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During the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the heart of Islamic
Cairo shifted south to an area called Darb al
–Ahmar (the red road), to the south and east of Bab
Zuweila (Zuweila Gate). Many great Mamluk Monuments
are found in the zone especially in Bab al-Wazir Street
(Gate of the Minister) which is the main street
leading to the northern side of the Citadel.
Top:
Exterior View of Aqsunqur Mosque from Bab al-Wazir
Street.
Right
(Middle): Map
1. Alin Aq Palace
2. Khayerbek Complex,
3. Aqsunqur Mosque
Two of the earliest buildings on the Darb
al-Ahmar road are the Mosques of al-Maridani (1339)
and the so-called Blue Mosque (1347) more properly
called after its owner, Amir (Prince) Aqsunqur al-Nassery.
The Blue Mosque shares a common wall
with a 17th Century house named Mustahfazan
House - after its owner- and is located next to the Khayerbek
Complex which dates back to the 16th
Century. Also nearby are two other interesting
Mamluk Monuments; the Mausoleum of Amir
Tarabay al-Sharifi (1504) and the Mosque of Umm
al-Sultan Shaaban (1369) which lies further along Bab
al-Wazir street.
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Above Left: Mausoleum of Amir Tarabay
seen from the Aqsunqur Mosque. Above Right: Dome of the
Asunqur Mosque from the roof and seen behind is the minaret of
Umm al-Sultan Shaaban with the missing top.
The Mosque follows the traditional
hypostyle plan, a Durqa’a (central courtyard)
surrounded by four porticoes, the largest of which is the main
prayer hall with two Iwans (side aisles).
To the left of the open courtyard is the
Mausoleum of Aqsunqur and his son. Beside it stands the
Mausoleum of his brother-in-law, Sultan Ala’a
al-Din Kuchuk (the little one) son of al-Nasir Mohammed
who ruled for five month before being assassinated at the age
of six. To the right is the tomb of Ibrahim Aga Mustahfazan,
owner of the adjacent house.
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Top: Mausoleum of Amir Aqsunqur.
Left: Mausoleum of Ibrahim Aga Mustahfan. |
A curious feature
of this Mosque is the use of piers sustaining cross-vaults
which could be explained as the beginning of departure from
the Bahri-Mamluk structural style, originally
consisting of arcades formed of marble columns carrying arches
supporting a flat wooden ceiling. Both square and octagonal
pillars support the Mosque’s arches giving it an unusual and
unique aspect.
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The open courtyard showing the cross vaults
sustained by piers. |
The name
"Blue Mosque" derives from its East wall, the Qibla
(direction of the Ka’ba, toward which believers turn
to face for prayer) tiled from floor to ceiling in beautifully
colored Majolica, the predominant shade being blue. This
floral tile work was a later addition from one of the
renovations carried out by Ibrahim Aga Mustahfazan.
These tiles are in the style of ceramics manufacture in Iznik
in Turkey, although the quality suggests they are provincial
imitations possibly from Damascus.
Another notable feature of this
Mosque is its fine marble Mihrab (prayer niche)
And one of the oldest surviving Minbars
(pulpits). It is decorated with an unusual design of
bunches of grapes and vine leaves and inlaid with
colored stones.
Above: Side view of wooden Minbar.
Right: The marble Mihrab. |
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 The
Mosque's Minaret that was restored at the beginning of the 20th
Century has features that are rare in Cairene Minarets.
Originally composed of four stories, now only three remain;
the first story, plain and circular rising from the square
base, the second also circular and ribbed and the third is
open, octagonal and carries a bulb. The original minaret of Aqsunqur
and the rectangular minaret of al-Ghuri are the only
documented four-story minarets in Cairo. It had an exceptional
view of the street, this was subjected to many illustrations
showing the four-story instead the regular three.
| The fourth story, which
surmounted the present octagonal one was the standard
circular pavilion consisting of eight slender columns
supporting a bulb. The minaret is also unique as it is
one of the few that have a circular section from the
base to the top.
Top: Street Facade of the Aqsunqur Mosque.
Top Left: Staircase leading to the Minaret
entrance.
Left: Minaret with a strategic position on the
corner of the Mosque.
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The Aqsunqur Mosque is very
characteristic of the Mamluk architecture, a carefully
composed monumental façade, it presents the street viewers
with a view of a tall dome, elaborate carved surfaces and a
slender minaret. Instead of the usual position at the portal,
the minaret is strategically located at the southern corner of
the façade, which projects into Bab al-Wazir Street. This
provides it with a complete visual domination of the street
and the surrounding area.
See Also:
References:
Lara Isklander is employed in the field of Islamic
monument restoration in Cairo, and this article draws from her
experience in that field.
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