The Saladin Citadel of Cairo is a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo; Egypt. The location; part of the Muqattam hill near the center of Cairo; was once famous for its fresh breeze and grand views of the city. It is now a preserved historic site; with mosques and museums.The Citadel was fortified by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) between 1176 and 1183 CE; to protect it from the Crusaders. Only a few years after defeating the Fatimid Caliphate; Saladin set out to build a wall that would surround both Cairo and Fustat. Saladin is recorded as saying; "With a wall I will make the two [cities of Cairo and Fustat] into a unique whole; so that one army may defend them both; and I believe it good to encircle them with a single wall from the bank of the Nile to the bank of the Nile." The Citadel would be the centerpiece of the wall. Built on a promontory beneath the Muqattam Hills; a setting that made it difficult to attack; the efficacy of the Citadel's location is further demonstrated by the fact that it remained the heart of Egyptian government until the 19th century.