Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque

Coordinates: 30°02′29″N 31°15′27″E / 30.0414302°N 31.257432°E / 30.0414302; 31.257432
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque
مسجد قجماس الإسحاقي
The main facade.
Religion
AffiliationIslam
RegionAfrica
StatusActive
Location
LocationAl-Darb al-Ahmar, Cairo, Egypt
Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque is located in Egypt
Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque
Shown within Egypt
Geographic coordinates30°02′29″N 31°15′27″E / 30.0414302°N 31.257432°E / 30.0414302; 31.257432
Architecture
Typemosque, madrasa, mausoleum
StyleMamluk, Islamic
Completed1480-1481
Specifications
Dome(s)1
Minaret(s)1
Materialsstone, wood, marble, stucco

The Mosque of Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi (

Mamluk-era mosque in Cairo, Egypt. It dates from 1480-81 CE and is located in the historic al-Darb al-Ahmar district, near Bab Zuweila.[1] It is considered by many to be one of the finest examples of late Mamluk architecture.[2][3][4]

Historical background

A 50 Egyptian Pound bill in 2001 featuring the Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque.

The mosque was likely begun in the late 1470s and completed in 1480-1481.

Mamluk amir (commander) called Sayf al-Din Qijmas al-Ishaqi who served during the rule of Sultan Qaitbay. He served in several highly important positions such as amir akhur (officer in charge of the royal stables) and amir al-hajj (officer in charge of the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj).[2] He was also appointed governor of Alexandria in 1470 and then governor of Syria in 1480, a position he retained until his peaceful death in 1487.[2] During his tenure in Syria he built a new tomb for himself in Damascus and he was buried there instead of in the mausoleum of the mosque he had built in Cairo.[2]

His mosque in Cairo was built on what was then the main road between the southern city gate, Bab Zuweila, and the Citadel of Cairo, passing through what is now known as the Al-Darb al-Ahmar district.[4] The mosque's popular name, the Mosque of Abu Hurayba (or Abu Heriba, among other spellings), is derived from the Sheikh Abu Hurayba, who was known as a wali and was buried in the domed mausoleum in 1852.[5][6] The mosque is also known today for being featured on the 50 Egyptian pound bill.[2]

Architecture

The decoration of the entrance portal.

Overview and layout

The mosque is considered a remarkable example of late Mamluk architecture, especially due to the architect's ingenious arrangement of the building's different elements to make them fit into an irregular plot of land in the angle between El-Darb El-Ahmar Street and another lane joining it to the north.[2][3][4] Such creative layouts were characteristic of Mamluk buildings as Cairo's density increased and builders were forced to adapt to limited available land. The main part of the site is roughly shaped like a right triangle, between the angle of the two streets, while an annex stands across the lane to the north and is connected to the main building via a raised passage (sabat) above the street.[4][3][1]

Exterior

The main building includes the mosque itself, the domed mausoleum, the minaret, and the

Mosque of Salih Tala'i nearby).[1]

The exterior of the mosque is marked by highly refined decoration exemplifying the sophisticated architectural style of

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in Istanbul), but they were stolen at a recent date.[4] Another secondary entrance to the mosque, at the back of the building, is marked by further panels of exquisite decoration above.[2][4]

The annex to the north of the main building consists of a water trough for animals (known as a hod), enclosed by walls with further stone-carved decoration, and above this a kuttab (primary school teaching the Qur'an).[3][2] In Mamluk architecture the kuttab is more typically located above the sabil, so its location here, separated from the sabil, is uncommon.[4] The hamam (bathhouse) and ablutions area of the mosque are also located here.[1][4] The bridge passage between the two parts of the complex also has an upper level with mashrabiyya windows, suggesting this may have been used as living quarters or a residential unit.[2]

Interior

The lantern ceiling of the mosque.

The main entrance leads to the mosque via a vestibule with a richly decorated ceiling and a passage interrupted by large skylight. This passage between the vestibule and the mosque is also joined by another passage leading from the mosque's rear entrance.[4][3] At the end of the passage, at the entrance to the mosque area, is a set of wooden sliding doors, one of only two such examples in Mamluk architecture.[3]

The qibla wall of the mosque, including the mihrab and minbar.

The mosque interior has a layout which had evolved from earlier "cruciform"

Sultan al-Ghuri Complex.[3][2] The mausoleum chamber of the building, which is plain but covered by a dome, is accessed through the qibla-side iwan.[2]

The decoration of the interior is also very rich, featuring

cypress tree motifs in the windows suggests that the current stucco grilles may date to an Ottoman-era restoration.[2]

The mihrab area

Close-up of the mihrab, showing the white marble inlaid with black paste to form fine arabesque patterns. At the middle, inside the central rosette, is the signature of the craftsman. At the top is a Qur'anic inscription in Kufic style.

The

Surah al-Baqarah) in Kufic script.[2] The voussoirs around the arch of the mihrab are in turn inlaid with arabesque patterns similar to those of the mihrab of the Mosque of al-Mu'ayyad.[3]

The surfaces of the wooden minbar (pulpit) of the mosque are decorated with geometric sixteen-pointed star patterns emanating from round bosses. The decorative effect is achieved by different coloured inlays instead of the deep carvings of earlier minbars.[2][4]

Present-day condition

The mosque is well-preserved overall but is in need of restoration.

Al Wafd newspaper criticized the condition of the mosque as resulting from the negligence on the part of the Ministry of the Antiquity. According to the paper, the main facade is deteriorated and the surrounding is filled with garbage piles.[7]

Gallery

  • Overall view of the complex (from the west).
    Overall view of the complex (from the west).
  • The sabil.
    The
    sabil
    .
  • The raised passage linking the main building (right) and the annex (left). The annex consists of a hod (water trough for animals) on the ground floor and a kuttab (school) on the upper level.
    The raised passage linking the main building (right) and the annex (left). The annex consists of a hod (water trough for animals) on the ground floor and a kuttab (school) on the upper level.
  • View of the raised passage from the east.
    View of the raised passage from the east.
  • The stone decoration around the hod (water trough).
    The stone decoration around the hod (water trough).
  • The decoration on the exterior wall above the mosque's rear entrance doors.
    The decoration on the exterior wall above the mosque's rear entrance doors.
  • The doors of the mosque, made of wood overlaid with bronze fittings.
    The doors of the mosque, made of wood overlaid with bronze fittings.
  • The qibla-side iwan of the mosque.
    The qibla-side iwan of the mosque.
  • The walls and one of the smaller iwans in the mosque's covered courtyard. A monumental Arabic inscription in thuluth script runs around the upper walls.
    The walls and one of the smaller iwans in the mosque's covered courtyard. A monumental Arabic inscription in thuluth script runs around the upper walls.
  • One of the windows of coloured glass set into a stucco grille.
    One of the windows of coloured glass set into a stucco grille.
  • Close-up of the mihrab's conch (semi-dome).
    Close-up of the mihrab's conch (semi-dome).
  • The minbar of the mosque, made of wood with geometric star patterns inlaid with ivory.
    The minbar of the mosque, made of wood with geometric star patterns inlaid with ivory.
  • Close-up of the minbar's decorated surface.
    Close-up of the minbar's decorated surface.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mosque of Qijmas al-Ishaqi.
  1. ^ a b c d بالصور: مسجد قجماس الأسحاقي الشهير بـ"أبو حريبة" وجامع الخمسين جنيه. Masrawy. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Williams, Caroline (2018). Islamic Monuments in Cairo: The Practical Guide (7th ed.). Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Doris Behren-Abouseif (2007). Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of its Architecture and its Culture. The American University in Cairo Press.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n O'Kane, Bernard (2016). The Mosques of Egypt. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. pp. 66–70.
  5. ^ مسجد قجماس الإسحاقى.. شهرته «أبو حريبة».. براعة معمارية تاريخها 177 عاما.. إيوانات مزخرفة.. أسقف ملونة.. كتابات قرآنية بالخط الكوفى.. فيديو وصور. El Balad. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  6. ^ Masjid Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi. Archnet. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  7. ^ بالصور.. مسجد "قجماس الإسحاقي" كرمته الدولة وأهملته وزارة الآثار. Al Wafd. Retrieved January 12, 2018.

Bibliography

  • Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. Islamic Architecture in Cairo. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1989.
  • Jarrar, Sabri, András Riedlmayer, and Jeffrey B. Spurr. Resources for the Study of Islamic Architecture. Cambridge, MA: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, 1994.
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