From its raised rocky platform on the edge of the city, the Citadel dominates Cairo’s eastern skyline. It was begun in 1176 by the famed Muslim general Saladin, who had its muscular walls and tower constructed with stones stripped from the Pyramids at Giza. The fortress served as Egypt’s seat of power for he next 700 years, remodelled in the image of each successive dynasty.

By far the best reason to visit the Citadel is for the views from its Western Terraces. On a clear day it is possible to pick out such vertical landmarks as the Ramses Hilton on the edge of the Nile, the Cairo Tower on Gezira, and the distinctive zigzag of the Pyramids.

The Citadel’s next biggest draw is the Muhammad Ali Mosque, a relatively late addition to the fortress, but one that by virtue of its prominent site and bulk serves to symbolize the Citadel in the minds of most visitors. Ironically, the mosque is designed wholly along Turkish lines and owes nothing to the architectural traditions of Egypt.