Islamic heritage · Cairo
Darb al-Ahmar
A historic quarter in the heart of Islamic Cairo, rich in Islamic monuments and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Historic Cairo.
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The story
Al-Darb al-Ahmar is one of the oldest historic quarters of Cairo and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Historic Cairo. It lies south of the old walled city founded by the Fatimids in the 10th century, and it began to develop widely in the 14th century under the Mamluks. Today it is an administrative division of Central Cairo, stretching south of al-Azhar Street beside Al-Azhar Park, and its monuments include the Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban (1368-69) and the Khayrbek complex (1502-20).
Good to know
- The district holds dozens of Islamic monuments, including the Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban and the Khayrbek complex.
- The name al-Darb al-Ahmar literally means "the red way".