National Military Museum - Open Air Displays
Cairo Citadel is also home to the Egypt’s National Military Museum and this museum was established in 1937. This museum is quite large in size and displays many arrays of weaponry used by the Egyptians forces. Here some photos are shared from the open air displays, in front of the museum.
There were many cannons displayed in a row inside an open courtyard of the museum. A 16.2cm caliber gun, British made Armstrong Gun, a 33 centimeter mortar, a German Pipe Gun (75mm caliber) to name few. The gun which was most liked by public was the Russian built which was used for the coastal defence in the 1967 War.
It was Friday and whole complex of the Cairo Citadel and the National Military Museum was very busy with the local visitors. A statue of Ibrahim Pasha (1789 – 1848) is erected in front of the museum. He was the eldest son of Muhammad Ali Pasha.
Then there was a Russian designed SA-2 surface to air missile (SAM) on a standard launcher. Next to the missile few military fighter jets were lined up. Among tanks was a Russian made tank (122mm gun) was given to the Egyptian army in 1955 and it took part in 1956 and 1967 wars. A MiG-21 fighter jet was also on display, this Russian built plane was one of the few used by the Egyptian Air Force in the past.
Crossing Carnage
The scene on wall is described as “Crossing Carnage” it refers to the Egyptian military operation to cross the Suez Canal in 1973 against Israel. Two amphibious transporters were on display which were used to move the soldiers in the 1973 War.
Busts of the Egyptian Rulers
In front of the entrance of the National Military Museum, busts of Egypt’s famous rulers were lined up on both sides. This is the list of the busts on display;
Menes aka Narmer (3000 BC), it is believed that he was the first ruler of the First Dynasty to unify the Egypt.
King Ahmos, he ruled Egypt between 1539 – 1514 BC.
Thutmosis or Tuthmosis III, he was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty and he ruled between 1479–1425 BC.
Ramesses II, he is considered to be one of the greatest rulers of the ancient Egypt and he reigned between 1279–1213 BC.
Sultan Saladin (Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub), he ruled Egypt between 1173 – 1193 AD.
Saif ad-Din Qutuz, he was the third ruler of the Mamluk Dynasty and he ruled only between 1259-1260 but achieved huge success.
Mamluk Sultan Baibars (Rukn al-Din Baibars), he ruled Egypt between 1260 – 1277.
Muhammad Ali Pasha, he was a vali of Ottoman government and he ruled Egypt between 1805 – 1848.
