How Big is Al Azhar Park?

Al Azhar Park has an area of 30 hectares (74 acres) filled with countless plants of trees and flowers.

Al Azhar Park in Cairo History - Restaurants & Things to Do in Al Azhar Pak

8 min read | Published: Feb 14, 2023 | Updated: Aug 08, 2026 | TRIPS IN EGYPT

The enchanting public park of Al Azhar is a magnificent green utopia filled with heavenly gardens that put the mind and the soul at ease. These miraculous gardens sit in the heart of Islamic Cairo offering the chance to enjoy the most magical and majestic Islamic attractions. This magical attraction is able to shed light on the blessed nature of Cairo and cast your eyes on the most marvelous creations of botany. It is renowned for being the biggest green space found at the core of Cairo that came be over a century filled with different kinds of green plants. The part is considered by all as the lung of Cairo and the vital key to the clarity and serenity of the entire capital.

This national park offers a magical gate leading to the many precious historical wonders of the capital of Cairo dating to different time eras showcasing the cultural magnitude and importance of this golden city to the entire world. This green slice of heaven is able to provide a different and more natural aspect of Egypt that embraces the power of nature. In this article, we will discover the many magical wonders of Egypt.

Location & How to Get to Al Azhar Park

Al Azhar park is the 6th largest public space as declared by Project for Public Spaces located on Salah Salem Street, El-Darb El-Ahmar in the Cairo Governorate. From Al Azhar park everyone can explore all the golden Islamic gems of Egypt which are able to shed a great deal about the history of this magnificent wonder. It is the largest green space ever created in the golden capital of Cairo for over a century.

The Fatimid city of Cairo is found with an incredible collection of mosques, madrasas, minarets, and mausoleums. Found on the eastern side is the city of the dead in Cairo which contain many tombs belonging to Mamluk Sultans & high-ranking officials, the southern part of the park is the Sultan Hassan Mosque plus its surroundings which are found near the Ayyubid Citadel.

Al Azhar Park History "Built & Renew"

The history of Al Azhar park is very amazing as it was created in the modern era by the Historic Cities Support Programme of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture which is an entity part of the Aga Khan Development Network in 1984. The entire park took about 30$ million dollars to create which was part of a gift granted by Aga Khan IV who was a descendant of the Fatimid Caliphs of Cairo. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) opened Al Azhar Park in 2005 which hosts more than two million people each year. The entire project was basically an urbanism initiative with a number of goals in mind which include:

The Full Development of the Entire Park

The restoration of the 12th-century Ayyubid wall and towers was a forgotten historical gem that was awakened due to the creation of the park after it was asleep for a number of centuries underground. The ongoing excavations lead to the discovery of Bab Al Bargiya one of the main eastern city gates and bab Al Mahruq one of the western entrances of Al Azhar park which feature many marvelous and hypnotic decorations and is marked by a number of crenellations, stairwells, arrow slits, and chambers.

The rehabilitation of a number of historical buildings the 13th-century Khayrbek complex, the 14th Century Umm Sultan Shaban Mosque, and the Darb Shoughlan School.

This project led to the creation of a number of improvements in life quality which demanded area rehabilitation, skills training, microfinance, and established support in health and education.

The 30-hectare (74-acre) Al-Azhar Park was a gift from the aga khan who donate the park after its completion to the people of Egypt due to the Islamic belief in the trustees of god’s creation and that every man should leave this world as a better place with a positive impact than it was before. Al-Azhar Park is part of the sixty of the World's Great Places by "Project for Public Spaces". 500 years of wreckage and ruins descended on the Al Darassa hill which was then cleaned by the project. the creation of the park led to the movement of 1.5 million cubic meters of rubble, debris, and soil.

Sasaki design company began working in 1994 with Sites International from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) on the Al Azher park project which was finished in 2004. The designers depended on traditional Islamic traditions of landscape design and the picking of the greenery. The styles used in the park have been influenced by different time periods which include the shaded sitting areas (Takhtaboush), Bustan-like orchard spaces, and the Fatimid archways plus Persian fountains and water channels.

All the gardens of al Azhar park were opened to the public in 2005 exhibiting a number of Islamic gardens that offer a mixture of modern and traditional elements with powerful usage of fountains, central terraced formal gardens, Mamluk multicolored stonework, intersecting waterways, sunken gardens, and strong Islamic geometry across all the cafes, playgrounds, and all the beautiful sceneries.

Things to Do in Al Azhar Park

Despite the marvelous natural beauty of the majestic gardens, there are a number of majestic treasures found all across the area where everyone can enjoy their time and create some really fun memories which include:

1. Tour Among Flowers and Trees

Touring the magical trees and flowers of Al Azhar public park will feel like traveling across natural pieces of heaven offering a sense of serenity and the chance to relax and make wonderful memories. Within the park are a number of divine and dazzling types of plants of trees and floors that provide the chance to sit down and relax in the amazing atmosphere to enjoy the marvelous sightings of these marvelous creations.

2. Photo Session

All the magical and lively landscape of this magical attraction will be the key to enjoying an unforgettable and beautiful photo session where all the green attractions will enhance your background and put you in the right mood where your true beauty will shine in the finest and brightest light. Photo sessions in this magnificent attraction will be a very fun and memorable experience that will bring out the best in everyone.

While Al Azhar Park offers a stunning backdrop for your pictures, you can elevate your memories even further by booking a professional Pyramids Photo Session Day Tour to capture the majesty of the Giza Plateau with expert photographers.

3. Handicraft Gallery

Within the park is an incredible handicraft gallery filled with many marvelous works of handmade crafts which are reflected and inspired by the Islamic historical and cultural heritage of Egypt. Every single piece of handicraft that you can buy will have a story to tell from the magnificent overall history of Egypt that spanned over 5000 years of pure glory, majesty, and innovation.

4. Kids Area

In the kid's area of Al Azhar park are all the toys and joys needed for each child to live the most entertaining fun time. The kid's area is filled with all the means to make the time of your children very enjoyable while keeping all of them very safe and sound.

Al Azhar Park Restaurants

Across the beautiful landscape of this blessed park are many marvelous restaurants and cafes which offer a wide collection of meals and recipes deprived of all over the world.

1. Lakeside Restaurant & Palm Court Café

The remarkable restaurant has a gentle touch of bliss as it is found on an epic lake surrounded by spectacular fountains and massive trees which provides the most surreal and enchanting view possible while enjoying a collection of delicious foods, snacks, and drinks.

2. Al Masrawya Café

Al Masrawya café is an authentic café that provides a marvelous Egyptian experience of serenity. It serves a number of tasty drinks, delicious deserts, and refreshing fruit mixes which are accompanied by the sensational atmosphere and miraculous landscape of Al Azher park.

3. Citadel View Restaurant

The magnificent and glorious majesty of Cairo Citadel will surely make your dining experience a work of magic and wonder. From the restaurant across the stunning green landscape is the panoramic view of the historic Cairo citadel of Salah El Din accompanied by delicious foods and excellent services which will make your time in this public park worthy of remembering.

Al Azhar Park Pictures & Gallery

Conclusion

Al Azher park is a true wonder of natural art which will be the key to enjoying this lively gem of plant life. With all our Cairo day tours, is the chance to live the most entertaining and magical travel experience across the blessed Al Azher Park which features the finest creations of trees and flowers, loaded with the most complete feelings of serenity and belonging.