In Pictures: Cairo’s City of the Dead Comes to Life Through the Lens of Mohamed El-Oun
A few meters off Salah Salem Road, visible from atop the Citadel of Saladin, the City of the Dead lies as ancient and as old as time itself. Here in this Mamluk-era resting place, the dead and the living live in perfect harmony.
Perhaps one of the most heritage-rich destinations in Cairo, the so-called City of Dead is filled to its brim with life. Most of these tombs go back in time to the late Islamic period, but some are considered to very recent. Egyptians from many walks of life live there; some work to maintain the integrity of these tombs, others have many talents employing them in a number of crafts.
Photographer Mohamed El-Oun decided to undertake a breathtaking journey into these timeless tombs. In a Facebook post, he describes how the name ‘City of the Dead’ is somewhat of a misnomer, for despite the macabre atmosphere, the city remains alive with people going up and down its alleyways all day long.
