The second-oldest mosque in Cairo
The largest mosque in Cairo and the oldest to retain its original features is the Mosque of Ahmed Ibn Tulun, built between 876-879. The cosmic proportions and austere interior make it stand out among a million other mosques in Cairo, while the captivating Gayer-Anderson house next door and tasteful souvenirs in the shop opposite make it an excellent place to start a day’s wanderings. Ahmed Ibn Tulun, the son of a Turkish slave, was made governor of Egypt but then proceeded to declare independence from the Baghdad-based Abbasid Khalifas. He thereby became the first of the Tulunids (AD 868-905) at the new town of Al-Qata’i (the Concessions or the Wards), northeast of Fustat and near the foothills of Muqattam. When the Abbasids regained power in Egypt in AD 905 they destroyed much of the town except for the mosque, which fell into decay until it was restored in 1296 by Sultan Lagin. He had hidden there after being implicated in an assassination attempt against his predecessor (at which time the mosque was believed to be haunted) and vowed he would restore the place.
The mosque was originally designed by a Syrian Jacobite Christian architect, which probably explains the presence of many designs and motifs inspired by Coptic art. Legend says that the sycamore beams were brought from Mount Ararat and were part of Noah’s ark. External measurements are 140 x 122 m making it the largest place of worship in Cairo. The central courtyard is 92 m square yet despite its huge size, the overall impression is of harmony, simplicity and sobriety. The walls have been plastered but the ornamentation is sculpted rather than moulded. Kufic inscriptions, almost 2 km long, circle the mosque several times below the roof and relay about 20% of the Koran. The marble-plated mihrab, added in the 13th century, is surrounded by a glass mosaic frieze. Directly above is a small wooden dome. The minbar, presented by Sultan Lagin in 1296, is a fine work of art. The minaret has an unusual outside spiral staircase, which appears to be a copy of the one at Samarra in Iraq; the view from the top over the surrounding area is excellent and worth the climb. You’ll have to tip E£1 for shoe-covers to wear inside the mosque, but it’s fine to keep footwear on for climbing the minaret....
