Nilometer and Coptic Compound

Today is the Mawlad al Naby - Birth of the Prophet Mohammed - which is a national holiday, so I didn't have school. I think some places have celebrations, but just felt like a regular Friday (Sabbath day) here in Cairo.

I visited the Nilometer, which is at the bottom of al-Manial. Manial is an island in the Nile, which is below Zamalek and is slightly longer. It was my first time visiting Manial. It seems heavily populated, but the views of the Nile and Downtown were really nice, and there were a decent amount of trees, which isn't too common outside of Doqqi or Mohandeseen.

Pictures from the tip of Manial.


Men cutting down a tree in Manial.


The Nilometer is a small building with a conical top in Ottoman style. A Nilometer has existed in the region since the time of the Pharaohs, but this particular building was built in the 11th century by the Muslim Caliphs. The purpose of the building, of course, is to measure the annual flood of the Nile. Each year they would have a ceremony at the Nilometer, and if the levels were high, they would rejoice, and if they were low, they would raise taxes and pray for more water.

Top of the Nilometer.


In the 19th century, a dam was built in Aswan, so the Nile doesn't flood anymore. Therefore it is possible to go down to the bottom. The steps down are very narrow and there is no railing, so it's a fairly dangerous descent.

Ornamentation on the top of the Nilometer.


The water-reading pit.



There is a footbridge from Manial to the eastern bank, so I crossed over and went to Coptic Cairo. Somehow when I came to Coptic Cairo last week I missed the entrance to the main part of the compound.

The interior of the Coptic compound consists entirely of narrow alleyways, no more than a few meters wide. Unfortunately taking photographs within the buildings of the Coptic compound is not allowed.

I visited St. Sergius Church, which is a Coptic Church built on the Crypt of the Holy Family. It is believed that the Holy Family lived temporarily in a cave below where the church now stands. I visited it right before it was closing, and there were dozens of young Copts getting ready to pray.

Ben Ezra Synagogue was next to St. Sergius. Before I went in, the police officers asked me and the visitors in front of me a few questions about our identities. I suppose this is to ensure no one with bad intentions will enter the synagogue. I had never been in a synagogue before, but it seemed very small, though the ornamentation was impressive. It is no longer in use for services.

Finally I went to St. Barbara Church, another Coptic Church located right next to the other church and the synagogue. This one was bigger than St. Sergius, though both of the churches had numerous icons inside. Here, too, there were many Copts getting ready for some sort of service. I did not go into the shrine in the back of the church, but all the Copts who went in removed their shoes, which I thought was only a Muslim custom.

A Greek Church within the Coptic compound.