Al Aqmar mosque, located on al-Muizz
Street and commissioned by the Fatimid Caliph al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah in 519 AH/
1125 AD, inaugurated on Sunday after the end of restoration works.
The mosque is one of series of mosques developed
by the Tourism Ministry represented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities to
restore landmarks in Historic Cairo.
The mosque’s construction was supervised
by the Vizier al-Ma’mun al-Bata’ihi, and it was renewed during the reign of
Sultan Barquq in 799 AH/ 1397 AD under the supervision of Prince Yalbugha
al-Salmi.
The mosque is an important monument of
Fatimid architecture and of historic Cairo due to the exceptional decoration of
its exterior façade and the innovative design of its floor plan.
The mosque of al Aqmar is the first
building in Cairo with an adjustment to the street alignment. The plan of the
mosque of al-Aqmar is hypostyle, with an internal square courtyard surrounded
by roofed sections defined by rows of four-centered arches.
Inside, the mosque flaunts an extensive
prayer hall, a lavish mihrab, and intricately cut wooden screens. Numerous
yards encompass the mosque, fixed with arcades and specked with wellsprings and
vegetation, making a tranquil and peaceful climate
The mosque houses a striking assortment
of Islamic craftsmanship and relics that mirror the extravagance and variety of
the Islamic world's social legacy. The assortment incorporates calligraphy,
pottery, metalwork, materials, and
gems, all fastidiously safeguarded and shown in the mosque's gallery.
Of exceptional note is the assortment
of Islamic calligraphy, which grandstands intriguing instances of early Islamic
content from the ninth and tenth hundreds of years.
The mosque's clay assortment includes
bowls, plates, and containers decorated with complicated examples and plans,
each with its own exceptional story to tell.
Renovation included architectural
restoration as well as maintenance to protect the walls of the mosque from the
effects of moisture and salts.
Source: Egypt
Today