Did you know? · Cairo
Cairo fun facts
Things you might not know about Cairo and its journeys. Every fact comes from an official or primary source, named alongside it.
Updated October 2026
Two World Heritage Sites in one city
Historic Cairo and Memphis and its Necropolis, the pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur, were both inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 (whc.unesco.org).
The first great stone building
Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara, designed by Imhotep, is the first great stone building of ancient Egypt (egymonuments.gov.eg).
A hall for the kings
The Royal Mummies Hall at NMEC is designed so visitors feel they are walking through the Valley of the Kings, where most of the mummies originally rested (nmec.gov.eg).
A museum of 1902
The Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square opened in 1902; Tutankhamun’s treasures have now moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza (egymonuments.gov.eg).
A library reborn
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in 2002 on Alexandria’s Eastern Harbour, revives the name of the ancient library (bibalex.org).
A palace inspired by Angkor
The Baron Empain Palace in Heliopolis, the garden city founded in 1905, was built for Baron Édouard Empain in a style inspired by the temples of Angkor (egymonuments.gov.eg).
Questions and answers
How many World Heritage Sites are in Cairo?
Two: Historic Cairo, and Memphis and its Necropolis with the pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur.