Foto: The Mohammed Ali Mosque on the Citadel (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Egypt - The Citadel is also especially busy due to the Sugar Festival (Eid al-Fitr). While a line of over a hundred meters of Egyptians waits to enter the Citadel, we can enter through the special tourist entrance. The likely difference is that we pay, and they do not. In the Egyptian queue, there is quite some pushing and pulling. Police and guards try to maintain order by hitting the crowd with sticks(?). Bizarre! While we watch this spectacle, another officer urges us to keep moving. This is not the image tourists should see. Mohammed finds a quiet spot in the Citadel to explain about the Mohammed Ali Mosque. However, we attract so much attention that the quiet spot is surrounded within seconds by hordes of children. They ask for money, want to shake hands, and we are also photographed. It is practically impossible for us to take a photo of the mosque without someone with a huge smile in the picture. The Mohammed Ali Mosque turns out to be closed to visitors. Because we have paid, our guide goes to the back and knocks firmly on the exit door. After a while, he gets a response. Mohammed tries to talk us inside. The crowd outside notices the door is open. Many Egyptians push towards the mosque’s exit, hoping to visit the mosque on this festive day. Within seconds, a big pushing match develops around the mosque door, with our group at the center. Mohammed manages to get us inside. Everyone must squeeze through the crowd while keeping their valuables safe. As an extra challenge, shoes must be taken off before entering the mosque — right in the middle of the crush. The guards keep other visitors out with sticks. A very bizarre and frightening situation. Behind us, the door closes. A moment of calm. Soon, it turns out three more of our group are still outside. They are quickly let in by the guards. Inside the mosque, it is fortunately calm. It feels strange that we are inside the mosque while the worshippers are outside. The Mohammed Ali Mosque is based on Turkish influences with a large dome and minarets. The mosque also has an impressive minbar (pulpit) next to the mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca). Due to the events outside, we also use the time to catch our breath. This is necessary because the route out is the reverse of our entrance. After everyone has pushed through the crowd, we enjoy the view of Cairo from the walls of the Citadel. Especially the smog over the city gives a particularly misty image. The minarets of the mosques just stick out above it.
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