Alabaster Mosque (Mohammad Ali Mosque)
|
Reviewed by:
Laalamani
Rating:
|
Situated on the summit of the citadel, this is a typical Ottomen, the largest to be built in the first half of the 19th century. The mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, the oldest son of Muhammad Ali Pasha, giving the mosque its name.
The mosque is situated on the summit of the citadel, and along with the citadel, is one of the landmarks and tourist attractions of Cairo. It is still used a place of worship today by the Muslims of Cairo
The mosque is one of the most identifiable features of the city and can be seen when approaching the city from almost any direction.
The mosque is built with a central dome surrounded by four small and four semicircular domes.
The minarets of the Muhammad Ali Mosque are over eighty meters high. The highest dome is 52 meters high, with a diameter of 21 meters.
The design of the Muhammad Ali Mosque is based on a plan similar to that of the Mosque of Sultan Ahmad in Istanbul, and consists of two parts, the mosque to the east and an open courtyard to the west.
The mosque has three entrances, on the north, west and east walls. The western entrance opens onto the courtyard. On the west wall of the courtyard is an iron clock, given to Muhammad Ali by the French King Louis Philippe, in exchange for the obelisk. The obelisk is now in the Palace de la Concorde, Paris.
Currently, the city of Cairo is working to conserve and protect the Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali. The mosque’s dome is undergoing cleaning and restoration. A new lighting system for the Citadel is being done by an Italian company in three phases. The first phase, the lighting of the mosque of Mohammad Ali, is complete. The next phase will be to light the whole 1.5 kilometres of the surrounding wall, and the third phase is to light the road of the Citadel from the entrance to the end.
Visiting the Citadel is one of Cairo’s landmarks and its best combined with visiting Al –Hussein Mosque and Mosque of al-Rafai which are located just below the Citadel.
Important! Women must cover their heads, so bring a scarf. Shoulders must also not be exposed. Everyone has to remove their shoes. You will need to carry your shoes because the exit point is at the opposite end from the entrance and hold the soles together when walking.
Category: Monument and Historic Building
Address: Cairo, Egypt
Website http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/muhammadalimosque.htm
Maybe you might also be interested in:
| Saqqara (Sakkara) Pyramids | |
|
Saqqara (or Sakkara, Saqqarah in Arabic) is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the cemetery for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. The ancient city of Mephis is located about 10 miles south of Cario. Saqqara was... Reviewed by: Jò |
| Mosque of Ibn Tulun | |
|
It is the oldest mosque in the city that has survived in its original form and is the largest mosque in Cairo by extension. Ahmad Ibn Tulun, governor Abbasid of Egypt who ruled between 868... Reviewed by: Jò |
| Citadel (Al-Qalaa) | |
|
The Citadel is a fortification, a defensive wall, and was once popular for its fresh breeze and amazing views of the city. It is also known as Saladin Citadel of Cairo.When Saladdin established the Ayyubid... Reviewed by: Laalamani |
