Sultan Hassan Madrassa and Mosque

Sultan Hassan Madrassa and Mosque

This is one of the extraordinarily wonderful Islamic Monuments In the Islamic World. If Ancient Egypt is proud of the Pyramids of Giza, Islamic Egypt has to be proud of the Sultan Hassan Madrassa. The founder of this gigantic monument is the Sultan Hassan, son of the great Mamluke Sultan Al-Nasser Mohamed Ibn Qalawoun. Sultan Hassan ruled twice, the first time in 1347, when he was 13 years old, only to be dethroned by the other Mamluke princes and generals. The second time was in 1356A.D, and before he had time to put an end to the power of the princes and high officials, they revolted against him, and the chief of the army with other generals attacked him. It said that he escaped from the Citadel and hid in Cairo; but he was found and imprisoned, never to be seen again! Most probably he was murdered 16 years after his ascension to the throne. Either way, he left 10 sons and 6 daughters.

The Sultan Hassan gave order for the construction of this Madrassa to be under the supervision of Prince Mohamed Ibn Baylik Al-Muhssani in 1361A.D, and the work continued for 4 years. The Mosque was almost complete when Sultan Hassan disappeared or was killed. It was finished by one of his functionaries whose name was Bashir Al-Gamdar. The site of the Madrassa was previously known as Souk Al-Khayl or the Horses Market. The Madrassa was built of stones, but some internal parts and details were built of bricks, faced with stones.


The Madrassa-Mosque was built according to the cruciform, an open courtyard surrounded by 4 iwans. It contains 4 Madrassas or religious schools and is 7,906 square metres big. It is very distinguishable due to its many sides. It has 4 fa�ades, the most important being the 2 main facades.

The most remarkable fa�ade is the northeast one. It is 145m long and 38m tall! Its shear wall has 4 pairs of windows set vertically, and at the top of the wall is a massive cornice of 5 layers of stalactites, projecting about 1.5m.

The Sahn, or the court, of the Mosque is almost square, about 34m long and 32m wide, with a large ablution fountain in the centre, which is covered with a wooden dome, carried on 8 marble columns around its capital decorated with a band of inscriptions of The Qur'an (the verse of Al-Kursi). At each corner of the sahn is a door that leads to one of the 4 Madrassas (schools); the biggest one being the Hanafiyya Madrassa, which occupies an area of 898 square metres. 

The quibla iwan is the biggest of the 4 iwans of the Mosque. In its wall, 2 windows in recesses, and an oculus above the mihrab, the pointed-arched mihrab is fine, and covered with marble, and there are small double columns supporting the frame with complex joggled voussoirs.


On the rectangular outer frame is a band of Naskhi inscription. Flanking the Mihrab are windows with bronze grills. The marble Minbar is covered with coloured panels of marble decorated in its upper part by floral motifs.

The Dekkat Al-Mouballegh or the bench of the repeater is situated at the front of the quibla iwan, and it is made of marble, raised on 8 pillars and 3 piers. There are 2 doors opened in the Quibla wall leading to a mausoleum dome behind the mihrab, where the Sultan is supposed to be buried. The Mausoleum dome is 21 square metres and its decoration is similar to that of the quibla iwan.

Read More

Saint Barbara Church

Church of Saint Barbara

The church of St. Barbara is one of the oldest and the most remarkable churches in Cairo. It is situated on the eastern part of the Babylon fort and dates back to the 5th Century, though it was rebuilt around the 11th Century. It was named after St. Barbara, who was born in the beginning of the 3rd Century in Nicomedia in Asia Minor. She converted to Christianity and refused to marry any of the aristocratic young men in Alexandria, devoting herself to serving God. Her father was a Pagan, who continually tortured her, and then he complained about her to the Roman governor Marcianus, who in turn severely tortured her, but she resisted and refused to leave Christianity. Finally she was killed, together with her companion Juliana.

The Church takes a shape of a Roman Basilica, comprising of an entrance, a narthex, a nave, 2 aisles and 3 Sanctuaries that are located in the east wing of the church, the middle Sanctuary is the main one, dedicated to St. Barbara. After entering, from the narthex, there are 5 marble columns, with palm leaf capitals, which separate the nave from the 2 aisles. In front of the middle Sanctuary there is a semi-circular choir, which consists of 7 steps.

From the southern Sanctuary, of the church, visitors can enter through a doorway to a rectangular hall, which contains a chapel dedicated to St. Barbara, and is one of the very recent modifications to the church. From the northern Sanctuary there is a doorway that leads to the small church, which was consecrated to St. Cyrus and St. John.

This small church has 3 Sanctuaries. The middle one dedicated to St. Cyrus and John, the right one dedicated to St. George while the third one is used today for baptisms. 
The most precious item, found inside this church, is a sycamore door that dates back to the 5th Century. The church has many icons, the most remarkable dates back to about the 13th Century. The main icons depict Christ surrounded by Angels.


There are other icons on the southern aisle of the church, representing the Virgin Mary and Jesus when he was a child, Jesus entering Jerusalem and the baptism of Christ.

Read More

Sabil and Kutab of Abdel R. Katkhuda

Sabil and Kutab of Abdel R. Katkhuda

The other factor is the odd structure of this building as it doesn’t look like any other Islamic Monuments I have seen in real life or even in books. I have gone to visit this Sabil two years ago and I was disappointed to find out that it was closed for restoration done by the Egyptian government with the aid of the German Institute for Eastern Antiquities in Cairo. I have visited the Mu’iz Street, where the Sabil is located, several times during these two years and every time I view the building from outside because it was still closed. In November of the year 2007, finally the Sabil was opened for public.

The Sabil is located in the Mu’iz Street, in its second part starting with the Azhar Street and ending the Fetooh gate at the other side. Everybody that passes through the street notices this Sabil for two reasons. The first reason is that it has a rather weird structure from outside that immediately catches the eye. The other reason is that it is located in the middle of the street dividing the street afterwards into two lanes: the right one leads at the end to the back of the Aqmar Mosque, built in 1125 AD, and the Bazara’a Wikala, while the other one continues till the end of the street at the Fetooh Gate.

The builder of this Sabil is the Amir Abdel Rahman Katkhuda, the most talented architecture of his time, and his Sabil Kuttab is the best concrete evidence of his talent. It is known that he restored around thirty monuments in Cairo. He was also the leader of the Egyptian

Janissaries at his time. 

The Sabil Kuttab of Abdel Katkhuda was built in 1744 AD and it has two floors: the first floor is the Sabil where fresh water was kept for people to drink from, and the second floor is the Kuttab where students used to attend classes studying Quran and the Islamic teachings. The Sabil Kuttab provides the two commands of the prophet Mohamed, water for the thirsty and spiritual teaching. In the back of this monument, there is a three stores building now used as a residential property and it is not open for public visiting 

This Sabil has a special architecture importance as it perfectly displays the magnificence of the Mamluk art. The door to the Sabil is located in the Southern Eastern part of the building. The Sabil room is rectangular shape with three large beautifully decorated windows. Under each window there is a large basin where fresh water was kept.

The walls of the Sabil room are decorated with unique blue ceramic with some Islamic inscriptions. There is also a drawing on the Eastern wall of the room of Mecca where Muslims go every year for pilgrimage. The ceiling of the Sabil is the most attractive among its architecture as it is designed with colorful brown and blue paintings. One can stare at the ceiling of this room until his neck aches.

The second floor, the Kuttab is a pleasant room with five marble columns holding the startling carved wooden roof. There are no walls for this room as all of it is covered with Mashrabeya windows brilliantly manufactured to fit the room. There is also a fine carved wooden cupboard in this room where they used to keep the holy book of Quran. The scenery looking out of the Kuttab is impressive as one can see the dome and minaret of the Barquq complex, the complex of Qalaun, and the Mashrabeya windows in the Beshtaq palace.

The Sabil Kuttab is well ornamented from outside with colorful marble outlines that are richly set above the windows of the building in a form of a jigsaw. The three windows of the Sabil looks glorious from outside with its huge size and distinctive design. The second floor looks appealing from outside with the dark brown color of its Mashrabeya windows that are skillfully decorated.

The Sabil Kuttab of Abdel Katkhuda is one of these many monuments spread around the area of Khan El Khalili and very few tourists know about them. Any tourist who is interested in the Islamic architecture must visit the famous Street of Al Mui’z, where the vast city of Cairo was once only located in this street between Bab Zeweila in the South and Bab Al Fetooh in the North. This is why this area is rich will all types of Islamic buildings like mosques, Sabils, Madrasas, and Wikalas.

Read More

Saqqara, Pyramids of Sakkara

Sakkara Pyramid, Step Pyramid

Saqqara is one of the most extensive archaeological sites in Egypt! It was the cemetery for Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt, yet it is still one of the virgin archaeological sites, despite the fact that so much has already been found here!

The site is dominated by the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, which goes back to 2700 BC. It is one of the oldest stone structures in the world!

Sakkara is also the site of many tombs from the 1st and 2nd Dynasties. Most are made out of mud bricks, but some tombs are made of limestone, decorated with daily life scenes. When you are at Sakkara, you will notice that it is divided into:

Southern Sakkara, which is dominated by the step Pyramid.

-Northern Sakkara, which is dominated by the Pyramid of King Titi, and Mastaba tombs of the old kingdom.

When conducting a visit to Sakkara don't miss the following sites:

The Step Pyramid of King Zoser, and it surrounding complex:

The Pyramid of King Titi

The tomb of Mereruka and the tomb of Kagimni

The Mastaba tomb of Ti, and the tomb of Ptah-Hotep

The step pyramid

Please Note: The Pyramid has been closed to visitors for a long time, as it is deemed not safe to enter it!

It was built for King Zoser, one of the greatest Kings of the third dynasty (2721-2780 BC). Originally meant as a tomb, this Pyramid was designed and built by his great architect Imhotep. The Pyramid is built as a step Pyramid, 60m high, and consisting of 6 steps; each one built on top of each other and smaller than the one below.

Today it is considered as one of the oldest stone structures built by man, and the first time the Ancient Egyptians would attempt to use limestone. Zoser's Pyramid is entirely built of limestone, small bricks of limestone, and not of the best quality, and yet it has remained for more than 4700 years!

The Pyramid's four sides are very nearly aligned to the four cardinal points. On the northern side is the original entrance of the Pyramid.

On the north-western side you will notice a little room that is built with a gradient angle, similar to the Pyramid itself. In there was found a beautiful statue of King Zoser made of limestone, it was moved to the Egyptian museum in Cairo and replaced by a replica

The northern entrance is not used anymore, as it is very dangerous! Any people, who are allowed into the Pyramid, use another entrance that was made in the 26th Dynasty, on the southern side of the Pyramid. I have frequently been admitted, into the Pyramid, with TV crews that I have led around Sakkara but I needed special permission to do this.

When you go underneath the Pyramid, there is strange feeling that haunts you, especially when you remember that you are exploring 4,700 years of time. Down there it is a maze of little corridors and tunnels! Found in some of these tunnels more than 30, 000 jars, which were made out of several types of stone, alabaster, marble, diorite and slate.

To the southern side of the Pyramid, you will find a burial shaft, almost 28 meter deep, which is believed to be a symbolic tomb for the King, as Kings of the first three Dynasties used to build two tombs for themselves; one a real tomb and the other, a cenotaph. 

The Pyramid is surrounded by a rectangular enclosure wall that measure 277m by 544m, mostly ruined today, but it was originally 10m high. You can see parts of it today.

In the southeastern part of the wall you will find the entrance to the complex, and most of what you are going to see, when you get through this door, is recently restored! You will notice at the end of the little hall that the door leads you to; there is an imitation of two doors, swung open. The entrance leads you to a colonnade that has 40 columns. Each column is attached to the wall behind, the style is called engaged columns, and they were built to ensure that they would be able to endure the heavy weight of the ceiling. 

You will notice that in-between the columns a large numbers of little rooms were created; they once contained statues representing King Zoser as ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. The long hypostyle hall leads to an open courtyard, which was used by the King, performing the rituals of the jubilee feast, called the Hep-Sed festival. One of the rituals performed by the Kings of Ancient Egypt to ensure that they are able to rule the country for the next 30 years.

To the right of this open courtyard, Imhotep built a Temple known as the Hep-Sed Temple, so that the King would be able to practice the ritual in the after life.

Behind the Temple, and further north, you will notice two buildings behind each other; they are called the northern and southern houses, where the King is supposed to host the dignitaries who have come to attend the King's ritual in the Temple, and his recognition as a King of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Next to the Step Pyramid complex, on the southern side, you will see the ruined Pyramid of King Unas, which dates back to the end of the 5th Dynasty. It was the first Pyramid that had inscriptions decorating the walls of the burial chamber! There are more than 700 incantations, which are supposed to help the dead King throughout the afterlife, and they are known as the Pyramid texts. Unfortunately the Pyramid has been closed for more than 6 years now

Read More