As-Sayidah Zaynab

Cairo

#history

Originally Beit El Kertlia, this historic home has so many grand rooms, ornate decor, beautiful courtyards, gardens and and my favorite part, the rooftop (you can see Ibn Tulum mosque from here). ⁣
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One of the many interesting features in this house, is an indoor well, it is in the first room you can enter to your right. They say if you stare closely down the well, you'll see the face of your lover staring back at you (sadly, I did not see anything!) ⁣⁣
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It's free to enter the mosque and 60 LE to enter the museum. If you have a camera there's an additional 50 LE ticket.⁣⁣
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Said to be the oldest mosque in Cairo still in its original form and the largest mosque in Cairo. The carpets were laid out just prior to prayer time. Tourists were welcome but you'll go barefoot and women need to cover their heads and be modestly dressed.
The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Ţūlūn from 879 AD is arguably the oldest mosque in Cairo surviving in its original form, and is the largest mosque in the city in terms of land area. The mosque was commissioned by Ahmad ibn Ţūlūn, the Abbassid governor of Egypt from 868–884 whose rule was characterized by de facto independence.

It was constructed on a small hill called Gebel Yashkur, "The Hill of Thanksgiving." One local legend says that it is here that Noah's Ark came to rest after the Deluge, instead of at Mount Ararat.

Parts of the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me were filmed at this mosque.

Do not miss it if you are around these parts of the world.

Popular places to visit

Things to do


Top hotels in As-Sayidah Zaynab

Le Méridien Cairo Airport

Le Méridien Cairo Airport

5 out of 5
Cairo Airport , Terminal 3 Cairo
The price is RM672 per night from 9 Apr to 10 Apr
RM672
RM884 total
9 Apr - 10 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 3 restaurants and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,132 reviews)
Rooms were clean. It was very convenient for us to take an early morning flight. The shuttle driver Samah was amazing

Reviewed on 24 Mar 2026

Le Méridien Cairo Airport
Marriott Mena House Cairo

Marriott Mena House Cairo

5 out of 5
6 Pyramids Road Giza
The price is RM2,013 per night from 25 Apr to 26 Apr
RM2,013
RM2,596 total
25 Apr - 26 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Giza. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (849 reviews)
Lovely oldy worlde atmosphere and attention to detail of days gone by. Nothing is too much for them. Extremely comfortable beds and I am very fussy. Lovely comfortable sun beds as well. Well worth buying the room with access to the M lounge. Best of all free golf buggy transport to VIP entrance to ...

Reviewed on 23 Mar 2026

Marriott Mena House Cairo
Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile

Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile

5 out of 5
Cairo Cairo
The price is RM807 per night from 31 Mar to 1 Apr
RM807
RM1,041 total
31 Mar - 1 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 4 restaurants. Popular attractions Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square are located ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (242 reviews)
Property is conveniently located in the midst of the hustle bustle. Breakfast was good, lots of options. I had Hassan help me with my room as well as an extension for an extra day and it was great

Reviewed on 24 Mar 2026

Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino

Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino

5 out of 5
Galaa Square Giza
The price is RM841 per night from 7 Apr to 8 Apr
RM841
RM1,084 total
7 Apr - 8 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Giza. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 2 outdoor pools and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (382 reviews)
It was a wonderful experience and a pleasant stay. A great country and truly good people. Thank you for all your efforts.

Reviewed on 21 Mar 2026

Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino
The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo

5 out of 5
1113 Corniche El Nil Street Cairo
The price is RM1,187 per night from 31 Mar to 1 Apr
RM1,187
RM1,530 total
31 Mar - 1 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and a nightclub. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9/10 Wonderful! (533 reviews)
Mooi hotel, super vriendelijk personeel zowel in de club lounge als in de andere restaurants. Uitgebreid ontbijt met Egyptische specialiteiten (super lekker). De kamer was elke dag netjes gekuist en elke avond klaargemaakt om te genieten van een goede nachtrust.

Reviewed on 20 Mar 2026

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo
Le Passage Cairo Hotel & Casino

Le Passage Cairo Hotel & Casino

5 out of 5
Cairo Intl. Airport Road, Heliopolis Cairo Cairo Governorate
The price is RM295 per night from 6 Apr to 7 Apr
RM295
RM381 total
6 Apr - 7 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free valet parking and 5 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,027 reviews)
Convenient transit-focused hotel. Near Cairo airport with frequent free shuttle. Rooms are clean and water is hot. Water-saver features in bathrooms are annoying. Food (buffet breakfast) is plentiful and usually tasteless. Not really appealing. We had a buffet dinner included in rate. It looked good, ...

Reviewed on 25 Mar 2026

Le Passage Cairo Hotel & Casino
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around As-Sayidah Zaynab

Mosque Sultan Hassan

Garden City

Some popular features of Garden City include its restaurants and museums. If you're in the mood to explore farther, Qasr El Nil Bridge or Tahrir Square are worth checking out in the surrounding nearby area.

Garden City
Abdeen Palace, a residence of the President of Egypt - Cairo

Abdin

While you're in Abdin, take in top sights like Abdeen Palace or El-Ghuri Wakala, and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Mohamed Naguib Station or Attaba Station.

Abdin
Overlooking the Nile River

Qasr an-Nil

If you're spending time in Qasr an-Nil, check out sights like Tahrir Square or Egyptian Museum and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Sadat Station or Nasser Station.

Qasr an-Nil
Take a trip down the Nile and imagine how far it floats

Old Cairo

4/5(1 area review)

Old Cairo is a destination travellers like for its restaurants, and you might hop aboard the metro at Al-Malek Al-Saleh Station or Mar Girgis Station to explore sights like Manial Palace.

Old Cairo
El Manial Palace of Mohammed Ali Pasha, Cairo, Egypt

Al Manial

If you're spending some time in Al Manial, Manial Palace and Umm Kulthum Museum are top sights worth seeing.

Al Manial
Panoramic view of central Cairo skyline at night

Downtown Cairo

4/5(69 area reviews)

Known for its interesting museums and stunning river views, there's plenty to explore in Downtown Cairo. Top attractions like Talaat Harb Street and Midan Talaat Harb are major draws, and you can catch the metro at Orabi Station or Nasser Station to see more of the city.

Downtown Cairo


As-Sayidah Zaynab