Al-Azhar Park

About Al-Azhar Park

Public park in Cairo, Egypt

Al-Azhar Park is one of Greater Cairo's largest and best-loved public parks, covering about 80 feddans in the al-Darb al-Ahmar district of Historic Cairo, with views over the Citadel and the minarets of the old city. It was created on land that had served as a rubbish dump for more than a thousand years: the project was announced in 1984, took over seven years to build, and opened to the public in 2005. It was funded as a gift to Cairo from Aga Khan IV through the Aga Khan Trust for Culture's Historic Cities Support Programme, at a cost of more than US$30 million. The project went well beyond landscaping. It included excavating and restoring a stretch of the 12th-century Ayyubid city wall, rehabilitating neighbouring monuments such as the 14th-century Umm Sultan Shaban Mosque, the Khayrbek complex and the Darb Shoughlan School, and running skills training, microfinance, health and education programmes for residents of al-Darb al-Ahmar. The Project for Public Spaces lists it among the world's sixty great public spaces. The park's main axis is a palm-lined promenade with fountains, leading to a lake and grassy hills with panoramic views of the Citadel, the Muhammad Ali Mosque and the historic city. It is a favourite with Cairo families in the late afternoon and at sunset.

Where:

Cairo, Egypt