Sultaniyya Mausoleum
The Sultaniyya Mausoleum is a
It is notable for its unique pair of stone domes.Historical background
.jpg)
Sultan
The cemetery in which the mausoleum is located was originally a cemetery founded by the
A part of the Sultaniyya complex, including its courtyard, has disappeared, and its current remains were restored in modern times.[4] In 2023, the minaret of the complex was disassembled in order to make way for a new highway roundabout, amidst other demolitions in the area. The Egyptian government plans to move the minaret to another location.[5]
Architecture
The complex consists of two domed chambers, a prayer space between them, and a
Central iwan
Between the two domes and tomb chambers is a large
Mausoleums and domes
The structure's most distinctive feature is its two stone domes. The domes are ribbed or fluted on the outside, have a pointed "bulbous" profile, and stand on high drums. The stone "ribs" end in a slim cornice of muqarnas above the edge of the drums. This form is very reminiscent of Timurid architecture in Samarkand (e.g. the Gur-e-Amir) but predates the latter by half a century, most likely indicating that it originated here first in Cairo[2] or that it was influenced by earlier Iranian domed structures which have since disappeared.[6] Similar dome shapes appear at the Madrasa of Sarghitmish (also in Cairo), which was built around the same time, and possibly at the slightly earlier Khanqah of Amir Shaykhu. The original dome of Sultan Hasan's own massive mausoleum, also built during his reign, was described as having a similar shape as well (though it no longer exists today as it was replaced with a different type of dome). However, none of these other contemporary domes had the same ribbed form with muqarnas and none of them were built in stone, making the Sultaniyya's domes unique.[1][2]
The two domes are very similar to each other but not quite identical. The drum of the northern dome is covered in
Inside the mausoleum chambers, the transition between the round domes and the square chamber is achieved through the use of pendentives carved in muqarnas forms. Each mausoleum chamber has its own simple stone mihrab.[1]
Minaret
Nearby, presumably at the opposing end of the vanished courtyard, rises the mausoleum's minaret, which now appears to stand alone but originally would have been connected to the mausoleum by the outer walls of the complex. The minaret, with an octagonal shaft, is similar to the minarets of the
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84511-549-4.
- ^ ISBN 9789774168550.
- ISBN 9789774160745.
- ^ "Qubba al-Turba al-Sultaniyya". Archnet. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
- ^ Keath, Lee; Magdy, Samy (2023-09-11). "New highways carve into Cairo's City of the Dead cemetery as Egypt's government reshapes the city". AP News. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ISBN 9780300064650.
External links
- Qubba al-Turba al-Sultaniyya at Archnet. (Includes a number of historical photos.)
