PM Modi Visits Egypt's Historic Al-Hakim Mosque, Heliopolis War Cemetery. WATCH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque and Heliopolis War Cemetery on the second day of his State visit to Egypt.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque on the second day of his State visit to Egypt. The Prime Minister spent nearly half an hour at the Al-Hakim Mosque -- a historic and prominent mosque in Cairo named after Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (985-1021), the 16th Fatimid caliph. The mosque of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah is an important cultural site for the Dawoodi Bohra community in Cairo and PM Modi shares a long-standing relationship with the community, from when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.  

PM Modi also visited the Heliopolis War Grave cemetery and paid tribute to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice fighting for Egypt during the First World War. 

Prime Minister Modi on Saturday arrived in Cairo on his first state visit to Egypt in the second leg of his two-nation tour. This is his first visit to the country as a prime minister and the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister after 26 years. Upon his arrival, PM Modi was received with a ceremonial welcome and a guard of honour and was greeted by his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly at the Cairo airport. He also held talks with Madbouly in Cairo wherein discussions on green energy, IT, Pharma among others took place. 

PM Modi's visit to Egypt comes on the heels of Egyptian President El-Sisi's visit to India as the chief guest on Republic Day, indicating the strengthening of bilateral ties and the mutual desire to expand cooperation between the two countries. 

 

About Al Hakim Mosque 

The al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah Mosque is nearly 1000 years old structure in the heart of the Egyptian capital of Cairo on the east side of al-Mu'izz Street, just south of Bab al-Futuh (one of the northern city gates of Fatimid Cairo). 

The Al-Hakim Mosque portrays Fatimid architecture and history in Cairo. The rectangular mosque spans an area of 13,560-metre square out of which 5000 square metres is the large courtyard or sahn at the centre. The remaining area is divided into the four covered halls on each side of the mosque, with the Bayt al salat, or sanctuary area and prayer hall towards the qibla wall, being the largest at 4,000 square metres and including five bays.