egypt (78 images)

"The City of the Dead" on the outskirts of Cairo is a 7km cemetery referred to by Egyptians simply as "Qafara". Initially a burial ground for the dead of Arabian conquests the tombs of the City of the Dead are now occupied by refugees from Cairo's chronic housing shortage. These homesteaders in a landscape of tombs and mausoleums have found shelter amongst the dead. It is estimated that approximately 1/2 million people have been forced to live in this manner as Cairo's...
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"The City of the Dead" on the outskirts of Cairo is a 7km cemetery referred to by Egyptians simply as "Qafara". Initially a burial ground for the dead of Arabian conquests the tombs of the City of the Dead are now occupied by refugees from Cairo's chronic housing shortage. These homesteaders in a landscape of tombs and mausoleums have found shelter amongst the dead. It is estimated that approximately 1/2 million people have been forced to live in this manner as Cairo's expanding population of 25 million overloads the existing housing stock. Living in extreme poverty the expanding population of the City of Dead have adapted to their surroundings running electrical and water supplies where possible from nearby streets, mosques and shop units. What were once tombs are now homes, places of work, barbers shops and tea rooms.
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