Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun Mosque in Cairo

During the Mamluk Era, the royal mosque was the mosque of Sultan al­Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, located in the Citadel of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi (Saladin) in Cairo. It is situated in the southern region of the Citadel. Al-Nasir Muhammad, the Mamluk sultan, gave the order to construct this mosque in 718 AH/1318 AD. In 1335 AD/735 AH, he rebuilt it. The Mamluk occupiers of the Citadel used this mosque, which was greatly treasured by the succeeding Mamluk sultans.

One of the citadel’s most notable structures is the mosque, which is made up of an open court encircled by four porticos. The mosque features two minarets that are influenced by Eastern Islamic architecture. The dome and the tops of the two minarets were originally coated in green tiles. A banner containing passages from the Qur’an, Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad’s titles, and the mosque’s reconstruction date adorns the interior of the dome. The mosque’s ceiling is embellished with lovely geometric patterns. The name of King Farouk is written on the elaborate wooden minbar (pulpit), which is inlaid with mother-of-pearl and ivory.

When Britain occupied the area in 1882 AD, the mosque was used as a jail and storage facility. It was destroyed as a result, but it was rebuilt in 1948 AD.

where is Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun Mosque situated?

Sultan Al Mansour Qalawun Mosque is located in Old Cairo, the ancient part of Cairo. Al-Muizz Street is home to both this mosque and the Sultan Mansour Qalawun collection. It was built during the Fatimid dynasty.

Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun complex

Sultan Mansur Qalawun established his complex in Al Muizz Street after carefully selecting the location rather than merely constructing a haphazard mosque in a neighbourhood.

 

The Qalawun complex is made up of multiple buildings:

• a mosque
• a school
• a hospital
• and a mausoleum, or place where the deceased are buried.

We can no longer see the Fatimids’ two palaces next to each other because Sultan Mansour Qalawun decided to build this complex on top of one of them. The area is known as Bayn Al Qasran, which translates to “between the two palaces,” and it was the subject of a classic Egyptian novel. This is because the Fatimid dynasty was Shia or shiite, and the rulers who succeeded them were eager to destroy the ancient buildings and monuments they possessed.

The Sultan Mansour Qalawun Mosque is one of the most spectacular structures in all of Old Cairo, not just on Al Muizz Street, because to its exquisite integration of Islamic art into Mamluk architecture. This mosque showcased the magnificence of Mamluk architectural art and the magnificence of their minaret construction techniques, both within and outside the mosque, all while preserving enough room for student education.

During this time, most mosques had empty areas in their four corners for teaching kids, and highly skilled teachers traveled from all around to instruct the next generation of Muslim children. Therefore, the school within the mosque was not unusual.

The complex’s entrance is a wide walkway that divides the mausoleum from the school; yet, there are other entrances throughout the complex, all of which are strikingly ornamented with silver and gold accents.

 

Sultan Mansour Qalawun did not construct his mausoleum for personal gain. He constructed it so he could bury his boys and himself inside. It is feasible to go to this mausoleum, stroll around it, and take in the engineering prowess that went into creating this architectural marvel. You may also experience the mausoleum’s magnificence and the peace it grants to our spirits. The purpose of this mausoleum is to house both the living and the dead, including the bodies of former monarchs.

 

Within the compound stood a state-of-the-art hospital with many patient beds, quite sophisticated for its time. It was reported that they had up to two thousand beds, and they were well-cared for and given the newest medications. Over time, though, this hospital was destroyed and rebuilt by another, which opened in the 1920s and is rumored to have focused on treating eye conditions.

 

There is something else odd about the complex because it isn’t a built structure, but it serves the same purpose for the students attending this mosque’s school: a water outlet (Sabil). This allows visitors and students to the magnificent mosque to drink water whenever they need it and while they are studying, which only serves to highlight how amazing it is. How carefully the engineers who designed this edifice considered the convenience of both mosque visitors and their students.

 

Conclusion

We have discussed Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun Mosque in the Qalawun Complex

As with other mosques nowadays, the compound has a school to educate Muslim children. The school is housed inside the Al Mansur Qalawun Mosque’s boundaries. This mosque, which was constructed during the Mamluk era, is a magnificent example of the merging of arts of that time.

In addition to considering his own life, Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun also considered passing away so that he could relax.
All of the Islamic eras are intertwined, as demonstrated by Al Muizz Street and the entirety of Old Cairo. For example, a Mamluk complex was constructed on the foundations of a Fatimid palace. Even though this palace is no longer in existence, it is nevertheless well-known and renowned. This isn’t because there are no traces of it, which would indicate that it never existed.
Some of Egypt’s most spectacular buildings from the Islamic era may be seen in the Mamluk era; even their minarets have a distinct charm.

The minarets in Egypt are the only distinguishing feature between the building techniques used during the different Islamic ages. This serves as a clear illustration of the degree of originality and philosophical divergence of the engineers of this era. Art is defined by every Islamic age, but one thing is for sure: Old Cairo welcomes all of these meanings in the so-called Open Islamic Museum, located on Al Muizz Street.