The Mosque, located on the west side of Al-Tabbana Street,This mosque was built by Alā al-Dīn Altunbughā ibn Abdallah Altinbughā al-Mārīdanī who began his career as a khassaki (imperial guard) and cup-bearer of the ninth Bahri Mamluk Sultan al-Nāsir Muhammad ibn Qalāwūn . At first, Altunbughā al-Mārīdanī was appointed as amir of Ten. Later, he became amir tablakhāna and advanced quickly to become Amir of Hundred, then Amir of Thousand. He was one of the Amirs of Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qala’un and his son-in law. He started the construction in 1338-9 and finished it in 1340, under the supervision of the Mu’allim ibn Al-Suyufi, chief architect to Al-Nasir Muhammad. Altinbugha Al Maridani Mosque has survived almost 700 years since its construction thanks to the initial high quality of conception and workmanship of its Mamluk builders, but also due to a continuous use and good maintenance as a congregational mosque.
The mosque plans resembles that of the mosque of Al-Nasir in the Citadel, for it consists of an open Sahn, surrounded by four Riwaqs, the Qibla having four rows of arches, whereas each of the other three has two only. It is one of the finest examples of Bahri Mamluk architecture in Cairo. The mosque contains a large number of high quality ornaments such as a beautifully carved wooden screen separating the Quibla Riwaq from the rest of the mosque, Monumental granite columns and capitals, reused from the Roman period, a Mihrab of colour marble with bands of thin tracery, inlaid with mother of pearl of the finest craftsmanship, ceilings painted and gilded with geometrical designs.
The « Comité de Conservation de l’Art Arabe » has carried out extensive restoration between 1895 and 1903. They have renewed defective masonry, replaced falling columns, repaired the marble dado, restored the Mimbar, windows and doors, and built a dome over the Mihrab, after repairing and painting its stalactites. They also rebuilt the upper storey of the minaret and repaired all ceilings. Since end 2018, a restoration project of the neglected eastern qa’a along the qibla wall was initiated the by Aga Khan Trust for Culture with funding by the European Union and under the supervision of the Ministry of Antiquities.
| Location: | Cairo, Egypt |
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| Coordinates: | 30.03974°N 31.25922°E |
| Built: | Est. 740 AH / 1340 AD |
| Governing body: | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
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| Architectural Type: | Mosque |
| Architectural style: | Mamluk. |
This mosque was established by Prince Shehab Al-Deen Ahmed al-Mihmandar who was the leader of the Egyptian army in the third period of Sultan Al-Nasser Muhammad ibn Qalawun back in 725 AH (1324 AD). The building was initially organized as a school and as a khanqa, but Prince Soliman Al-Qazadoghli decided to build a minaret and a mimbar and convert it into a mosque in 1722 A.D.
