Founded on the site of Babylon near the ruins of ancient Memphis, Cairo encompasses many former cities and their breathtaking monuments such as the pyramids, the ancient Citadel and mosques, all on the banks of the world's most famous river, the Nile. Cairo is commonly regarded as the cradle of civilisation, and the starting point of every serious traveller should be the Egyptian Museum where the carefully conserved artefacts of 5000 years of ancient history are kept. Salah al-din's Citadel and famous mosque or the Cairo Tower provide breathtaking views of the city and the desert. Finally, no visit is complete without a visit to the 3 pyramids and sphinx at Giza on the edge of the desert.