Three Ancient Monuments Reopen in Historic Cairo after Restoration

Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities inaugurated on Tuesday three ancient buildings in Historic Cairo's Al-Khalifa area, after the completion of their restoration and maintenance work.

Waziri explained that the archaeological buildings that were inaugurated are the dome of Prince Alameddin Sangar Al-Muzaffar, Sabil Yusuf Bey al-Kabeer, the dome of Prince Alaaeddin Aidken Al-Bendekdari Zawiya, pointing out that the opening of these buildings comes within the framework of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ interest in restoring and maintaining archaeological sites and buildings, especially as they are located within Historic Cairo, one of the archaeological sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On his part, Hisham Samir, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Antiquities and Museums Projects said that the restoration work that took place in these three ancient buildings came as part of a project to restore 100 monuments, which began in 2015, within the area.

Samir Pointed out that restoration and maintenance work for the three ancient buildings began in 2018. The works included treating stone walls, completing missing parts, and raising the efficiency of the lighting network, in addition to careful restoration work for decorative elements and treatment of ornate wooden ceilings and "mashrabiya" windows.

On his part, Abu Bakr Abdullah, head of the Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish antiquities sector said that the restoration and maintenance work for the three buildings also included the rehabilitation of the general site for visitors, where an external wall and a road leading to the three ancient buildings, as well as information signs.

As for the history of the archaeological buildings, Atef Al-Dabbah, Director of the Technical Office of the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities explained that the path of Yusuf Bey "sabil" was established by one of the princes of the Ottoman era known as Yusuf Bey the Great during the era of the governor, Qara Khalil Agha Pasha in 1772 AD.

The sabil is quite unique as it is an independent one, not attached to any facilities. In its general planning, the sabil follows the local style pattern, which is considered an extension of the architectural styles that were prevalent in the Mamluk era. The architect placed a marble column decorated with glass motifs in its corner, which is a method followed in the decoration of the corners of the sabils and tomb domes of that era.

The dome of Al-Muzaffar was built by Prince Alamaldin Sangar al-Muzaffar, one of the princes of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun in the year 1322 AD.

The mausoleum consists of a square room surmounted by an octagonal dome, with a rectangular window opening on each of its sides. Above that is the neck of the dome, which is surmounted by an inscription band in Mamluk script. Inside the dome is the mausoleum of Sangar al-Muzaffar.

As for the dome of Al-Bendekdari, it was established by Prince Ala’ Al-Din Aidkin Al-Bunduqdari, one of the princes of the Bahri Mamluk state between the years 1284 AD and 1285 AD.

The dome includes a khanqah, which is considered one of the first of the Mamluk era, and at the same time it is the first model that combined a khanqah and a burial site. The building has an octagonal dome with windows decorated with stained glass, while the mausoleum was built in the muqarnas style, a wooden architectural composition, which is popular in Islamic art.