In Old Cairo, residents reconnect with their heritage

The Mohammed Ali mosque (above) is seen inside the Salaheddine Citadel, behind part of Shaykhu Mosque (below) in Cairo's Al-Khalifa district. Photos: Khaled Desouki/AFP

For most of their lives, children from historic Cairo's Al-Khalifa district only saw the mausoleums, mosques and madrasa schools that pepper their neighbourhood from outside heavy bronze doors.

In one of the world's oldest Islamic cities, communities were becoming increasingly separated from the centuries-old buildings they lived alongside – prompting architect and heritage management expert May al-Ibrashy to launch a programme to "foster a sense of ownership over this heritage".