All across the internet, whether on social media or online publications, Egypt’s City of the Dead is frequently explained through a lens tinged with negativeness and misconception. Referred to as “Egypt’s worst run-down neighborhood”, the ongoing story might not be even more from the fact.
This huge necropolis is special and unique as it links the spirit of the living and the dead. Here’s a look at our adventure to the City of the Dead.
On coming to the 6km stretch called the City of the Dead, one such regional household captured our attention. They peered at us with warm smiles and waved as we approached them. They were seated at the steps of a burial ground and revealed no reluctance to strike up a discussion and provide us a peek into their lives.
Their story started back at the time of Egyptian President Sadat when their grandparents initially arrived at the City of the Dead to take up long-term residence. Back then, towering mountains loomed over the entire necropolis which later on got gotten rid of by the State. Today, it has ended up being a place that is intrinsically rooted in their ancestral tree as their grandparents, parents and brother or sisters were all born and buried on its grounds.
That conversation alone got the whole family hyped, with each one pitching in to inform their own ghost story. Beyond the humor, the family made sure to inform us that within the extensive City of the Dead, they would constantly feel a sense of peace and calm.
As homeowners of the City of the Dead, they also take pride in safeguarding its burial ground, making sure that nobody trespasses the property and tries to take any of the buried belongings. That sort of spirit moves beyond this specific household as there are numerous guards spread throughout the necropolis with the task of securing the catacombs, burial places and mausoleums.
A prime example is of Am Mahmoud, an old guy who caught our attention once we heard the rattle of his keys as he passed by. He informed us how every morning, for 67 years, he ‘d take a trip all the way from Manshiyat Nasr to City of the Dead to secure a number of burial places along with ancient mosques and ruins. He ‘d then leave during sundown to go back to his wife and 4 kids.
Walking along various courses it prevails to stumble upon kids playing with their old bikes and footballs, contrasting the calm and still of the burial ground. By the end of our check out, we even had the enjoyment of satisfying a group of young kids who shared a strong camaraderie. They informed us how every day, they ‘d meet up at their makeshift football pitch made of two objectives posts wedged between the pathway separating the gated entryways to two separate burial grounds.
These kids were special, each one with their own unique set of aspirations like Mostafa, a young 12-year-old dreaming of one day ending up being a poet or Kareem, an 11-year-old with imagine becoming an expert photographer.
At the end of the day, we did need to go our different methods, diverging back into our separate paths. Ending the day during the light radiance of sunset, we can’t reject that City of the Dead is home to run-down neighborhoods and a poor quality of life however beyond that, it is also house to a successful community, one that shares a dynamic spirit and a feeling of peace.