Sultan Hassan Mosque.. Gem of Mamluk Era

Sultan Hassan mosque was built in 1356. This grand structure is regarded as the finest piece of early Mamluk architecture in Cairo.

Sultan Hassan mosque

It was built  by Sultan Hassan a grandson of Sultan Qalaun, who took the throne at the age of 13. He was assassinated shortly before the mosque was completed by his own army chief during the Mamluk era  in 1250.

 Sultan Hassan ordered that Prince Mohamed Ibn Baylik El-Muhssani supervised the construction of El- Madrassa in 1361 A.D, and the work continued for 4 years.  The site of  Madrassa was previously known as ‘Souk El-Khayl”. It was built of stones but some internal parts and details were built of bricks, faced with stones. But Sultan Hassan was killed when the mosque was completed.

Beyond the striking recessed entrance, a dark passage leads into a peaceful square courtyard surrounded by four soaring Iwans.

The mosque has four large architectural columns, dedicated to the four main Sunni schools of jurisprudence; Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali. In addition to massive mosque measures 150 meters in length and covers 7,906 square meters, it’s largest minaret stands tall at 68 meters.

Sultan Hassan mosque

The bronze door leads to the sultan’s mausoleum. During construction, one of the minarets collapsed and killed over 300,  sparking superstitious rumours that Sultan Hassan’s rule has come to an end. They weren’t wrong, just over a month later, he was murdered by his army commander.

Four soaring Iwans

On another side of the Mihrab are windows with bronze grills. The marble Minbar is covered with colored panels of marble decorated in its upper part by floral motifs. It is truly an astonishing sight.