A Tour of Egypt 21North
From Midan Tahrir, go north. Here you will find the
neighbourhoods of Bulaq and Shubra. When you reach
Ramses station, this is the boundary between Bulaq and
Shubra. Bulaq was the old industrial centre of Cairo; however
industrialisation subsequently moved northward to Shubra. A
very traditional area of Cairo, today’s Bulaq is one of the most
densely populated districts of Cairo. It is also noteworthy
because this area bred much of the recent Islamic unrest.
East
North-east from Midan Tahrir, you will find Midan Talaat
Harb and Ezbekiya Gardens, an area full of Western-
style shops and inexpensive, old hotels. Further east,
you will find the area known as Islamic Cairo. This area
encompasses the Citadel, some of Cairo’s poorer districts,
and a couple of important medieval neighbourhoods.
Continuing east and south, you will find the Cities of the
Dead. In the Cities of the Dead (huge necropolises), living
inhabitants scurry through the vast array of mausoleums
rearing children among the funeral vaults. Moving north-east
from here, you will reach Heliopolis (where the airport is
located), a wealthy district also known as New Cairo.
South
Directly south of Midan Tahrir is Garden City, home to
embassies and expensive residences. From Garden City,
bridges cross the Nile to Roda Island. On Roda Island
you will find Manyal Palace, Cairo University’s Faculty of
Medicine, the Old and New Qasr al-Eini Hospitals, and the
Nilometer. The sprawling suburbs of Old Cairo continue south
from Garden City, encompassing the small area known as
Coptic Cairo. The next major district moving southward is
Maadi. A wealthy district, expatriates tend to congregate in
this area.
West
Crossing Al-Tahrir Bridge, you come to Gezira Island in the
middle of the Nile. The residential suburb of Gezira occupies