Tahrir Square
The Brief Guide to Cairo’s Infamous Square
By all accounts, Tahrir Square in Cairo, the bustling capital of Egypt, has grown to be famous all over the world, not least because of the protests and demonstrations that took place there during the 2011 Egyptian revolution.
Indeed, the scene witnessed previous demonstrations and also led to a revolution. In fact, it was the Egyptian revolution in 1919 that actually led to the designation of the current square.
Before 1919, Tahrir Square was called Ismailia Square, but after the revolution it quickly became known as Tahrir Square. However, the name was officially changed only after the Egyptian revolution in 1952 that led to the change of Egypt from a constitutional monarchy to an authoritarian republic.
Not Your Typical Town Square
Often, when one points to the town square, many people envision an area populated by vendors, stalls, and small shops. Tahrir Square, on the other hand, is not like this. Instead, it is dominated by a very busy traffic circle, as several traffic lanes pass.
In fact, the traffic on the field is so heavy that people who need to cross from side to side have no choice but to use the Cairo subway corridors. These underground bridges can also be used to reach the Cairo metro itself, which connects the area with many neighborhoods and suburbs of Greater Cairo.
Notable Landmarks at Tahrir Square
The only real monument as such, is the statue of Omar Makram, which can be seen in the square on the northeastern side of Tahrir Square. Omar Makram is a brave national hero who fights in an attempt to resist the invasion of Egypt by Napoleon. There is also a large nearby mosque named after him, Omar Makram Mosque.
While there are many noteworthy buildings in the area, including the headquarters of the League of Arab States, the only building of real significance for tourists is the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities which sees millions of visitors crossing its doors every year.
The museum was opened in 1902, and currently contains approximately 200,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts, although not all artifacts are displayed due to lack of space. There are tens of thousands of artifacts closed in basements.
However, given the concern that many of the items to be stored would deteriorate due to moisture, a decision was made to build a new and much larger museum near the location of the Giza Pyramids.
The new museum will be called “The Grand Egyptian Museum”, and all the artifacts will be moved from the existing museum there in time for its official opening.
Visiting Tahrir Square
Although Tahrir Square does not play any important role in relation to Egyptian tourism, with the exception of the Egyptian Museum, many tourists still visit the region simply because of the role it played in shaping the political scene in Egypt on several occasions. Even many important guests have visited the region, including a number of celebrities and many senior members of foreign governments.
In short, if you are traveling to Cairo, you can also visit Tahrir Square while you are there. It is worth noting that getting to the famous tourist attractions in Cairo from the square is easy and cheap.
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