Aq Sunqur Mosque (Blue Mosque)

The Blue Mosque was constructed in 747 AH / 1347 AD by Prince Shams Al -Din Aq Sunqur, a Mamluk of al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. It is located at an equal distance between Bab Zuweila and the Citadel of Saladin. The mosque was refurbished by the Ottoman prince Ibrahim Agha El-Mostahfzan, who conducted an important restoration in the mosque. The mosque is also a funerary complex containing the mausoleums of its founder Shams al-Din Aq sunqur, his sons, a number of children of the Bahri Mamluk Sultan an-Nasir Muhammad and that of its principal restorer, Ibrahim Agha al-Mustahfizan.

The façade of the mosque from the top

Architecture

The mosque has three entrances, the main one being its street portal opening into the western side; this side consists of a large pointed arch with corbels on the front edges of its roof. The first and the second entrance both overlook Bab Al-Wazir’s Street while the third entrance overlooks Darb Shaghlan’s street. The Blue Mosque also has a significant importance in both historical and archaeological terms because it combines the Mamluk architectural style with Ottoman decoration. It was named Blue Mosque because of the blue glazed ceramic tiles covering its walls.

Ibrahim Agha's mausoleum

1050
people are checking in Aq Sunqur Mosque (Blue Mosque)

After the building was renovated by Prince Ibrahim Agha al-Mustahfzan in the Ottoman era in 1654 who carried out a major renovation project for the Mosque, restoring its roof and arcades, and adding columns to support the mosque's southern prayer hall, and decorating the building with blue tiles back, the building was used as a congregational mosque. Severe damage occurred during the 1991 earthquake and the building was closed and supported by temporary shoring. Between 2009 and 2012, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture started its comprehensive restoration bringing back the building to its former condition.

Qibla's Iwan

Restoration

During the restoration

Location:Cairo, Egypt
Coordinates:30.036°N 31.260°E
Built:Est. 747 AH / 1346 AD.
Governing body:Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Architectural Type:mosque.
Architectural style:Mamluk.

Umm Al-Sultan Shaa’ban Mosque and Madrasa

This building is the only royal construction in Darb al-Ahmar. The Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban Ibn Hussein Ibn Al-Nasir Mohamed Ibn Al-Mansour Qalawun commissioned the construction of this madrassa for his mother Khwand Baraka Khatoun Bent Abdullah and wife of Al-Amir Al-Amagad Hussein Ibn Al-Nasir Mohamed Ibn Qalaqun, who was the father of her son Al-Ashraf Sha'ban. Khwand Baraka was appreciated due to her contributions and donations, especially during her pilgrimage year in 770 AH (1368AD) to the extent that this year was known among the people by her name as Umm Al-Sultan (i.e. mother the sultan) year. In addition, she played a major role in the political life of the time and in consolidating her son’s, rule. She died in 774 AH (1372 AD).