Travel: A visit to the cultural treasures in and around Cairo

VOA News

Transcript of a radio show, which is also available to listen to in MP3 and RealAudio formats on the above page.

For centuries, the buildings of ancient Egypt have captured the attention of historians, artists, and travelers. Transcript of radio broadcast:
15 July 2008

VOICE ONE:

I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Faith Lapidus with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today, we continue our travels through Egypt to explore one of the greatest civilizations in human history. Last week, we visited the Nile River valley to see the art and architecture of ancient Egypt.

Today, we explore the buildings of ancient Egyptians in and around Cairo. And, we visit other more modern cultural treasures in the capital city.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to Cairo, the largest city in Africa and the Middle East. This huge city is home to about seven million people. Cairo is equally great for its many traditions, cultures, and monuments. We begin our visit in the center of the city on the banks of the Nile river.

(SOUND: Traffic)

Looking at the countless buildings, cars, people, and boats it is hard to imagine the historical roots of this modern place. The beginning of Cairo as a city dates to the year nine sixty-nine when Muslim invaders from Tunisia took control of the area. The word Cairo comes from the Arabic word "al-Qahira" meaning "the victorious."