Al-Azhar Park

Called in Arabic Hadiyka Al-Alzar (which will help taxi drivers), the Al-Azhar Park is an emerald-green success story built on top of the immense mound of the Islamic city’s rubbish dump. For centuries, waste matter was thrown over the historic wall east of Darb Al-Ahmar, eventually submerging the wall and piling into a veritable mountain. An impressive 1300 m stretch of the Ayubbid wall has been excavated, and the Darb Al-Ahmar buildings flanking it have been spruced up to give a much needed boost to a poor and deprived neighbourhood. The epic project to transform this into a pleasure garden took over a decade and was funded by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, who have negotiated an agreement with the government that will allow them to manage the park for at least the next 20 years. The next phase is underway to create an ‘urban plaza’ with much-needed car parking, a café, a small retail area and a new museum. This Museum of Islamic Cairo (projected to open in 2011) will prepare visitors for the experience to come in the lanes of the old city and open up a western exit into Darb Al-Ahmar. The remains of the original mud-brick Fatimid wall that were uncovered during the park’s construction will also be displayed in the future, near the museum.

The park is amazingly lush, with shrubs, trees and flowers in abundance, and full of Cairene families enjoying the palm-lined walkways and children’s play area. Come to the park for sunset and you will get sweeping views across the city as monuments are lit up and the green neon lights of minarets glow. The fabulous Hilltop Restaurant on the northern hill is worth splashing out on, or Trianon café outside is a delightful place to sit with a cool drink (though there’s a minimum charge of E£35 and painfully slow service).