Al-Maqrizi's topographic history of Cairo has never been translated into a European language, and I argue that one reason is the difficulty of presenting it as a standard book. The place-oriented methodology of al-Maqrizi (as stated in his opening section) and the demands placed upon a reader (to possess a mental map of Cairo in the 15th century) call for a re-thinking of the way a text such as the Khitat should be published. My work developing a website that presents a digital map of Cairo along with translated sections of al-Maqrizi's Khitat has given me an opportunity to consider some of the broader possibilities related to the adaptation of a rich historical text to the Web. My presentation will discuss the ways that the recent 6 volume Arabic text by Ayman Fu'ad attempts to become a multi-media experience, including photos and maps, but finally makes plain the limitation of a print edition of this work. The continued development of the website as a mode of scholarly publication has broadened the possibilities for presenting the Khitat. The theoretical work of Jerome McGann on the construction of websites that are not simply pale substitutes for book format, but that expand our notion of a text, underlies my argument. My effort will be directed at presenting the ways that the form of the website allows for a re-imagining of the Khitat along lines that are harmonious with the stated goals of al-Maqrizi. This project naturally participates in discussions about the Islamic city, as a presentation of a city will reflect a theory. The Khitat of al-Maqrizi raises questions similar to the medieval biographical compendiums discussed by Michael Chamberlain in Knowledge and Social Practice in Medieval Damascus. Just as the biographical compendiums point to the social networks that defined the ulama, so the Khitat in its topographical method presents a cityscape whose elements are related to individuals among the ruling class and the ulama. This social character of the Khitat is in turn important to consider in any visual presentation. I am submitting this paper as a poster presentation since it will include illustrations of past attempts to "textualize" the Khitat and Cairo. In addition I will show examples of my own work to adapt the Khitat to the medium of the Web.