Friday March 29th, 2024
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Cairo's Babylon Fortress Partially Reopens After Restorations

Visitors and tourists are now invited to wander through the part of the fortress located within the facade of the Coptic Museum.

Cairo Scene

Cairo's Babylon Fortress Partially Reopens After Restorations

After the first phase of restoration was completed, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities inaugurated a section of Coptic Cairo's historic Babylon Fortress. Visitors and tourists are now invited to wander through the part of the fortress located within the facade of the Coptic Museum.


The Babylon Fortress was first enlarged and equipped by the Roman Emperor Trajan to protect a canal connecting the Nile to the Red Sea. After the Arab conquest of Egypt, the fortress eventually became a quarter inhabited mostly by Christians.


The restorations focused on cleaning the fortress and clearing it off dirt and stains, while installing a new lighting system that would highlight the architectural beauty of the fortress.

The second phase of restorations is currently underway, and focuses on cleaning up Amr Gate, the southern part of the fortress found beneath the Hanging Church.