the Dead is an Islamic necropolis. Hearing this name, many people think that we are talking about the Great Pyramids located in Giza, near Cairo. But in fact, this is the name of the largest cemetery located in the capital of Egypt. By the way, it is an object world heritage UNESCO. But, despite this status, the necropolis is not popular among tourists and local residents.

City of the Dead (Cairo), whose name al Qarafa, translated from Arabic means “cemetery”. It consists of five main cemeteries - North, South, Bab el-Nasr, Bab el-Wazir and Great.

In memory of the departed

In the northern part of al-Karafa, there are mausoleums and mosques of the sultans of Inal and Qaitbey, Faraj Barkuk, and the Barsbey complex. In the southern part, Mameluke mazars and ancient buildings from the Fatimid times were built.

Some tombs are already crumbling, while others remain intact, as they are built of marble. As in life, they are buried in large tombs, and mere mortals have modest tombstones.

The City of the Dead (Cairo) is one of the oldest mass burial sites due to its age. On its territory, people from different walks of life found peace - both ordinary citizens and representatives of blue blood. Many tourists are impressed by the majestic tombs of the rulers of the world who lived several centuries ago, as well as the way their relatives honored the memory of their departed family members.

Initially, this cemetery was erected as a burial place for the Arab conquerors of Egypt, the Abbasids, the Fatimids, the Mamelukes, and the Ottomans, and now it has turned into one of the slums of Cairo, where the living and the dead coexist side by side.

Living and dead

These days, this unusual metropolitan area is not only last refuge for those who have gone to another world, but also a place of residence for tens of thousands of the poorest Cairo residents who have no other roof over their heads. The reason for this was the Egyptian crisis, the lack of affordable housing for the rapidly growing population. Therefore, many poor Egyptians chose the city of the dead as their home.

Some of them, in agreement with the relatives of the deceased, live directly in the crypts. As a rule, in return they undertake to look after the graves and restore order in the surrounding area. Thanks to this arrangement, the City of the Dead (Cairo) is much cleaner than some of the main streets of the capital.

Here you can often find boys playing football and women hanging laundry between the tombstones. For many of them, the City of the Dead became a real home for a long time. Life here is different from that in other areas of Cairo. The streets here are quiet, narrow, not paved. It seems that behind the high walls with decorative gates there is a completely different world: all around are domes, minarets and no politics.

al Qarafa: kings and poor

“I’ve lived here for 80 years, and my family has lived on this site for 350 years. King Farouk is buried next to my house,” said a local resident of the City of the Dead in 2011. Despite this strange proximity, he believed that “living with the dead is a good thing for an old man.” Indeed, it is much more frightening to be around the living, from whom you do not know what to expect.

Nevertheless, starting from the 60s of the last century, a certain semblance of infrastructure appeared here: shops were opened where you can buy food, clothing and souvenirs, and even houses were built. Transport goes here, people work here.

No one can accurately answer the question of how many people live in this gloomy quarter among millions of graves. Today, the population of the City of the Dead region (Cairo) continues to grow due to rural migration, natural disasters and the housing crisis. Presumably, we are talking about a settlement of half a million.

City of the Dead (Cairo): reviews from tourists

Tourists who visit the City of the Dead tend to be discouraged. For many of them, it is strange to see a city with houses where the mummified bodies of relatives of the homeowners are kept. According to them, this spectacle is not for the faint of heart. Although the area is home to low-income people, most tourists find it difficult to understand how they can stay in a house with a tomb in another room to save on costs.

Others, on the contrary, find a walk through the City of the Dead very exciting. It is unusual for them that living people are constantly among the tombs, and they gladly respond to the offer of local residents to enter their homes.

And yet he is beautiful

But not all guests of the capital pay attention to such moments. Many of them visit the City of the Dead (Cairo) to admire the beautiful tombs of Arab rulers, for example, the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali. The wonderful creations of the masters of the past, who created majestic structures by hand, do not leave true connoisseurs of architecture indifferent.

For some it is unusual place It remains in memory as a cemetery stretching over 4 miles, on the territory of which the poorest residents of Cairo live. They do not advise visiting the labyrinth of tombs, houses and the famous necropolis, as it is easy to get lost there without a guide and you can become a victim of robbers and other criminals.

However, when you come to Egypt on vacation, visit the City of the Dead (Cairo), the photo of which does not give a full idea of ​​the true beauty of this area. Once you find yourself on its streets, you will feel like a character from One Thousand and One Nights.

Egypt is well-known even among those who have never been to this country in northern Africa. His famous pyramids, Luxor, Cairo tower and temple complex on Philae Island – part of the trampled tourist routes. But among the rich decoration of mosques, historical heritage museums and the beauty of natural oases there are places where the living live among the graves. I discovered one of these places for the first time - thiscity ​​of the dead in Cairo.

It is elongated by 6 km and is, as if, under the protection Mukattam mountains- right at its foot. The city is divided by the Citadel into two parts - southern and northern. Each of them keeps its pearls of historical and cultural heritage. Locals This place is usually called a “cemetery.” This is not surprising, because in fact the city is a burial ground , which not long ago crossed 2000 year milestone . There are numerous graves here ordinary people and the rich tombs of the sultans, which are thickly covered with centuries-old dust and desert sands.

Local attractions

The path to the city of the dead somehow reminded me of the road to the kingdom of Hades. My group and I crossed the Nile River, a journey along which by boat is mesmerizing in itself. On the other side they appeared before us the majestic colossi of Memnon and the statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, hewn from stone. Just imagine - each of them weighs 700 tons! These figures are even more amazing if you consider that the statues were transported by land, which means their journey was very long.

But this is not all that was revealed to my eyes after long journey. The real gems of this place are: Temple of Hatshepsut And Valley of the Kings , where the pharaohs of Egypt found peace. In total, the “cemetery” has about forty tombs. The tomb of the world-famous Tutankhamun is located here. The city became the eternal abode for Queen Nefertari. Her tomb is decorated with beautiful sculptures. Unfortunately, I never saw it, because it is closed to the public.

Almost no tourists visit funeral temple of Ramses III . There is no prohibition for tourists, it’s all about the inconvenient location of the attraction. But experienced travelers who are not afraid of difficulties will discover all the beauties that are hidden inside the temple. And these are the paintings and bas-reliefs that have survived to this day. I will definitely come here next time, but without a tour.

Walking around the northern part cities of the dead , added to the collection of impressions with views Faraj Barhouk Mosque And khanqah of Sultan Inal, temple complexes of Kaitbeya And Barsbay . But I liked the buildings in the southern part of the necropolis more - they are of more ancient origin. Some of them were built during the Fatimid Caliphate.

Life in the cemetery

City of the Dead in Cairo -not one of the necropolises where life stopped millennia ago. Today, in the local slums there live people who are not bothered by their “quiet” neighbors. Some have houses, while the homeless live in crypts with the permission of the relatives of the deceased. As payment, they clean there and keep order.

In the middle of the day in the city of the dead we met merchants and hairdressers. There is a cafe here. Our group had lunch in one of them. We also visited local market. Fortunately, it was Friday. On other days the market is closed.

It was amazing to see buses and cars scurrying through the streets. In a word, everything indicated that life in the cemetery was going on as usual. Is that unlike other areas of Cairo in the city few children . It turned out that out of respect for the dead, relatives send them to other parts of the capital.

The number of living people in the city significantly exceeds the number of dead. According to some estimates, the necropolis is inhabited by 300,000 people.

History of the city

The City of the Dead in Cairo is magnificent an example of Islamic architecture and a monument from the Mamluk times (10th century AD). Here, squat graves coexist with impressive mausoleums. But the transformation into the Necropolis occurred only in the 14th century. Before that, on the site of the “cemetery” there was a royal hippodrome.

The guide also told us, that the first settlements began to form in the city in the 60s of the 20th century. People settled right in dilapidated houses. These were settlers who had previously lived near the Suez Canal. The war between the Arabs and the Israelis was to blame. Refugees built shelters for themselves, next to which they buried their relatives and neighbors. The mortality rate was very high and the density of burials was also very high. This can be seen in old photographs.

What about now?

It was a discovery for me that many modern Egyptian families there is a family crypt – this has been the case since ancient times. The absence of such a crypt most often indicates financial problems, because not everyone can afford to pay for a place for it. Saves the situation the opportunity to bury deceased loved ones with great-grandparents. Only for this you need documentary proof of relationship.

If there is no own crypt and there are no relatives either, the deceased will be buried in a public crypt, which is cared for by rich and wealthy families. They also handle repairs that may be required from time to time. The tradition has become widespread not only among the Muslim part of the population, but also among the Copts - Egyptians who profess Christianity.

In our country, burials in crypts are not accepted among any of the religious groups. It is traditional in Russia to bury the body in the earth. In Europe, traditions are similar to ours. Only the approach to organizing burial sites differs. Some cemeteries look creepy, others resemble hanging gardens and invite tourists to admire (this is the word that is appropriate here!) at the creations of great sculptors. A kaleidoscope of such necropolises and tombs gathered in my head after traveling around Europe. First-hand impressions and photographs are on the blog!

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Shooting from 2010. A significant part of Cairo - almost a third of the area - is occupied by old cemeteries. People live in these cemeteries, right in the crypts converted into houses. Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who came to Cairo from the provinces to work. The crypts belong to old and wealthy families, who are forced to hire invaders as “guards.” Illegal immigrants are paid little money so that the burials are not disturbed. The inhabitants of the crypts do not like to be photographed: they can throw a stone at a persistent tourist with a camera.

Cats, what would you do without them?!

View of the cemetery from the viaduct.

Fashionable youth live in the crypts. Even university students.

There is no water or sewerage in the crypts. To go to the toilet you need to go to the next “block”.

The cemetery is quiet and relatively clean, unlike many other areas of Cairo. Almost an elite area.

Local residents, even children, turn away as soon as they see the camera.

Adults don't like to be filmed either.

They also sell here.

Products are delivered by bicycle “from the city”.

This man is repairing and decorating the crypt he occupied. And the kids help him.

The Souq Al Goma Friday market also takes place at the cemetery. Here they sell and buy real garbage collected by city scavengers during the week. Despite such a dubious product, some come to the market by carriage. So life in a cemetery also has its own chic.

City of the Dead or El Arafa (in Arabic cemetery), as the Egyptians call this necropolis, is located in the southeast of Cairo. There are tombs and mausoleums on 6 square kilometers. The city of the dead is quite a curious place, because people live and work in this cemetery.

The first burials in the Dead City were made during the Arab conquest of Egypt. And this, no less, is 642 BC.

Period of the Arab conquest of Egypt

The Arab commander-in-chief Amr ibn al-As founded the first family cemetery here. Other Arab commanders followed his example, and soon a veritable network of Arab cemeteries formed near a hill called Moqattam. Around this time, special tombs were created here, in which, for example, distant relatives of the Prophet Mohammed himself were buried. These tombs attracted the attention of numerous Muslim pilgrims, who spread the news of the new cemetery throughout Egypt and far beyond its borders.

During the Fatimid Caliphate, the development of the necropolis received a new round. The four largest cemeteries were united into a single complex, surrounded by a main wall.

Creation of the first mausoleums

Egypt XIV-XV centuries, Mamluk period. The country is divided into numerous small feuds, headed by the Mamluk sultans, who have always been distinguished by their bloodthirstiness and aggression. Feudal wars flare up one after another, taking both ordinary warriors and famous military leaders to their graves. One of these kings was a certain Badr al-Gamali, whose mausoleum was built in Al-Arafa, the first of all, around the 13th century.

Each of the other sultans also sought to leave their mark on the history and architecture of Cairo. This could be done in the form of a monument or mausoleum. By the 15th century, the largest number of such structures had been built. Naturally, construction required both materials and a real army of workers, who settled around in their own houses, but more often in hostels, which the sultans built at their own expense.

The tombs that formed the necropolis at the end of the 15th century received a new form: from squat buildings they turned into real works of monumental art, striking in both shape and height. The cemetery expanded, absorbing workers' areas. Local infrastructure was created, its own trade developed, and over the next five centuries the necropolis created a special urban area around itself.

Of the most famous tombs of the Dead City, the following are worth mentioning:

• Tomb of El Hussein - great-grandson of the Prophet Mohammed
• Zayida Zainab - patron saint of Cairo, sister of the martyr El Hussein
• Sheikh Ali, famous for his miracles during his lifetime
• Al Salih Ayib - the last of the Ayib sultan dynasty
• Shagar Al Durr - widow of Al Salih Ayib, ruler of the early Mamluk era
• Patron saints Nafisa, Ruqqaya, Atika and Sukaina

City of the Dead: Our Time

In the 40s of the 20th century, they moved to the dead city large number impoverished villagers who began to settle in crypts and tombs in exchange for the improvement of the graves and their care. This unique business has survived to this day.

Currently, the City of the Dead is one of the attractions of Cairo. The number of people living there - residents with extremely low incomes - already exceeds the number of burials.

Each of the approximately fifty mausoleums of the Dead City, taken individually, cannot “boast” of an attractive appearance. The reason for this is not so much the architectural style as their venerable age. However, together they create a unique historical ensemble, attracting with its color and originality.

Since el-Arafa ceased to be an active cemetery several centuries ago, its people are mostly small artisans and traders living below the poverty line. Only a few of them actually live on the graves of their ancestors. Most of the modern population of the Dead City moved here as a result of the massive development of the city center and the demolition of dilapidated housing in Cairo, which began in the 50s, during the presidency of Abdel Nassr. Also, many villagers moved here, moving to Cairo in search of a better life.

In 1992, after the devastating Cairo earthquake, the City of the Dead was replenished with new residents. Its current population is approximately half a million inhabitants.

Despite the fact that visiting Al Arafa is not on the list of the most popular tourist routes, this place is definitely worth a visit in order to feel the spirit and see the way of real Arab life. We recommend that you only go on such a trip in the company of a local escort or an experienced guide.

General view of the city of the dead

City of the Dead , or Cairo Necropolis (Qarafa, Al Araf), an Islamic necropolis and cemetery below Muqatta Hillsli in southeastern Cairo, Egypt. The people of Cairo, Cairenes, and most Egyptians, call it el"arafa(trans. “Cemetery”). It is a 4 mile (6.4 km) long (north-south) dense grid of tomb and mausoleum structures where some people live and work among the dead. Some are here to be near their ancestors, the last recorded ancient lineage. Some of them live here after being forced out of the center of Cairo due to urban demolition renewal and urbanization pressures that increased from the Gamal Abdel Nasser era into the 1950s onwards. Other residents have emigrated to rural areas looking for work - an example of rural to urban migration in LEDC (least economically developed countries). The poorest live in the city of dead slums, and the city of scavengers, which is also known as Garbage City, a recycling and reuse center for Zabbaleen suppliers.

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Caliphate era

Traditional Sunnism had rich history veneration of saints, often referred to as Aulii or "friends of God." Like the Mawlid of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the birth of some saints is celebrated by the people in the City of the Dead. Great festivals are held for the purpose of celebrating the birth of these people, as well as receiving them Barakah or blessings. Zainab bint Ali was one such figure.