AIRO, ki'ro (from Ar. Masr cl whira, the victorious capital).
The capital of Egypt and the largest city of Africa. It is -Litt).
ated near the right bank of the Nile, about nine miles above its bifurcation into the Rosetta and Damietta arms, 150 miles southeast of Alexandria and SO miles west of Suez (Map: Egypt, E 2). It covers an area of 11 square miles divided into separate quarters named after the nationality of the in habitants, and is surrounded by a low wall. Not withstanding modern improvements, the Arabian quarters retain their Oriental character, the streets, in that part of Cairo being narrow, crooked, sod but few of them paved. The houses are mostly of stone, several stories high, and with window-lattices of wrought iron. The mod ern portion of Cairo, called Ismailieh, is extend ing westward. It is lighted by gas, has electric tramways, and is well laid out with broad ave nues, fine squares, and a beautiful park on the Place Ezbekieh, occupying an area of over twenty acres and containing a number of gardens and amusement places. The Place Ezbekieh is the centre of modern Cairo, and around it are situated the principal theatres, hotels, and con sulates.
The chief beauty and interest of Cairo lie in its numerous mosques, of which some are re garded as the best specimens of Arabic architec ture. The Gami-ibn-Tulun, erected about S79, is the finest. It is square and surmounted by- four minarets and a dome, and has a court with a fountain in the centre. The Gami Antra is the oldest in Egypt, hut only a small portion of it is left. The Gami Sultan Hassan was bee n in 1356. and, in point of splendor. stands foremost among the mosques of Cairo. It is cruciform in the interior, and contains a large number of pil lars and beautiful hanging lamps. Its inner court has two fountains of singular beauty. and its dome is flanked by two minarets, the south ern of which is said to he the highest in Egypt. Among other mosques may be mentioned that of Mehemet Ali, a structure of considerable archi tectural merit, recently built after Turkish mod els, with high minarets of alabaster. The mosque of Kait Bey dates from the Fifteenth Century. Cairo has a number of tombs of califs and Manielukes, sonic of which are of great size and finely built. The obelisks, once so numerous, have disappeared, and now adorn various Euro pean and American cities. Among the palaces of Cairo is the vice-regal residence situated within the citadel ; the beautiful palace of Gcsireh in the northwestern part of the city, now converted into a hotel ; and the palace of Addin in the centre of the city, frequently occupied by the Khedive. The bazaars of Cairo are extensive and well stocked, although inferior to those of Con stantinople or Smyrna. The chief business street, Aluski. has greatly decreased in importance. The citadel of Cairo is situated southeast of the city, and affords a fine view; its strategical impor tance is greatly detracted from by the fact that it is dominated by the .Jebel Mokattam.
As an educational centre Cairo ranks high; its schools are attended by students from all parts of the Islamic world. Among its educa tional institutions the El-Azhar stands foremost, both in size and importance. It is situated in an old mosque, and is surrounded by numerous smaller buildings, used for the accommodation of the 10.000 students, of whom about 2000 live in the college. Its history can he traced as far back as 975, and it is considered the oldest uni versity in the world. It has faculties of theology and jurisprudence, and is maintained chiefly by endowments, no tuition fee being charged. The members of the teaching faculties receive no com pensation and are compelled to earn their living by private tuition or clerical labor.
The other educational institutions include schools of art and medicine, a veterinary and a polytechnical school. besides numerous mission ary and Arab schools. The vice-regal library contains about 50.000 volumes, including a 1111111 her of very rare copies of the Koran.
Cairo is the residence of the Khedive, and is the scat of administration of Egypt. It has also an international court and consular repre sentatives from all important countries. The manufactures of Cairo include metal articles, textiles, essences of flowers, etc. There is rail way communication with Alexandria, Da mietta, Suez. El-Merg. Heluan, and Upper Egypt. The population of Cairo and its suburbs 570,012 in 1S97, consisting chiefly of Fell:thin, Turks. Copts, and Arabs, together with Nubians, Berbers. Abyssinians. Jew:, and over 20.000 for eigners.
Old Cairo or Fostat was founded 111 t140 by Amru. the conqueror of Egypt, (01 the site of his camp ami near the old town of Babylon. It was the capital of the country till 973. when I ;auhar, the general of the Fatimite Caliph Al Mooz, founded to tho north of Fostat the new town of Al Kahirah, the Victorious City; Saladin en larged the boundaries of the town and surrounded it with walls. Throughout the Middle Ages Cairo was one of the chief centres of Alohamme dan culture. and the emporium for the trade between Europe and the East. From 1798 to 181)1 it was held by the French; it passed from them to the Turks. and through the Turks to :Mehemet Ali. the founder of the present rul ing dynasty. Though much of its former great ness has departed. Cairo is still (me of the great capitals of lslam, and the life within its walls presents a picturesque blending of the buoyant European civilization, as represented by the English and French residents, with the dreamy mysticism of the Oriental world. Consult: Rey nolds-Ball. The City of the Caliphs 1897) ; Penfield, Present-Day Egypt (New York, 18991: and Kemeid, Cairo and Egypt (London,