Here are some slides shows of medieval Cairo. These files are not small, so be patient. For a full list of videos and slide shows, look at
http://montgomery.cas.muohio.edu/nimissa/webmovies/
A walk through Medieval Cairo
For an annotated set of walks through Islamic Cairo, arranged for the Architecture tour next spring break, go here
Below is the chronological account of all my wanderings in Islamic Cairo. This list has a lot more pictures than the above link, but is a little more random.
November 20-28, 2005
Back to the Medieval city to visit some of my favorite places with Ann-Marie and Camilla, some of which have been further renovated and opened. For example there is the Mosque/Madrassa of Sultan Ashraf Barsbay near the spice market in the Khan. Heading north up the Qasaba, we entered the Mosque and Mausoleum of Barquq, the mosques of Aqmar and Hakim, Beit el-Silhany and many other sites along the Qasaba north of Al-Azhar.
The Wikala of el-Goury is now open as a theatre venue, and the Sabil-Kuttabe/Mausoleum of el-Ghoury is all cleaned up from the outside. We went inside el-Ghoury Mosque/Madrassa and went up the minaret. Down the street towards Bab Zuwayla, renovations have progressed on the Sabil of Pasha Tusun, the Wikala of Nasifa and the Mosque of Mu'ayyad. The views from Bab Zuwayla are the best way to see this area. Further down the Street of the Saddlemakers I passed by the tomb of Hasan Sadaqa and received a VIP tour of the Palace of Taz by an archaeologist from Cairo University. The palace has been renovated as a musical venue and a museum.
Another day we started out at the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, then visited the Gayer-Anderson Museum. Next, we visited the Sabil-Kuttab of Qaytbay, the Mosque/Madrassa of Sultan Hassan, Mosque of el-Rifai, the Mosque of Aqsunqur (the Blue Mosque), Mosque of Maridani, Madrassa/Sabil-Kuttab of Um Shaban, and the Mosque of Qijmas al-Shaqi, followed by dinner at Abu-el Cid.
July 19: Returned to the Ibn Tulun area where I visited on Sharia Saliba the Mosque of Taghri Bardi (1440), the Mosque of Shaykhu (1349), which is under substantial restoration along with the Khanqah of Shayku (1413) across the street. Turning up Sharia Suyufiya, I walked past (but not in) the Tomb of Hasan Sadaqa (1315), and the Mosque of Ganim al-Bahlawan (1540).
July 15: Went to the Citadel to vist the Ottomon style Mosque of Suleyman Pasha (1528) and the Mosque of Muhammed al-Nasir (1318). From there I took a cab to the Tomb of Imam al-Shefi (12th C) in the Southern Cemetery and the Hosh al-Basha (1854), the tomb complex of the family of Muhammed Ali, with its multiple domes. The latter actually had official tickets (12 LE), but the Tomb of Imam el-Shefi is a backsheesh black hole. They don't seem to get too many visitors here. Since there were no cabs in sight, I took the 25 p bus to Attaba square. Ana Masri, mish kidda?
July 14: On my way to the Khan, I stopped at the Mosque of Yusuf Agha al-Hin (1625), the Mosque of Malika Safiya (1610), and the Mosque of Burdayni (1529), all just south of the Museum of Islamic Art. I couldn't get into the sanctuary of the Malika Safiya Mosque, which has a beautiful Ottoman style dome.
July 9: Went to the Ibn Tulun area to look at the double tomb of Sangar and Salar (1475), which is inaccessible. The Madrassa of Sarghatmish (1356) is right in from of Ibn Tulun. Up the street is the Mosque of Azback Salim (1495). Next I headed down to the cemetery area south of Ibn Tulun, to visit the Tomb of Sayyida Ruqayya (1133), one of the patron saints of Cairo. It was a wierd experince and I was too uncomfortable to take pictures. People come here to make petitions to the saints. I walked up Sharia Darb al-Hosr, past the Mosque of Khushqaddam (1366) to the Midan Qala'a, then up Sharia Bab al-Wazir to the Blue mosque, where I tried to get better pictures of the tiles. They need a wash job badly! The renovations at the Mosque of Salih Tala'i (1160) are really moving along. So are the renovations on Tahrir Square.
July 7: Returned to the Midan Qala'a area. Going up Sharia Saliba, I visited the Sabil of Umm Abbas (1867), the Khanqah of Shayku (1349), under restoration, the Sabil-Kuttab of Qaytbay (1479), which is now a museusm of Islamic art, walked past the Madrasa of Hasan, over to the Mosque of Mahmud Pasha (1567), the Mosque of Amir Ahkur (1503), and the Mosque of Gawahr al-Lala (1430).
I then headed up Suq al-Silah street to the Madrasa of Ilgay al-Yusufi, where school was in session, and the Sabil Kuttab of Ruqayya Dudu (1761). Continuing on past some old friends, I managed to get into the Mosque of Qijmas al-Ishaqi (1481).
After passing through Bab Zuwayla, I was surprised to see more signs of restoration completion at the Wikala of Nafisa Bayda (1796).
Crossing over to the Khan al-Kalili, I managed finally to get inside the Qalawan (1285) and Barquq (1386) complexes. They have a long way to go, but should be spectacular when finished. Also the Sabil-Kuttab of Khursaw has lost some scaffolding, and even the al-Salih complex is more visible now.
July 5: I visited the Madrasa of Sultan Hasan (1356-63), the masterpiece of Mamluk architecture in Cairo, and the Mosque of al-Rifa'i (1869-80 and 1905-12). The latter holds the tombs of the last Shah of Iran and King Farouk, the last King of Egypt, among others. After getting lost, I cooled off in the charming Mosque of Sayyida Aisha (1762).
July 3. On Sharia Muizz al-Din Allah, I got early morning pictures of the Madrassa and Mausoleum of Al-Salih al-Din Ayyub (1250), with its rare Ayyubid minaret.
Sticking out from that building is the Sabil-Kuttab of Khusraw Pasha (1535).
Down the street is the Madrassa of Baybars (1263), and the Sabil of Ismail Pasha (1828).
Farther down is the Mosque of al-Silhahdar (1939), under renovation, and off the main street winding around to the west is the Mosque of Abu Bakr Muzhir (1480), in very bad shape.
Heading back on Gamileya Street, I went past the Khanqh of Baybars (1310) and the charming Mosque of Gamel al-Din Ustader (1407).
Across from the Mosque of Hussein, which is not accessible to non-Muslims, is the Sabil-Kuttab of Ahmad Pasha (1864).
From the square there is a good view of al-Azhar Mosque and the Mausoleum of Abu Dhahab.
June 28: I returned to Sharia la-Mu'izz li-Din Allah to see the west side of the street early in the morning. The Mosque of al-Ashraf Barsbay, right next to the spice market, is under restoration.
Down the street is an important group of buildings, beginning with the Qalawan Complex, which included a hospital, a madrassa and a mausoleum, all of which is under restoration.
Next is the mausoleum and madrassa of Nasir al-Muhammed, Qalawan's son. Next is the complex of Barquq. I was able to climb the very rickety minaret of the Madrassa-Mausoleum of al-Salih al-Din Ayyub (1242), which is a rare survivor of the Ayyubid period, and get some views up and down the street.
Heading back towards Bab Zuwayla, I stopped at Beit Gamal al-Din al Dhahab (1634) and the nearby Fakahani Mosque (1735).
Passing through Bab Zuwayla, I visited the Maridani Mosque (1340), one of the earliest to use a mashrabiya screen to separate the sanctuary from the rest of the mosque. The collonade mixes Islamic, Greco-Roman and Pharaonic columns. The fountain in the middle of the courtyard is still in use. Next in line was the Madrassa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban, which was inaccessible because of restoration. Down the street is the Mosque of Aqsunqur (1347) or the "Blue" Mosque as it is called from the Syrian tile in the Qibla wall. From the minaret it was possible to see the Ayyubid Walls of the city. The Mosque of Khayrbak (1502) was badly damaged by the earthquake of '92, but I got an illegal tour anyway. By now I was too hot to visit more mosques, so I took some pictures from Midan al-Qala'a of Sultan Hussan, Rifa'i, Mahmud Pasha, and the Citadel before retreating to air-conditioning.
June 27: I returned to the Northern Cemetery. Starting from the Qaytbay complex, which runs from the Gate of Qaytbay (1474) to the Rab' of Qaytbay, a residential complex, I went north to the Tomb and Mosque of Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay (1432). Then on to the Complex of Sultan Farrag ibm Barquq (1400-11). This latter is actually a Khanqah, a Sufi residential institution, but it has two mausoleums, the northern one for the Sultan and his brothers, southern one for the ladies. Both have enormous, high domes, with opulent decorations. There is a central courtyard surrounded by arcades. From the minaret it was possible to get good views of the necropolis. Farther north, the Complex of Qurqumas (1506) is closed for restoration.
On the way home I went to Bab Zuweyla, whose restoration is now finished. From the minarets it was possible to get good views of medieval Cairo, including some nearby mosques that are closed for restoration. Most important, from Sergio Sanabria's point of view, were the machicolations over the gate.
June 21: Sara and I set out for the Northern Cemetery, where many important monuments are surrounded by makeshift housing for Cairo's burgeoning population. First we got breakfast at my favorite tamaia and foul place. We tried to get to the northern walls of the Fatimid city at Bab Futuh (1087), which is accessible by the nearby Mosque of Hakim (1013). From the mosque, we could see Bab Futuh, but could not get to it, because of reconstruction. From the walkway over Salah Salem St. and from the minaret of Qaytbay, we could get general views of the cemetery. We explored the complex of Qaytbay, which includes a mosque, Quaytbay's mausoleum and a minaret.
June 20: A visit to Islamic Cairo cut short by a dead battery. Doh! The Aqsunqur Mosque (1347) is called the Blue mosque because of the blue tile on the outside brought from Syria. Down the street are views of the Ayyubid Wall (1176-1183) and the Tomb of Tarabay ash-Sherifi (1504).
May 10: Islamic Cairo II: Al-Azhar to Bab Zuwayla. Although the Wikala and Mausoleum of Al-Ghoury (1505) were closed, the Madrassa, which now serves as a mosque, was open. The interior is beautful and I mangaed to go up the Minaret to get some views of Bab Zuwayla to the north and Qalawun to the south. Took some pictures of the exterior of the Mauseleum and exterior of the Madrassa from acrros the street. Up the street was the Sabil (fountain) of Tusun (1820) and the Wikala and Sabil of Nafisa, also closed. Visited the Mosque of Salih Tala'i (1160), being restored, but took some good pictures of Bab Zuwayla from the roof. I walked past the tent-makers and saddle-makers all the way to Muhammed Ali street before flagging down a cab home. It's hot!
May 1: Steve and Sara did an Islamic Cairo Walk from Khan al-Kalili to Bab Futuh. Several places were closed for reatoration (!) nevertheless we got some pictures of several important buildings on Sharia al-Mu'izz il-Din Allah. These included the Madrassa of al-Salih Ayyub (1250), the complexes of Qalawan (1285) and Barquq (1386); mostly closed, the Sabil-Kuttab of 'Abd al-Rahman Katkhunda (1744), the Mosque of al-Aqmar (1125), Bayt al-Shihaymi (1648-1796) and the Mosque of al-Hakim (1013).
Sara's pictures of Al Azhar Mosque are here.
On Saturday, Feb 22, Maureen and Steve visited Rhoda Island, site of a 9th Century Nilometer, fitted with a conical dome in the 19th Century. The Nilometer was used to gauge the annual innundations of the Nile in order to predict and assess the size of the annual harvest.
Al-Azhar is one of Cairo's oldest mosques, founded in 970, and the oldest university in the world. The main entrance and first courtyard to Al-Azhar Mosque are later enlargements to the original mosque. There are many madrassas and mausoleusm in the complex, and many beautiful mirhabs. The three minarets are from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries from left to right.
We then passed through a medieval gate, past a fountain (sabil) on our way to Beit al-Harrawi (18th C. house) and Beit Zeinab al-Khatoum, a rstored Ottoman era house.
The Hanging Church is so-called because it is built over the Water Gate of the old Roman Fortress.
The Coptic Museum
A Coptic letter written by Saint
Basil. Coptic is the Egyptian language written in Greek characters
Early sculpture with Egyptian Necklace.
Coptic sculpture typically had exaggerated eyes
Female figure holding papyrus plants
Depiction of Leda and the Swan
Depiction of Phrixus and the Golden
Fleece
Coptic Cross shaped like the Egyptian
Ank or sign of life
A page from the Gnostic Gospel of
St. John discovered at Nag Hammedi in 1948
Page from the Gnostic Gospel of St.
Thomas
Decorative Coptic Capital
Gravestone with Coptic Cross and
inscription with Egyptian hieroglyph (staircase) for death
