The Citadel Officially Joined the UNESCO World Heritage List
in 2006
The Citadel of Saladin is considered an important historical and cultural heritage site, having been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006.
The Description
The Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun is a unique architectural masterpiece within the Citadel of Saladin, and one of the most prominent examples of Islamic architecture from the Mamluk era. It is also one of the oldest mosques within the Citadel.
It is distinguished by its square plan and its two rare minarets with onion-shaped tops.
Its dome is covered in green tiles.
In addition, its suspended facade reflects the pinnacle of Mamluk-era architecture in Egypt.
A Hanging Mosque
The Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun is historically considered a suspended mosque, as it was built above a basement that was used for storage. The concept of a suspended mosque means that the mosque was built above a basement, which makes it architecturally part of the suspended mosque style.
The Location
It is located in the southern section of the Citadel of Saladin.
The Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun is situated in the heart of the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo, to the left of the entrance from the main gate of the Citadel.
The architect who built it
Ibn al-Suyufi
The renowned architect Ibn al-Suyufi oversaw its design.
He was one of the most famous architects of the Mamluk Bahri era and held the position of Chief Engineer (Head of Buildings) in Egypt during the reign of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun.
Does the mosque have other names?
The Citadel Mosque
Because it is located inside the Citadel of Saladin and was the main and official mosque for its inhabitants throughout the Mamluk era.
The Nasiri Mosque
Attributed to its founder, Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun.
The Friday Sermon Mosque
Because it was the official mosque for Friday prayers in the Citadel.
A Brief History of the Mosque's Founding
The mosque was built in 718 AH / 1318 CE by Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun after he demolished an older mosque.
It had been built by King al-Kamil Muhammad
He expanded its area by incorporating adjacent service buildings
Its construction was completed in record time (within four months and twenty-five days), despite its meticulous design.
At that time, it was called the al-Nasiri Mosque
In 1334 CE, it was demolished and rebuilt, expanding it to accommodate approximately 5,000 worshippers. He also decreed that Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) would be taught there.
This mosque was built to serve as the official and royal mosque of the Citadel throughout the Mamluk era, where the sultans performed Friday prayers, it remained the main mosque of the Citadel until Muhammad Ali Pasha built his famous mosque opposite it.
The Architectural and Engineering Design
The mosque is distinguished by its large design, measuring 63 x 57 meters
It features an open courtyard with four arcades in the center, the largest being the qibla arcade.
The arcade comprises four rows of porticoes, each supporting ten red granite columns topped with horseshoe arches.
The mihrab facade is adorned with a towering dome, considered a masterpiece of Mamluk domes, resting on a drum with twelve windows featuring openwork stucco decorations.
The qibla wall contains three mihrabs clad in colored marble inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the largest being the main mihrab.
Above the columns are arched ventilation and lighting openings.
The arcades are covered with painted wooden ceilings decorated with octagonal motifs inspired by the architecture of the Imam al-Shafi'i Dome.
The following features of the mosque
1- Diverse Ancient Columns
The ancient columns in the Mosque of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun are a diverse collection, brought from earlier architectural styles and civilizations. They were reused during the Mamluk era as part of the prevailing architectural philosophy of the time, aiming to adorn houses of worship with the finest available historical materials.
The mosque contains 72 ancient columns, harmoniously arranged, belonging to various historical periods, including the Pharaonic, Ptolemaic, Roman, Byzantine, and Coptic eras.
Due to their collection from different locations, slight variations in the lengths and diameters of the columns are noticeable. This architectural variation was overcome by using bases of varying heights to ensure the arches are level.
- Because some of these columns were brought from abandoned ancient churches and monasteries, traces of carved Christian symbols, such as crosses, are visible on the shafts and capitals of some of them. This is clear archaeological evidence of the reuse of materials and the tolerance of Islamic architecture, which preserved them without completely erasing their historical significance.
The Decorative Capitals on the Columns
The capitals on these columns vary considerably. Some feature a classical Corinthian style, richly adorned with carved acanthus leaves, while others bear Islamic inscriptions and geometric patterns adapted to suit the arches supporting the roof.
2- The Minbar
- The current minbar in the Mosque of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun is not the original. It is a wooden minbar crafted in 1949 CE by order of King Farouk I.
- It was made by the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Antiquities to be reinstalled in the mosque after extensive restoration work to remove the damage inflicted on the mosque during the British occupation.
The pulpit is crafted from wood inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl in a luxurious Mamluk style.
Its design is similar to and inspired by the pulpit of the famous Al-Tanbugha Al-Mardani Mosque in the Bab Al-Wazir district.
The pulpit bears a commemorative inscription that reads: "This blessed pulpit was commissioned by His Majesty King Farouk I."
3- The Green Dome
(Resembling the Prophet's Mosque)
A massive dome, covered in green tiles on the outside, surmounts the mihrab of the mosque, resembling the dome of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.
It is supported by ten massive granite columns.
The interior of the dome is adorned with Quranic verses and an inscription band bearing the name and titles of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad and the date of its renovation.
The mihrab is also decorated with bands of finely colored marble and mother-of-pearl, carved in intricate geometric patterns that reflect the pinnacle of Mamluk maritime art.
The Mosque Has Two Minarets
The mosque features two unique minarets with onion-shaped tops, clad on the outside in green tiles.
This is a rare architectural style in Cairo, reflecting Mongol influences from the Islamic East.
The First Minaret
Located above the western entrance, this massive minaret consists of cylindrical sections decorated with muqarnas and blue and green tiles bearing Quranic verses.
The second minaret
In the northeast corner, with a three-story structure topped by a kiosk and an ornate helmet.
The Main Entrance
The mosque has three entrances, the most prominent being the main western gate.
The western gate
The opposite the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, is the main entrance.
It is distinguished by its massive, recessed stone arch and bears an inscription band carved in Mamluk Thuluth script, containing the name of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad and the date of construction.
The Ceilings
The ceilings of the Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun in the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo are unique wooden ceilings designed in the form of spherical bowls. These bowls are surrounded by intricate geometric patterns and decorations that reflect the style of Islamic and Mamluk architecture. They have been carefully restored by the Department of Arab Antiquities Preservation.
(The spherical bowls)
are circular wooden niches that add geometric and aesthetic depth to the ceiling.
The Crested Balconies
The mosque's exterior walls are crowned with repeated stone crenellations in the form of muqarnas, or crested plant motifs, to protect the roof and enhance its aesthetic appeal.
The Longitudinal Arched Windows
The facades feature two rows of stucco windows inlaid with stained glass to ensure light and ventilation. The upper windows are topped with semicircular arches (inspired by Ayyubid and Fatimid architecture).
The Sundrum
In the western portico is a sundial by Ahmad ibn Baktamur al-Saqi, used to determine prayer times
The Facades
The exterior facades are undecorated and devoid of inscriptions.
The facades are constructed entirely of imported, finely hewn stone. They are distinguished by their lack of intricate decoration compared to other Mamluk mosques, reflecting the fortified military nature of the Citadel.
The History of Restoration and Development Works at the Mosque of Muhammad ibn Qalawun
The Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun in the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo has undergone several pivotal restoration and renovation projects throughout its long history, beginning in the Mamluk era and continuing to the current modernizations.
The following is a chronological account of the most prominent restoration and development works the mosque has undergone.
During the Mamluk Era and Early Transformations
- In 1335 CE (735 AH), Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun himself demolished parts of the original mosque, which he had built in 1318 CE.
- He rebuilt and expanded it further to create an architectural balance with the massive al-Nasiri Iwan opposite it, allowing the mosque to accommodate approximately 5,000 worshippers.
- In 1519 CE, the roof of the qibla iwan and the dome were rebuilt after being damaged by fire in 1517 CE during the final battles between the Mamluks (led by al-Ashraf Tumanbay) and the Ottoman Sultan Selim I.
The Period of Decline and British Occupation
The Ottoman Era
The mosque suffered severe neglect after the construction of other mosques. Its main dome collapsed, and its original minbar was lost.
In 1882, the British occupation forces used the mosque as a prison and storage facility for military supplies, resulting in the destruction of large portions of its inscriptions and flooring.
The 20th Century Restorations (Committee for the Preservation of Arab Monuments)
Between 1931 and 1933
The Committee for the Preservation of Arab Monuments undertook a comprehensive restoration to save the mosque. The work included reinforcing the columns and walls of the western iwan and repairing the stucco windows and the mihrab.
1947-1948
The Committee rebuilt the large dome facing the mihrab.
The floor was covered with limestone as a temporary replacement for the missing marble, and the mosque was furnished with a new wooden minbar inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl, bearing the name of King Farouk.
1983 and 1984
The Egyptian Antiquities Authority carried out a comprehensive restoration and maintenance project for the mosque as part of a plan to develop the archaeological buildings within the Citadel of Saladin.
Modern Restorations (Supreme Council of Antiquities) 2023
The Supreme Council of Antiquities launched a meticulous project to maintain the decorated wooden ceilings and to clean and restore the wooden minbar and the copper oven.
In 2024 AD,
The archaeological teams affiliated with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities resumed the meticulous restoration work on the mosque after settling some technical and engineering disputes and opinions through joint committees of academics and specialists to ensure the preservation of the Mamluk architectural identity of the mosque.
