While walking through the narrow alleys of Islamic Cairo, one is bound to cross several old Ottoman and Mameluke Houses apart from the many monumental Mosques and Madrasa’s (schools). Though many of those houses have disappeared over the years, some were conserved and restored by the French Conservation Committee of Arab Art during the 1900’s which realized the importance of the survival of those great architectural assets.

Most of those houses - called in Arabic "Manzil" or "Bait"- had the same architectural design composed usually of a central open courtyard around which the rest of the house chambers are distributed, including the main spaces such as the "Salamlik" (men’s quarters) and the "Haramlik" (women’s quarters).

Manzil Zeinab Khatoun is one of the most remarkable houses left nowadays. Named after its last owner, as was the custom for Islamic houses in those days, it occupies a distinguished location at the back of Al-Azhar Mosque  in "Atfet El-Azhary" (Azhary alley) in Darb Al-Ahmar district, once the finest and richest neighborhood of Islamic Cairo.

Also found opposite the house is a well-known monument, Al-Ayni Mosque and at nearby distance, two other important houses, Bait El Harrawi and Bait Sitt Wasila.