Ibn Tulun Mosque Cairo
The story of Ahmed Ibn Tulun requires us to delve into it for a moment in order to understand the importance of the mosque that bears his name:
Ibn Tulun was a Turkish slave who managed to escape his condition and, despite his humble origins, was able to carve out a place for himself in power and, little by little, create his own dynasty: the Tulunid or Tulunid. In her name, he formed an army to take up arms in 868 and founded the new city of Al-Qata'i, which is ruled by a Muslim dynasty of Turkish origin. In memory of his victory, he ordered the construction of a mosque bearing his name. The temple managed to finish, but Ibn Tulun was dethroned in 884, after ruling Egypt for 16 years to leave an example of Islamic art in Old Cairo.
From $1,250
Introduction:
The Ibn Tulun Mosque is surrounded by a huge outer courtyard that separates the temple from the noise of the city. Inside, there is another square courtyard of 90 metres, surrounded by arcades set around a large central fountain.
This site has become world famous because it is one of the locations where 'The Spy Who Loved Me', one of the films in the James Bond series, starring Roger Moore, was filmed.
Architectural details of the Ibn Tulun Mosque
Courtyard. The mosque's architectural design respects the traditional mosque plan of the area, which includes a square central courtyard all surrounded by arcades. In the center is a dome-covered fountain also called the ablution fountain, an innovation introduced by the Mamluk Sultan Husam al-Din Layen and repeated in many later mosques. The courtyard is surrounded by four porticoes.
walls. Large walls surround the northern, western and southern sides of the mosque and between these walls and between the walls of the building there is an open area called Ziada inspired by the Great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq, built between 237 and 850 and by the Great Mosque. The Mosque of Sousse in Tunisia, built in 236 and 851. It has 19 rectangular doors, the most ornate of which is the eastern door, with niches from the Tulunid, Fatimid and Mamluk periods. In the upper section of the walls there are 128 windows with stucco openwork arches, geometric motifs and intertwined floral motifs, which is the great advantage of this building as they are all different, in terms of decoration and shape.
the ship. The arches of the nave are supported by red brick pilasters and small pilasters at the corners. Both the threads of the arches and the interior of the arches are decorated with stucco motifs and interwoven lines with various plant motifs, which is another of the most striking elements of this mosque.
minaret. The influence of the Great Mosque of Samarra is also visible in the minaret of the Ibn Tulun Mosque. Especially since the spiral staircase rises outside the minaret and not from the inside, as is the case in most mosques.
Cover your shoulders, legs, and knees, so avoid skirts or shorts and tank tops.
You cannot enter with alcoholic beverages of any kind, as it is forbidden in the Islamic faith and may be considered an offense to the temple.
You must take off your shoes when entering. If you wear sneakers or shoes, try wearing socks. And if you wear flip-flops or sandals, have some in your bag for entering the mosque.
If you are hiring a guided tour service, it is very likely that they will include transportation to and from your hotel. In the event that this is not the case, the best way to reach the Ibn Tulun Mosque is by taxi or private car, either way book it from your hotel and at the price agreed upon in advance. It is also 800 meters away from Sultan Hassan Mosque, Al-Rifai Mosque and Al-Marmar Mosque.
Open daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Visit prices:
If you go on your own, the entry fee for adults is 60 EGP and 30 EGP for students. If you want to climb to the top of the minaret, which we recommend you do because it has great views, you have to pay extra which is not stipulated but you can bargain, depending on what you give or what they ask. Good price between 80 and 100 pounds.
Al-Rifai
Al-Rifai Mosque is famous as the royal mosque, as the tombs of many members of the royal family are located there. It is close to Saladin Citadel, which is a large and beautiful temple or mosque. It took over 40 years to build, from 1869 to 1912.
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