Sightseeing

Al Rifa’i Mosque is located on Salah Al‑Din Square, overlooking Salah El-Din Citadel. It is one of the royal mausoleums that do not back to ancient Egyptian civilization, but it belongs to members of the royal family of Muhammad Ali Pasha.

The history of Al Rifa’i Mosque Ottoman queen Hoshiyar Hanim, the mother of Khedive Ismail, ordered to construct this building during the 19th century to be the mausoleum of the royal family.

The mosque was constructed in two phases, During the first phase, the architect Hussein Pasha Fahmi was responsible for establishing this building, as he imported materials from Europe for building as Italian marble. In Addition, he used cement in the building, which is considered the first Islamic monument built by cement.

Unfortunately, after the death of Hussein Pasha Fahmi, the construction in the building was stopped. The work was resumed in 1905 when the Khedive Abbas II ordered to complete the construction of this building.

The mosque is named with Al Rifa’i Mosque on the name of Imam Ahmad al‑Rifa’i, who founded the Rifa’i tariqa (Sufi path). Although Imam Ahmad al‑Rifa’i was not buried in this mosque, Sufi celebrate annually in the mosque commemorating his birth.

The design of the mosque:

The mosque is divided into two parts:
• The first part is the mosque as a home for the local traditional Sufi path, as well as it is a section dedicated to pray.
• The second part is dedicated for bury members of the royal family of Muhammad Ali Pasha, as Khedive Ismail, his mother Hoshiyar Hanim, Kings Fuad I, King Faruq, and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. Reza Shah of Iran was buried in Al Rifa’i Mosque, but after World War II, his corpse was transferred to Iran. In addition, three dedicated shrines for Al Rifa’I, Ali Abi-Shubbak, and Yahya al-Ansari.

The Mosque of Amr Ibn Al As is the first mosque established in Egypt and Africa. It is located close to the old Cairo in Fustat city.

Amr Ibn Al As: Amr Ibn Al As was one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was commanded by Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattab to enter Egypt in 641 AD / 20 AH. After he conquered Egypt and abolished Roman rule, Egypt became an Islamic district belonging to the caliphate in Medina.

Then Amr Ibn Al As established the first Islamic capital in Egypt and Africa, Fustat. In addition, a mosque holding his name (Amr Ibn Al As Mosque).

The history of Fustat city: The researchers said that after the Arabs conquest to Egypt, Amr Ibn Al As ordered the Islamic army to set their tents on the north of Babylon fort, but when Amr Ibn Al As came to remove his tent to go ahead to Alexandria for pursuing the Romans, he found that there was a dove built its nest upon it. He refused to remove it and left his tent in that place.

After he won in Alexandria, Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattab refused Alexandria as the capital of Egypt and ordered Amr Ibn Al As to establish a new capital to be the first Islamic capital in Egypt and Africa. So he went back to his tent, where the Nile River and Babylon fort, because it is a unique strategic location already fortified and called this new capital Fustat, meaning leader’s tent in the Arabic language.

Today, Fustat is a part of the Old Cairo District, housing many archaeological sites as Ben Ezra Synagogue, the hanging church, and the Cave church just to name a few.

Amr Ibn Al As Mosque: Amr Ibn Al As Mosque or also known as the Old Mosque called in the Arabic language (al-‘Ateeq).

There were some of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who assisted in the foundation of this mosque as Al-Zubayr Ibn Al-‘Awam and Ubada Ibn Al-Samit. This mosque was built after a year of Arab conquest to Egypt, meaning in 21 AH.

In the beginning, the mosque was built with mud bricks, and its roof was supported by palm tree trunks. Addings continued in the mosque throughout history until it became as it is today.

Bab Zuweila is one of the most famous sightseeing in Islamic Cairo and El Moez Street. This gate is associated with great historical events.

The history of Bab Zuweila It was constructed by Jawhar al Siqilli during his foundation of Cairo city in 358 AH/969 AD and renovated by the vizier Badr al‑Jamali in 480 AH/1092 AD.

It is one of the eight gates of Fatimid Cairo, located on the southern wall. It overlooks El Moez Street leading to Bab al‑Futuh at its northern wall. Only three gates remain, Bab Zuweila, Bab al‑Futuh, and Bab al-Nasr.

This gate was associated with great historical events, as it witnessed the end of Mamluk rule in Egypt, as in 922 AH/1517 AD, Selim I, the Ottoman Sultan, hanged Tuman Bay, the last Mamluk Sultan.

The design of Bab Zuweila It is a gate containing two round towers; each tower has rooms for guard soldiers. Between these towers, there is the entrance and the door that was made from tin and silver plated.

Those semicircular towers are with two twin minarets. These two minarets were added in 818 AH/1415 AD when the Mamluk Sultan al‑Mu’ayyad Shaykh built his mosque next to Bab Zuweila. Sultan al‑Mu’ayyad Shaykh added these minarets upon the towers to appear higher and reduce construction costs.

The construction of this mosque has a story. This place was originally for a prison where Al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh was a prison accusing falsehood in a murder case. During his imprisonment, he asked the god if he gets out of this problem safely and became the ruler, he will transfer this prison to a mosque.

The names of Bab Zuweila This gate takes its name from a Zuwayla barbarian tribe, who came with Jawhar al‑Siqilli and stayed in this place,It is also known as Bawabbat al‑Mitwalli.  Al‑Mitwalli is an Arabic word meaning the one who in charge of, as the mitwalli al‑hesba or the official in charge of finances and tax collection was based in front of Bab Zuweila.

The Red Pyramid of Dahshur was the third one constructed by King Snefru, after the Bent Pyramid and Meidum pyramid. It is the highest pyramid in Dahshur.

King Snefru King Snefru is the founder of the 4th dynasty, the old kingdom. Also, he is the father of King Khufu, who owns the Great Pyramid of Giza Plateau. His main wife was queen Hetepheres I, who also is the mother of King Khufu.

The construction of the Red Pyramid The establishment of this pyramid might begin in the 13th year of King Sneferu’s reign and took 10 years to be completed. The Red Pyramid is called red due to using a red stone in its construction.

The Red Pyramid is the first true or complete pyramid in ancient Egyptian history, as after the failure in the construction of the Bent pyramid and Meidum pyramid to be complete pyramids, the ancient Egyptian engineers corrected their mistakes and be aware of the correct angle to reach the true pyramid, what is 43 degrees.

It is thought that 43 degrees were the angle that was used by the ancient Egyptian engineers in building the top part of the Bent pyramid; also it was approved by those engineers for building the later pyramids in the ancient Egyptian civilization.

The Red Pyramid is 341 feet tall, so it is considered the third-largest ancient Egyptian pyramid after the pyramids of Kings Khufu and Khafre at Giza Plateau.

The plan of this Red Pyramid The entrance of the pyramid is located on the northern side. This entrance leads to a passageway. Then there is a gallery, leading into a chamber with a corbelled roof, Then there is another passage leading to a second chamber, This chamber houses another passageway leading to the third chamber, which is believed that it is the burial chamber.

The Bent Pyramid of Dahshur was the second of three pyramids constructed by King Snefru, the red Pyramid and Meidum pyramid. It is considered an important step in the development of the construction of pyramids in ancient Egypt.

King Snefru King Snefru is the founder of the 4th dynasty, the old kingdom. Also, he is the father of King Khufu, who owns the Great Pyramid of Giza Plateau. His main wife was queen Hetepheres I, who also is the mother of King Khufu.

The Bent Pyramid It is called the bent pyramid because of its broken lines due to a change of angle during the construction. It was an engineering issue in the design of the pyramid, as the construction of the pyramid started with an angle of 55 degrees, but in the middle of the pyramid, this angle had to be changed to be 43 degrees due to an overload in stones resulting in instability that posing a danger to the inner chambers of the pyramid.

The Bent Pyramid can be considered as a transition phase between the step pyramid of King Djoser at Saqqara and reaching the true pyramid as the red pyramid.

This angle of 43 degrees became the used angle in the construction of later pyramids as the red pyramid and the Great Pyramid of King Khufu at Giza Plateau.

The bent pyramid still has remains of its limestone casing that referring to how the pyramids looked like with their limestone casing.

The plan of The Bent Pyramid This pyramid has two entrances, the first entrance on the north side, while the second one on the west side. There are wooden stairs newly added for the northern entrance.

Both of those entrances lead to chambers with a corbelled roof. The chamber of the northern entrance is built below ground level, while the chamber of the western entrance is built at a higher level in the body of the pyramid.

Ahmad Ibn Tulun Mosque is one of the landmarks in Islamic Cairo. It is located on Jebal Yashkur in Al-Saliba Street or Cross Street. It is beside Gayer Anderson Museum or Bayt Al-Kritliyya.

Ahmad Ibn Tulun

Ahmad Ibn Tulun was an Abbasid governor who began the Tulunid dynasty and founded a new administrative capital that was al-Qata’i. Ahmad Ibn Tulun established the first independent state in Egypt during the Islamic periods.

Ibn Tulun Mosque

Ibn Tulun Mosque was constructed by Ahmad Ibn Tulun in 263 AH / 876 AD and completed in 266 AH / 879 AD for asserting his independence as a ruler of Egypt from the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad. The mosque is the only remaining building from al-Qata’I city.

This mosque is considered the second oldest mosque in Egypt after Amr Ibn Al As mosque, as well as it is the biggest mosque in Egypt as it was built on six acres and a half-acre.

Ibn Tulun decided to found this mosque by fired brick and on the top of Jebal Yashkur, a mountain in al-Qata’I city, to not burn or drown.

The architectural layout of this mosque was built on the traditional plan for congregational mosques, as it consists of four riwaqs and an open courtyard in the center of the mosque. This courtyard houses a water fountain surmounted by a dome and supported by marble columns.

The minaret of the mosque is one of the landmarks. It was supposed to be built on the same design as the minaret of the Abbasid mosque in Samarra in Iraq. This minaret of Samarra takes the spiral shape. You will be able to climb this minaret of Ibn Tulun Mosque and enjoy a fabulous view Al-Saliba Street and its monuments.

The mosque distinguishes with its windows made of stucco and designed with geometric and foliation forms, as there are no two windows are alike.

It is one of the most famous sightseeing in Islamic Cairo and El Moez Street. It is one of the rare examples of military architecture in the Islamic world. Bab Al Futuh is an Arabic name for this gate, meaning Gate of Conquests in the English language.

The History It was constructed by Jawhar al‑Siqilli during his foundation of Cairo city. But the current gate was built by the vizier, Badr al‑Jamali, in 480 AH/1087 AD during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al Mustansir Billah and named it Bab al-Iqbal or Gate of Prosperity.

It is one of the eight gates of Fatimid Cairo, located on the northern wall. It opens onto El Moez Street and leads to Bab Zuwayla at its southern wall. Only three gates remain, Bab Zuwayla, Bab Al Futuh, and Bab Al Nasr.

It is said that Bab Al Futuh or Gate of Conquests was called with this name because this gate was used by soldiers when they were going out on a military campaign.

The DesignThis gate consists of two rounded towers. Those towers are linked by a stone shelf. This stone shelf has small windows allowing soldiers to pour boiling oil on invaders, as well defensive rooms with arrow slits. The gate is covered in vegetable and geometric decorations.

The towers of this gate have inscriptions for names of the commanders of the French expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte for documenting their usage of those forts during their campaign.

The Mausoleum of Sidi Hassan El Zouk is located behind Bab Al Futuh. It dates back to the Mamluk period. This mausoleum is famous for an Egyptian say that is (El Zouk did not go out of Egypt) as it is said that Hassan El Zouk was a pious man helping people resolve disputes. But one day, he was annoyed by the many conflicts and decided to leave Egypt. Suddenly, he died at the gate of Cairo, Bab Al Futuh, and was buried where he died.

Bab Al Nasr is one of the most famous sightseeing in Islamic Cairo. It is one of the rare examples of military architecture in the Islamic world before the Crusades.

Bab Al Nasr is an Arabic name for this gate, meaning Gate of Victory in the English language.

The historyBab Al Nasr was constructed by Jawhar al‑Siqilli during his foundation of Fatimid Cairo city. It was constructed by brick. But the current gate was built by the vizier, Badr al‑Jamali, in 480 AH/1087 AD during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al‑Mustansir Billah, and named it Bab al‑‘Izz, meaning the gate of glory or power. He founded this new gate from stone to be more protective.

Later, Napoleon Bonaparte, during his campaign in Egypt, named this gate with the name of its officer, who was responsible for its security as Thomas-Prosper Jullien.

Despite this, the inhabitants use the original name, which is the gate of victory that has remained in use to this day.

It is one of the eight gates of Fatimid Cairo, located on the northern wall. Only three gates remain, Bab Zuwayla, Bab Al Futuh, and Bab Al Nasr.  It opens onto al‑Gamaliya Street.

The design It consists of two great square stone towers linked by a shelf. This shelf has small windows allowing soldiers to pour boiling oil on invaders, as well defensive rooms with arrow slits.

The gate holds an inscription written in Kufic calligraphy dating the year of construction of this gate and its official name.

The gate and towers distinguish with their decorations, as they hold a series of shields. It is thought that it refers to the protective role of the Fatimid fortifications representing the protector of the city, as well the victory as it is said that Bab Al Nasr or Gate of Victory was called with this name because it was used for entering the soldiers when comeback victorious from their wars.

Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi, or Al Mursi Abu Al Abbas Mosque as the people of Alexandria use to call it, is one of the most famous mosques and Islamic monuments in Alexandria. The mosque is located in the Anfushi neighborhood of Alexandria, close to the Citadel of Qaitbay.

Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi was a Andalusi Sufi. He lived during the 13th century in the Andalusia region of Spain and was born to a wealthy family. In 1242, he traveled with his family to Tunisia.

Then he moved to Alexandria in Egypt to study jurisprudence and religion, as it was a popular destination of many Muslim scholars at the time, and lived almost 43 years there. He lived in Alexandria as a scholar and teacher till his death in 1286. He was buried in a small building there.

There is an annual festival held in Alexandria on the 5th of July for celebrating the birth of Al Mursi Abu Al Abbas.

The history of the mosque The mosque was constructed in 1307 when El Sheikh Zein El Din, one of the richest traders of Alexandria, visited the building where Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi was buried and wanted to develop this mausoleum in honor of Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi.

The current building was redesigned and reconstructed in 1929 by Eugenio Valzania and Mario Rossi as it appears very influenced by the architecture of old Cairo buildings. Then, King Farouq I built the Midan el Masged or Mosque Square.

The mosque has two entrances in the north and the east. Also, it has a minaret with Ayoubids design standing on the southern side. As well, the ceiling is decorated with arabesque and has four unique domes.

The mosque is built on the tomb of Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi as he was buried there.

Abu Al Abbas Al Mursi’s tomb became one of the destinations of many Muslims during their pilgrimage to Mecca as they pass in Alexandria on their way from Egypt and Morocco.