Nestled in Cairo’s medieval El-Darb El-Ahmar district, the Al Azhar Mosque is the city’s first mosque—dating back to 972. Boasting five minarets and a white-marble courtyard, its biggest claim to fame is its sister Al Azhar university next door, reputedly the oldest Islamic university in the world.

Constructed in 642 AD under orders of the commander of the Muslim army that conquered Egypt, the Mosque ofAmr ibn Al-Aswas the first mosque to ever be built on Egyptian soil.Situated north of the Roman Fortress of Babylon, it sits on the edge of Fustat, the country’s first capital, which was founded by Amr ibn Al-As.The mosque is said to have been built on the site where the general pitched his tent, and the original structure was thought to consist of only palm trunks covered with leaves. It expanded to its current size in 827 AD, while the Fatimid period saw the mosque ornately decorated with marble, mosaics, silver coatings, and a moving pulpit. The building has been restored and expanded upon many times since, with parts of the entrance reconstructed as recently as the 1980s.The mosque incorporates both Greek and Roman architectural styles. It features 200 marble columns, many taken from ancient sites, and three minarets.

Cairo is known as the "city of a thousand minarets," and that's reflected in its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A journey into Islamic Cairo is a journey into the city’s past, from Fustat, Egypt’s first Muslim capital, to the 1,000-year-old walled city, the Cairo Citadel, founded by 12th-century leader Saladin, and beyond.