Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
12 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
14 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
18 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
25 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Egypt Cairo Citadel of Saladin

Citadel of Saladin

The medieval center of the Islamic world was also once the seat of Saladin's sultanate.

Cairo, Egypt

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Cairo Citadel, 2007.   Dan
The Cairo Citadel, 2007.   Dan
The walls of the Cairo Citadel.   Jorge Láscar
Citadel of Saladin   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Citadel of Saladin   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Citadel of Saladin   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A sketch of the original “Eagle of Saladin” (1898).   Stanley Lane-Poole
Qala’at Salāh ad-Dīn: the Citadel of Saladin.   Ahmed Al Badawy
The Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali- horloge de Louis-Philippe   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali- horloge de Louis-Philippe   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée de Qalaûn   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Le Caire - Citadelle - Mosquée Mehemet Ali   philoursmars / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
A city view from the Citadel, with the Pyramids seen in the background.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, more commonly referred to as Saladin, is one of the most notable and significant figures in the history of the Middle Ages. From his wise rule to intense warfare with Christian crusaders, his reputation is well respected in both the western and Islamic worlds.

Ruling a wide area extending from Syria to parts of the Maghreb, the seat of Saladin's sultanate was the desert city of Cairo, where he constructed a magnificent citadel that would continue to be Egypt's political center until the mid-19th century.

The Citadel of Saladin, known colloquially in English as the Cairo Citadel, is strategically located on a promontory beneath the Mokattam Mountain that made it difficult to attack. It was considered the most impressive and ambitious military fortification at the time of its construction. Subsequent Islamic rulers of the Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire, al-Nasir Muhammad and Muhammad Ali Pasha respectively, redeveloped and installed additional defenses. Thanks to (or in spite of) this elaborate fortification, Cairo was never subjected to a siege, and therefore, the Citadel has never fallen in history.

One of the citadel's historically significant features is a relief depicting an Egyptian vulture that can be seen on its western wall. Although headless today, it's believed to have been originally a double-headed eagle, a motif often found in the contemporary Islamic world, from architecture to coinage. While the symbol is called the Eagle of Saladin, the relief's exact date is unknown and its creation could be later than the time of Saladin. Nevertheless, this "eagle" was redesigned and used as a national symbol following the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and is still employed as Egypt's official coat-of-arms.

Until 1983, the Citadel was used as a military garrison by occupying British forces and later by the Egyptian army. It first opened to the public following UNESCO's designation of it as part of the World Heritage Site, Historic Cairo.

Today the site contains multiple Ottoman-era mosques and museums dedicated to the military, police, and historical carriages. The structure also offers amazing views of Cairo and the desert beyond.

Related Tags

Buildings History & Culture Ancient Architecture
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Treasures of Egypt: Hidden Tombs, Ancient Pyramids & Old Cairo

Explore pyramids, tombs, and local cuisine with your Egyptologist guide.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

philoursmars, Collector of Experiences

  • philoursmars
  • Collector of Experiences

Published

April 29, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://egyptvacationtours.com/st_tour/behind-the-scenes-grand-egyptian-museum-tour/
Citadel of Saladin
Passages Insaid Al Azhar Garden
Cairo
Egypt
30.011502, 31.306319
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Monastery of Saint Simon

Cairo, Egypt

miles away

Cairo’s Garbage City

Cairo, Egypt

miles away

The Cairo Genizah

Cairo, Egypt

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Cairo

Cairo

Egypt

Places 10
Stories 6

Nearby Places

Monastery of Saint Simon

Cairo, Egypt

miles away

Cairo’s Garbage City

Cairo, Egypt

miles away

The Cairo Genizah

Cairo, Egypt

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Cairo

Cairo

Egypt

Places 10
Stories 6

Related Places

  • London, England

    The Ostler's Hut

    This is London's smallest listed building.

  • Granary in Jankowo up close

    Jankowo, Poland

    Walter Gropius's 1906 Spichlerz

    A Bauhaus co-founder designed this quirky, abandoned granary.

  • The Yokohama Customs Headquarters.

    Yokohama, Japan

    Yokohama Customs “Queen’s Tower”

    The Port of Yokohama’s customs headquarters building resembles a Moorish kasbah, complete with a minaret.

  • The river bed of Eridanos at Monastiraki train station on November 7, 2019

    Athens, Greece

    Archaeological Site Inside Monastiraki Metro Station

    View the ancient remains of buildings and the ancient "River of Hades" before hopping on a train.

  • Army & Navy Building

    Mumbai, India

    Army & Navy Building

    This 19th-century heritage building once housed a department store that supplied British provisions in the city.

  • Rijal Alma

    Rijal Alma, Saudi Arabia

    Rijal Alma

    A 900-year-old village located in the highland of the Asir region that features historic architecture.

  • Wortley, England

    Wortley Hall

    This once private residence is now a popular wedding venue and training center for trade union officers.

  • Gooderham Building

    Toronto, Ontario

    Gooderham Building

    Known as "Toronto's Flatiron."

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.