Looming majestically above Cairo is the Citadel, a medieval fortress with a complex of mosques, tombs and museums. Salah al-Din fortified the entire area during the Crusades. Under Ottoman rule, the Citadel became a city in itself and served as the seat of government for approximately 700 years. In the complex are the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the National Military Museum, the National Police Museum, the Garden Museum, the Cairo Carriage Museum (royal carriages) and the Museum of Seized Antiquites (objects recovered from attempted thefts). Daily 9 am-4 pm. £E 40. Salah Salem Street (Islamic Cairo), Cairo. Phone 02-2512-1735.
