List of mosques in Cairo

This is a list of mosques in Cairo, the capital city of Egypt.

Cairo holds one of the greatest concentrations of historical monuments of Islamic architecture in the world, and includes mosques and Islamic religious complexes from diverse historical periods. Many buildings were primarily designated as madrasas, khanqahs or mausoleums, rather than mosques; yet have nonetheless served as places of worship or prayer at some time or another, if not today.[1]

List of mosques

Name Image Year (CE) Period Neighborhood Notes
Amr ibn al-As Mosque 642 Rashidun Fustat
30°0′37″N 31°13′59″E / 30.01028°N 31.23306°E / 30.01028; 31.23306		 The oldest mosque in Africa; although the building has been rebuilt and modified many times after its foundation.[2][3]
Mosque of Ibn Tulun 884 Abbasid Sayeda Zainab
30°01′44″N 31°14′58″E / 30.02889°N 31.24944°E / 30.02889; 31.24944		 The oldest mosque in the city surviving in its original form, and the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area.[4]
Al-Azhar Mosque 969 Fatimid El-Hussein
30°02′45″N 31°15′46″E / 30.0457°N 31.2627°E / 30.0457; 31.2627		 National mosque[5]
Jami al-Qarafa Mosque 976 Fatimid Al-Qarafa
 Founded by Al-Sayyida al-Mu'iziyya and her daughter, Sitt al-Malik[6]
Al-Hakim Mosque 1013 Fatimid Al-Mu'izz Street
30°03′16″N 31°15′50″E / 30.05444°N 31.26389°E / 30.05444; 31.26389		 Named in honour of al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh[7][8]
Lulua Mosque c. 1015 Fatimid Muqattam Hills
30°01′11″N 31°16′05″E / 30.01986°N 31.268187°E / 30.01986; 31.268187		 Exact date of establishment is disputed;[9][10] extensively rebuilt in 1998.
Juyushi Mosque 1085 Fatimid Muqattam Hills
30°01′19″N 31°16′07″E / 30.021992°N 31.2685°E / 30.021992; 31.2685		 Described as a mashhad[1]: 163–164 
Aqmar Mosque c. 1126 Fatimid Al-Mu'izz Street
30°03′06″N 31°15′43″E / 30.051667°N 31.261944°E / 30.051667; 31.261944		 An important monument of Fatimid architecture and of historic Cairo due to the exceptional decoration of its exterior façade and the innovative design of its floor plan.[11]
Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya 1133 Fatimid al-Khalifa
30°01′32″N 31°15′7″E / 30.02556°N 31.25194°E / 30.02556; 31.25194		 One of the few and most important Fatimid-era preserved mausoleums in Cairo[12]
Al-Hussein Mosque 1154 Fatimid El-Hussein
30°2′52″N 31°15′47″E / 30.04778°N 31.26306°E / 30.04778; 31.26306		 One of the holiest Islamic sites in Egypt, with an eclectic mix of architectural styles.[13]
Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque 1160 Fatimid Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′32″N 31°15′28″E / 30.04222°N 31.25778°E / 30.04222; 31.25778		 Named in honour of Tala'i ibn Ruzzik, and is the last major Fatimid monument to have been built and survived.[1]: 124–126 [14]
Mosque of al-Zahir Baybars 1269 Mamluk al-Husayniya
30°03′44″N 31°15′48″E / 30.0623°N 31.2634°E / 30.0623; 31.2634		 Named in honour of al-Zahir Baybars al-Bunduqdari[15]
Qalawun Mosque 1285 Mamluk Al-Mu'izz Street
(Bayn al-Qasrayn)
30°02′58″N 31°15′39″E / 30.049528°N 31.260972°E / 30.049528; 31.260972		 An expanisive religious complex that includes a bimaristan (hospital), madrasa, mausoleum, and mosque, built by and named in honour of Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun[1]: 219–224 [16]
Madrasa of al-Nasir Muhammad 1303 Mamluk Al-Mu'izz Street
(Bayn al-Qasrayn)
30°02′59″N 31°15′40″E / 30.0497504112967°N 31.26106369365175°E / 30.0497504112967; 31.26106369365175		 A madrasa and mausoleum named in honour of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawu[1]: 225–226 
Khanqah of Baybars (II) al-Jashankir 1310 Mamluk al-Gamaliyya
30°03′6″N 31°15′50″E / 30.05167°N 31.26389°E / 30.05167; 31.26389		 It is the oldest khanqah, or convent, that has survived in modern Cairo; named in honour of Baybars II[17]
Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque 1318 Mamluk Cairo Citadel
30°01′45″N 31°15′39″E / 30.029151°N 31.260945°E / 30.029151; 31.260945		 Named in honour of Al-Nasr Muhammad[18][19]
Madrasa of Amir Sunqur Sa'di 1321 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°01′59″N 31°15′14″E / 30.033122257797206°N 31.253911689287595°E / 30.033122257797206; 31.253911689287595		 Established as a madrasa and mausoleum, later repurposed as a Mevlevi Sufi takiyya, and in the 20th century, as an Islamic museum[1]: 134–135 [20]
Mosque of Amir al-Maridani 1339 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′10″N 31°15′36″E / 30.036°N 31.260°E / 30.036; 31.260		 Built by Amir Altinbugha al-Maridani, with significant help from Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad[21]
Aqsunqur Mosque 1347 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′10″N 31°15′36″E / 30.036°N 31.260°E / 30.036; 31.260		 Built by Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur and named in his honour; the site contains the mausoleum of Aqsunqur and his sons[11]
Shaykhu Mosque and Khanqah 1349 Mamluk Al-Saleeba Street
30°01′50″N 31°15′11″E / 30.030511°N 31.252956°E / 30.030511; 31.252956		 A mosque and khanqah, completed in 1349 and 1355 respectively, founded by Sayf al-Din Shaykhu al-Nasiri, a Grand Emir.[16][22]
Mosque of Amir al-Sayf Sarghatmish 1356 Mamluk Al-Saleeba Street
30°01′49″N 31°15′05″E / 30.030385°N 31.251284°E / 30.030385; 31.251284		 A madrasa, mosque, and mausoleum founded by Sayf al-Din Sarghatmish al-Nasiri.[16][23]
Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan 1362 Mamluk Salah al-Din Square
30°01′57″N 31°15′25″E / 30.032495612245665°N 31.257015464682603°E / 30.032495612245665; 31.257015464682603		 Also known as the Mosque of Sultan Hassan[4]: 125–129 
Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban 1369 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′14″N 31°15′34″E / 30.03722°N 31.25944°E / 30.03722; 31.25944		 Built by Sultan al-Ashraf Sha'ban in honour of his mother, Khawand Baraka[1]
Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq 1386 Mamluk Al-Mu'izz Street
(Bayn al-Qasrayn)
30°03′1″N 31°15′41″E / 30.05028°N 31.26139°E / 30.05028; 31.26139		 Founded by Sultan al-Zahir Barquq and comprises a mosque, madrasa, mausoleum, and khanqah[24][25]
Mahmud al-Kurdi Mosque 1395 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′28″N 31°15′27″E / 30.04111°N 31.25750°E / 30.04111; 31.25750		 Founded by Mahmud al-Kurdi[1]
Amir Jamal al-Din al-Ustadar Mosque 1407 Mamluk Al-Tambakshiya Street
30°03′03″N 31°15′48″E / 30.050778°N 31.263227°E / 30.050778; 31.263227		 Founded by Jamal al-Din al-Ustadar
Khanqah of Faraj ibn Barquq 1411 Mamluk Northern Cemetery
30°02′57″N 31°16′44″E / 30.0491°N 31.2788°E / 30.0491; 31.2788		 Founded by an-Nasir Faraj ibn Barquq, considered one of Cairo's finest Mamluk architecture buildings[16]: 231–237 [1]: 281–283 
Mosque of Qanibay al-Muhammadi 1413 Mamluk Al-Saleeba Street
30°01′51″N 31°15′15″E / 30.030743°N 31.254103°E / 30.030743; 31.254103		 Founded by Qanibay al-Muhammadi[26]
Mosque of Sultan al-Muayyad 1421 Mamluk Al-Mu'izz Street
30°02′35″N 31°15′27″E / 30.04306°N 31.25750°E / 30.04306; 31.25750		 Founded by Al-Mu'ayyad Sayf ad-Din Shaykh and comprises a mosque and madrasa[16][27]
Al Ashraf Mosque 1424 Mamluk Al-Mu'izz Street
30°02′51″N 31°15′28″E / 30.0474403°N 31.2578523°E / 30.0474403; 31.2578523		 Founded by Sultan Al-Ashraf Al-Barsbay and comprises a mosque, madrasa, mausoleum, and khanaqah[28]: 215–217 
Khanqah-Mausoleum of al-Ashraf Barsbay 1432 Mamluk Northern Cemetery
30°2′51″N 31°16′38″E / 30.04750°N 31.27722°E / 30.04750; 31.27722		 Founded by Sultan Al-Ashraf Al-Barsbay and comprises a mausoleum, khanqah and mosque[29]
Mosque of Taghribardi 1440 Mamluk Al-Saleeba Street
30°01′50″N 31°15′05″E / 30.030595°N 31.251524°E / 30.030595; 31.251524		 Founded by Amir Taghribird and comprises a mosque, madrasa, and khanaqah[30]
Funerary complex of Sultan Qaytbay 1472 Mamluk Northern Cemetery
30°02′38″N 31°16′30″E / 30.0439°N 31.2749°E / 30.0439; 31.2749		 Founded by al-Ashraf Qaytbay and comprises a mosque, former madrasa, mausoleum and residential structures, that is featured on the E£1 banknote[31]: 244 
Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque 1481 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′10″N 31°15′36″E / 30.036°N 31.260°E / 30.036; 31.260		 Founded by Sayf al-Din Qijmas al-Ishaqi; also known as the Abu Hurayba Mosque[32]
Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex 1502 Mamluk Al-Darb al-Ahmar
30°02′10″N 31°15′36″E / 30.036°N 31.260°E / 30.036; 31.260		 The mausoleum was completed in 1502; and the mosque-madrasa completed in 1520[33]
Mosque of Qani-Bay 1503 Mamluk Salah al-Din Square
30°01′56″N 31°15′28″E / 30.0322°N 31.2579°E / 30.0322; 31.2579		 Founded by Qani-Bay al-Sayfi;[34] featured on the E£200 banknote
Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex 1503 Mamluk Al-Mu'izz Street
30°2′46″N 31°15′36″E / 30.04611°N 31.26000°E / 30.04611; 31.26000		 Founded by Qansuh al-Ghuri; western part remains an active mosque, with the eastern part, a former khanqah-mausoleum, now a tourist site[35]
Demerdash Mosque 1523 Ottoman Al-Wayli
30°04′31″N 31°16′38″E / 30.075166°N 31.277294°E / 30.075166; 31.277294		 Named in honour of Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Al-Amir, known as Shaykh Demerdash, who is buried in the mosque.[36]
Sulayman Pasha Mosque 1528 Ottoman Cairo Citadel
30°03′29″N 31°13′44″E / 30.05806°N 31.22889°E / 30.05806; 31.22889		 Founded by Hadim Suleiman Pasha and named in his honour; contains the grave and shrine of Sariat al-Jabal[37] It is the first mosque established in Egypt in Ottoman architectural style.[38]
Al-Mahmoudia Mosque 1567 Ottoman Salah al-Din Square
30°01′54″N 31°15′28″E / 30.031608°N 31.257721°E / 30.031608; 31.257721		 Founded by Mahmud Pasha, contains his grave, and named in his honour[39]
Sinan Pasha Mosque c. 1571 Ottoman Boulaq, Downtown
30°03′44″N 31°13′46″E / 30.062109°N 31.229399°E / 30.062109; 31.229399		 Founded by Koca Sinan Pasha and named in his honour[11]: 161-162 
Al-Burdayni Mosque 1629 Ottoman Al-Dawoudia
30°01′34″N 31°15′14″E / 30.0259745°N 31.2537894°E / 30.0259745; 31.2537894		 Founded by Kareem al-din al-Bardayni and named in his honour[40]
Mosque of Abu al-Dhahab 1774 Ottoman El-Hussein
30°02′46″N 31°15′42″E / 30.046066°N 31.261755°E / 30.046066; 31.261755		 Founded by Muhammad Bey Abu al-Dhahab and named in his honour[1]: 200–202 
Muhammad Ali Mosque 1830 Ottoman Cairo Citadel
30°01′43″N 31°15′35″E / 30.028611°N 31.259722°E / 30.028611; 31.259722		 Founded by Muhammad Ali and named in his honour[41]
Mosque-Sabil of Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar 1839 Ottoman Muizz Street
30°03′09″N 31°15′43″E / 30.052445°N 31.261878°E / 30.052445; 31.261878		 Contains a mosque, sabil, and kuttab, located at the beginning of Burjouan alley[42]
Al-Sayyida Nafisa Mosque 1897 Ottoman Northern Cemetery
30°01′21″N 31°15′08″E / 30.022499°N 31.252136°E / 30.022499; 31.252136		 Present structure was built on the site of a 9th-century mosque-mausoleum[1]: 147–148 
Al-Rifa'i Mosque 1911 Ottoman Salah al-Din Square
30°9′17″N 31°18′37″E / 30.15472°N 31.31028°E / 30.15472; 31.31028		 Also serves as the royal mausoleum of Muhammad Ali's family[43]
Sayyidah Zainab Mosque 1940 Modern Al-Saleeba Street
30°1′54″N 31°14′31″E / 30.03167°N 31.24194°E / 30.03167; 31.24194		 Present structure was built on the site of an undated mausoleum; renovations in 1547 and 1768; rebuilt in 1940[44]
Sayeda Aisha Mosque 1971 Modern Salah al-Din Square
30°01′29″N 31°15′24″E / 30.024675°N 31.256782°E / 30.024675; 31.256782		 Present structure built on the site of a 14th-century mosque-madrasa; renovated in 1762; rebuilt in 1971[45]
Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque c. 1970s Modern Nasr City
30°04′00″N 31°19′33″E / 30.0668°N 31.3258°E / 30.0668; 31.3258		 Location of the August 2013 Rabaa massacre where the mosque was partially destroyed;[46] and subsequently rebuilt
Al-Fath Mosque 1990 Modern Ramses Square, Downtown
30°03′35″N 31°14′46″E / 30.059846°N 31.246056°E / 30.059846; 31.246056		 The 130 m-tall (430 ft) minaret in the third largest minaret in the world[47]
Al-Rahman al-Rahim Mosque 2009 Modern Salah Salem, Abbassiya
30°03′41″N 31°16′59″E / 30.0615186°N 31.2829897°E / 30.0615186; 31.2829897
Islamic Cultural Center 2022 Modern New Administrative Capital Capacity for 137,000 worshippers; completed at a cost of E£800 million[48]

See also

References

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Bibliography

  • O'Kane, Bernard (2016). The Mosques of Egypt. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.
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