Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Facts about El-Aqmar Mosque in Old Cairo


Sat 10 Nov 2018 | 03:26 PM
Ahmed Yasser

By; Ahmed Yasser

CAIRO, Nov 10 (SEE)- El-Aqmar Mosque or ''Gray mosque''  dates back to  the Fatimid era. It was built in 1125 during the caliphate of ''El-Amir Ahkami''.It is located on Muizz Street.

The mosque is notable for its façade which is elaborately decorated with inscriptions and geometric carving. This is the first mosque in Cairo to have such  a decoration. Also it's the first to have a façade which follows the line of street.

El-Aqmar Mosque restored in the nineteenth century during the reign of Muhammad 'Ali by Amir Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar, who built the mosque across the street.

''Gray mosque''

The middle of the tripartite composition is dominated by a protruding portal decorated with a large keel arch niche carved with fluting radiating from a central medal as a sunrise.

The medal have the name of Muhammad repeated in a circular interlacing pattern forming a circle with the name 'Ali at the center all in Kufic and pierced right through the stone.

This is all surrounded by a circle of arabesque and of pierced 'Kufic' with a final circular band decorated with interlacing scrolls. The work of engraving and piercing shows both skill and perfection.

 El-Aqmar Mosque Medal

The niches on either side of entrance are each crowned with four tiers of stalactites. Set back within these are two smaller ones, each having a small fluted semi dome. Above these two niches are two small ones each having a fluted hood supported by two engaged columns.

There are three inscription bands that run along the facade. The first at the summit contains the name of ''El Amir Bi-Ahkam-Allah'' and next to it is the name of his Wazir ''Ma'mun al-Bata'ihi'', together with his titles, and the date of foundation. The second band runs at the level of the door lintel and only contains verses from the Quran.