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Egypt
Islamic Buildings and Mosques
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Islamic Monuments |
The artistic beauty of Islamic monuments is not only
manifested in mosques , but it extends to houses ,
palaces , fortresses and other architectural
structures .
Cairo Mosques
Founded by Amr Ibn El – Aas in 642 ( 21 Hijira ) ,
North of the site of the Roman fortress of Babylon
in Old Cairo. It is considered the oldest mosque in
Egypt.
Simple in design , its present plan consists of an
open sahn (court) surrounded by four riwaqs
(colonnade), the largest being the Qiblah riwaq with
marble pillars. Some of the wooden beams still bear
Byzantine decorations in the form of vine leaf
cluster motifs .
Mosque of Amr Ibn El - Aas, Cairo
Situated in Sayyedah Zeinab area, it was built by
Prince Ahmad Ibn Tulun in 879 (265 Hijira)It is the
largest mosque in Egypt which still retains its
original architectural structure . It is of simple
design consisting of an open sahn (court) with an
ablution fountain in the center , surrounded by four
riwaqs , the largest being the Qiblah riwaq
(colonnade). The high – walled additions are found
on the South , West and North sides.
The mosque's walls are decorated with 128 latticed
windows made of gypsum . The mihrab is made of
marble and gilted mosaic and bordered by four
columns with leaf – like crowns. The pulpit is made
of wood and dates back to the Mamluk period.
Mosque of Ahmed Ibn Tulun, Cairo
This mosque is located in the middle of an area
teaming with the most beautiful Islamic monuments
from the 10th Century AD and later. It was named “
Al – Azhar ” after Fatma Al Zahraa, the
daughter of Prophet Mohamed .The Mosque and
Madrasah ( School ) of Sultan Hassan, Cairo
Built in 1356 ( 757H) , this mosque lies at the
junction of Al – Qala ( the Citadel )street and
Salah El – Din Square . It was built by Sultan
Hassan Ibn Qalawon as a mosque and madrasah ( school
) to teach the four sects of Islam. It is composed
of an open court , surrounded by four iwans (
sections ) for the four school..
Mohamed Aly Mosque at the Citadel, Cairo
Built in 1830 ( 1246 Hijira )in the citadel of Salah
Al – Din Al – Ayyubi along Ottoman lines of
byzantine origins , the mosque comprises a square –
shaped riwaq ( gallery )for prayers , covered by a
dome over the mihrab .On the wall stands the clock
tower , a gift from Louis Philippe , king of France
Mosque and Dome of Imam El – Shafei, Cairo
King El-Muzaffar El-Ayyubi built the present dome
which is considered one of the most beautiful domes
in Cairo .
Mosque of El – Rifa’i, Cairo
The Mosque was built in 1911 ( 1329 Hijira ) over
looking Salah El-Din Square near the Citadel , South
of the mosque of Sultan Hassan
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Islamic
Building |
The Citadel of Salah El – Din, Cairo
The Citadel was built in 1183 ( 579 Hijira ) along
the lines of a medieval fortress . It has a deep
well , 90 meters deep , known as Bir Youssef (
Joseph 's well ) , provide with water in times of
siege .
Beit El–Seheimi - Cairo
Located in El-Azhar district , it is an excellent
example of the old caravansarays mansions , where
merchants with their goods and beasts were
accommodated . Lately , this historic mansion was
turned into a cultural center , comprising a
handicraft training school .
Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, Cairo
Khan El Khalili is the most famous tourist bazaar in
Egypt .
Bordered on the East by the mosque of El-Hussein and
on the South by El-Mousky street , this bazaar (
market ) was built by the Circassian Prince , El-Khalili
in the 14th centur. AD , and it was renovated by
Sultan El-Ghouri in 1511 AD .
The Manial Palace Museum, Cairo
Located in El-Manial , overlooking the Nile , it was
the private residence of Prince Mohammed Ali Tawfik.
Its architecture is a mixture of Persian , Moroccan
and Turkish styles . In a corner of its spacious
garden is the Manial Palace Hotel .
Souq El Foustat
The primary purpose of the Souq El Fustat is to
create a sympathetic space for artists, craftsmen
and designers to develop their working studios and
commercial distribution. The location is ideally
situated for tourism, being near the most prominent
Christian sites in Cairo. The workshops are chosen
very carefully to avoid another Khan El-Khalili, and
these include metalwork, ceramics, candle making,
glassblowing, leatherwork, etc. The criterion of the
first phase is an investment for the future. Quality
is emphasized in the high standards of workmanship.
We are especially looking for those crafts, which
are on the verge of extinction. Many of the artisans
and designers are developing their work from
artifacts of the museums, thus revitalizing already
extinct crafts. In this way, we also hope to
encourage aspiring artists.
Souq El Fustat also operates as a school using an
innovative residential teaching approach. Local
artisans receive subsidized rents in exchange for
giving two classes a week each, a roughly
six-to-ten- hour commitment. At present, there is
one art-class, one weaving-class and one metal and
woodwork-class. A pilot art-class was successfully
completed in May 2001 and involved 40 students.
Within the framework of the teaching program,
excursions for the children and their parents have
been organized.
The artists and artisans of Souq El Fustat have also
undertaken the responsibility of apprenticeships and
in this way both the cultural heritage is secured as
well as it is giving employment to the local
community.
The district Fustat has been known for its
excellent pottery for centuries. Unfortunately, the
villagers have been forced to move many times
because of the city expansion, which has had a
devastating effect on both the pottery production as
well as the social life. Finally the Governorate
decided to donate the land to the craftsmen
themselves, and the Ministry of Tourism contributed
EP 3,750,000 for the construction of the work-shops.
The pottery production village now occupies a
substantial 12 600 m2 area and will house 32
workshops. Environmentally clean ovens will be
installed to improve the working conditions for the
craftsmen. The ambitious core of the economic
rejuvenation program will employ about 2,000 people
directly or indirectly once it becomes fully
operational. The majority of the pottery production
will be geared towards export. The completion of the
pottery village is being financed by the Italian
Embassy through the Debt-Swap program, and also
includes a small museum, a pottery school and a
Center for the Revitalization of Traditional Arts
and Crafts. We are convinced that the pottery
village will attract more tourists to the area. The
pottery village will thus not only affect the
pottery craftsmen, but the whole society of Old
Cairo in a positive way.
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Islamic Monuments in
Egypt |
Alexandria Mosque of Abul Abbas El-Mursi
It was named after Abul Abbas El-Mursi, a disciple
of the great Sufist Abul Hassan El-Shazli .
The Fort of Qait Bay
Built by the Mamluk ruler Ashraf Qait Bay , in 1479
AD on the ruins of Pharos the ancient lighthouse of
Alexandria .
The Fortress of Salah El – Din on Pharaoh's
Island
This fortress was built by Sultan Salah Al – Din Al
– Ayyoubi towards the end of the 12th century AD ;
it lies about 60 kilometers North of the town of
Nuweiba’ and 8 kilometers South of Taba , on
Pharaoh's Island to protect the Gulf of Aqaba from
foreign invaders and to safeguard the pilgrims and
trade route . The fort stands on two promontories ,
surrounded by turreted walls , and comprises troop
quarters , a bathhouse and a mosque . There are also
towers to house the carrier pigeons which were used
for relaying messages in the Middle Ages
The Agha Khan Mausoleum, Aswan
Agha Khan was the late leader of an Islamic Sect.
The tomb is considered a masterpiece of Arab Fatimid
architecture , on the West Bank of the Nile opposite
the Cataract Hotel , It houses the coffin of Agha
Khan and is made of white marble .
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