In October 2010, I traveled alone in Egypt. I’d heard of Cairo’s City of the Dead, but had no idea what it was. I took a taxi from my hotel and told the driver where I wanted to go.
About the place
In October 2010, I traveled alone in Egypt. I’d heard of Cairo’s City of the Dead, but had no idea what it was. I took a taxi from my hotel and told the driver where I wanted to go. He was surprised, but took me there. I got out on the outskirts of the neighborhood and set off to explore on my own. I really liked the place; people paid little attention to me. Only one old man waved his cane when I tried to photograph him. I was wrong to photograph him without permission, but I didn’t know how to ask. He clearly spoke neither English and I do not speak any Arabic. I captured his mildly aggressive reaction, but that was the only unfriendly moment. The neighborhood is definitely interesting.
The "City of the Dead" (Qarafa, Arafa) is a four-mile-long cemetery stretching from northern to southern Cairo, at the foot of Moqattam Hill, close to the city centre. It comprises five cemeteries: the North Cemetery, the Bab el Nasr Cemetery, the South Cemetery, the Great Cemetery and the Bab el Wazir.
It is a dynamic network of tombs and mausoleums where people live and work among their ancestors' graves. This poor urban community is largely illegal but tolerated. An estimated five million people live there, taking whatever work they can find. Its population is growing rapidly as a result of ongoing migration and a complex nationwide housing crisis.
Both an ancient cemetery and a living part of Cairo, the area was once used by Egyptian rulers to bury the dead beyond the city limits. Yet since the time of the Pharaohs, it has also been regarded as a place where life begins. For many, the "City of the Dead" remains mysterious, magical and foreboding.
Its cemeteries differ significantly from those in Western societies. Egyptians traditionally buried the deceased in room-like tombs that also provided temporary accommodation for relatives during the prescribed forty-day mourning period. As a result, the City of the Dead resembles a typical residential neighborhood. Behind its walls, you will find not only graves and tombs but also linen, beds and other everyday objects.
The City of the Dead, or Cairo Necropolis (Qarafa, el-Arafa), lies below the Mokattam Hills in southeastern Cairo, Egypt. It is easy to reach by taxi, though visiting with a private guide may be a better option..
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