Al Aqmar Mosque

Al-Muizz Street is home to some of Islamic Cairo‘s most impressive landmarks. When the city was established in the eleventh century, this street served as its main thoroughfare and was where palaces and mausoleums were built.
Between Bab El-Fotouh and Al-Azhar Street, the northern portion of the street has recently undergone restoration and is now open to visitors. People like to spend time in this area of Cairo because it is among the most picturesque. One of the city’s impressive sights is the Qala’un Complex.

Some of Islamic Cairo’s largest Islamic monuments can be found in the southern part of the city. Cairo’s Citadel is among the finest examples of Islamic architecture. In the 12th century, Ayyubid general Salah Ad-Din Al Ayyubi started constructing Cairo’s Citadel. Al-Nasir Muhammad, Suleyman Pasha, Muhammed Ali’s Alabaster, and Al Aqmar mosques are the three notable mosques located inside the citadel’s walls.

Al Aqmar Mosque is one of the most impressive and historic structures in old Islamic Cairo, located on El Moez Street. One of the first structures to be constructed in Islamic Cairo is this small but distinctive mosque on Al-Muizz Street. The Fatimids, who ruled Egypt from 969 to 1171, built Al-Qahira, the walled city that today forms the center of Islamic Cairo. They originated in what is now Tunisia, conquered Egypt, and established Shi’a Islam as the official state religion.

Who designed the Al-Aqmar Mosque?

The Moonlight Mosque, also known as Al-Aqmar Mosque, has several distinctive architectural elements. The facade could stay square to the street front while the rest of the building sat at an angle, aligning with the qibla, the direction of prayer toward Mecca. It was the first mosque in Cairo to use this design.
Al-Ma’mun Al Bata’ihi oversaw the construction of the Al Aqmar mosque in 1125 AD during the Fatimid era. While some historians contend that the mosque was initially constructed during the caliphate of Imam Al Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah, others continue to hold that Al Mustansir was in charge at the time.

Building of the Al-Aqmar Mosque:

Additionally distinctive, the facade itself is embellished with three fluted hoods around the portal and on either side, as well as lovely inscriptions. Many of the elements of this mosque’s design later became typical of mosque construction in Cairo. The exterior of the mosque is renowned for its intricate stonework, and the interior of the building welcomes all visitors with a crisp breeze.

Al Aqmar mosque was initially constructed higher than street level, above a shopping area and a souk, and is regarded as one of the first hanging mosques in the history of Old Cairo. The shops continued to rise, but it now appears that the mosque is at street level. The mosque was the first of its kind to be built with an entrance facing the existing street plan rather than the direction of prayer, or Qibla, which is Mecca. Some historians contend that because this style of architecture was unheard of during the Fatimid era, the mosque’s ceiling was redone during the restorations of Mamluk Amir Yallugha Al-Salami.

you can visit Al Aqmar Mosque during your Cairo Tour with Al Sahel Travel