Islamic Heritage Cairo

Splendid mosques and imposing buildings still loom over narrow, crowded streets and bustling squares; the sweet, pungent aromas of turmeric, basil and cumin drift from open barrels, mix with the offensive odors of livestock, and grab at your nose like invisible fingers; and people go about their daily business as they have done, it seems, forever. This could medieval Cairo of Ibn Tulun or Salah El Din, except that the age-old aromas now mingle with petrol fumes as donkeys and camels compete with cars for space; and an awful lot of poverty offsets the grandeur of the architecture throughout what was once the intellectual and cultural center of the Arab world.

Sultan Hassan Mosque

The mosque was built between 1356 and 1363 AD, during the time of Mameluke rule, with stones that historians believe were taken from one of the Great Pyramids of Giza. Originally the mosque was a madrasa, or theological school, and each of the four liwan, or vaulted halls, surrounding the central court served as classrooms for each main school of Sunni Islam. The interior is typically devoid of decoration to make it easier for worshippers to concentrate on prayers. Hundreds of chains which once held oil lamps still hang from the ceiling of each liwan.

Al Rifai Mosque

Just across the Mosque of Sultan Hassan is this 19th century imitation of a Mameluke-style mosque. The Princess Duwager Khushyar, mother of the Khedive Ismail, had the mosque built in 1869 to serve as a tomb for herself, her descendents and future khedives. Members of the modern Egypt’s royal Family, including King Farouk, are buried here - as is the Shah of Iran, whose casket was paraded through the streets of Cairo from Abdin Palace to the mosque in 1980, with President Sadat, the Shah’s family and Richard Nixon leading the cortege.

Ibn Tulun Mosque

This is one of the largest mosques in the world. Ibn Tulun was sent to rule Cairo in the 9th century by the Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad. He had the mosque built in 876, with an inner courtyard enough for most of his army and their horses. The 13th century fountain in the center continues to provide water for washing before prayers. After wandering around the massive courtyard, you should climb the spiral minaret. The views of Cairo from the top are magnificent and in the morning you can usually see the Great Pyramids at Giza.

Islamic Art Museum

Which the treasures of the Pharaohs being the main objective of the most tourists to Cairo, this museum, which has one of the world’s finest collections of Islamic art, is rarely crowded.

Some exhibits are arranged chronologically to show the influence of various eras, such as the Fatimid, Ayyubid or Mameluke periods, on Islamic art in Egypt; other are in special displays dealing with a particular subject. The latter include collections of textiles, glassware, calligraphy, tapestries and pottery from through the Islamic world. The intricate woodwork in the collection of mashrabiyya window screens is the best you will see in Egypt. There is also one room of inlaid metalwork, another with a collection of magnificent Oriental carpets, a wonderful exhibit of medieval weapons and suits of armor and a collection of superb illuminated books and ancient Qur’anic manuscripts.