Downtown Cairo is the commercial heart of the modern city of Cairo, centered on Midan Talaat Harb and located to the east and north-east of Midan Tahrir Tahrir Square. Formerly known as Midan Ismaili until it was renamed on the 2nd of September 1954 by president Nasser as Midan Tahrir "Liberation Square". Midan Tahrir was the location of Africa's first Hilton hotel, which is now under renovation under the name of Nile Ritz Carlton. The other imposing building on Midan Tahrir opposite the Egyptian museum, is the bay-fronted government Moga'maa building opened in 1952 which houses the bureaucratic offices, and where visitors can renew or extened their Egyptian visas. Although lacking in obvious tourist "attractions", Downtown is nonetheless the convenient location of many smaller hotels, retail outlets, travel agencies and restaurants that would be of interest to the traveller. The district's central location makes it, together with Midan Tahrir, a natural "jumping off point" for exploration of the city. The east end of Downtown is marked by Midan Ataba, the starting point of Islamic Cairo.
