Cairo: The Egyptian Hajj Road stands as a pivotal historical route, recognized by historians and travelers as one of the seven most important Hajj and trade arteries connecting the Islamic world to the Arabian Peninsula. Used by pilgrims from Egypt, the Maghreb, Andalusia, and West Africa since the dawn of Islam, this route transcends mere religious significance, embodying a rich cultural, civilizational, and archaeological legacy. Its importance has earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
According to Saudi Press Agency, historians have divided the ancient Egyptian Hajj Road into four distinct chronological periods. The first period, stretching from the introduction of Islam in Egypt until the mid-5th century AH, featured both overland and coastal routes to the Arabian Peninsula. The second period, from 443 AH to 666 AH, saw the overland route in North Sinai cease, with pilgrims opting for sea travel from Egypt to Jeddah. During the third period, from 667 AH to 1301 AH, pilgrims reverted to using the coastal overland route. Finally, the fourth period, from 1301 AH to contemporary times, marked the discontinuation of the overland route, replaced first by sea travel from Suez, and subsequently by air travel to Jeddah.
The route's importance for pilgrims from Africa and the Maghreb is particularly notable. Caravans from Moroccan cities like Marrakech, Fez, and Sal©, sometimes including pilgrims from Senegal, would gather and embark either by land along the Mediterranean or by sea. These caravans would then converge with Algerian, Tunisian, and Libyan pilgrims, passing through cities like Mahdia, Sfax, Sousse, Tripoli, Barqa, and Tobruk. They would then cross Egyptian lands, often along the coast, to reach Alexandria and Rashid. From there, pilgrims would take Nile boats to Cairo, joining the Egyptian Hajj caravan at "Birkat al-Hajj" (modern-day al-Baraka). The combined caravans would then continue by land to Qulzum (Suez). From Qulzum, pilgrims either continued the land route through Sinai and along the Red Sea to Jeddah, or sailed across the Red Sea to Jeddah, then proceeded by land to Madinah and Makkah.