This vast necropolis on Cairo's eastern edge -- officially the Qarafa cemetery -- stretches for kilometres and contains some of the city's most elaborate funerary architecture, including the mausoleums of Mamluk sultans. A large population has long made their homes here among the tombs, creating a unique neighbourhood where the living and the dead coexist.
The northern section holds the most impressive monuments. The funerary complex of Sultan Qaytbay, with its intricately carved stone dome, is considered a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Nearby, the khanqah of Sultan Faraj ibn Barquq houses twin domes and a peaceful courtyard. Visit during the day, ideally with a guide who knows the area well.