Today we continued our walk of Islamic Cairo but this time with Dr. Tarek Swelim (Ph.D., Islamic Art & Architecture, Harvard University as our guide. The walk made me appreciate the Islamic Arts even more and I wish I got a chance to in each Mosque for hours so I can really take in the architectural beauty of all the sites. We started our tour at the Mosque of Ibn Tulun. This was the third mosque built in Egypt. It is known for it's grandness and structure it is one of the attractions that one must visit when walking in Islamic Cairo. We got a chance to go up on a minaret and see a beautiful view of the Ibn Tulun Mosque itself and the city around it. We then visited Sultan Hassan mosque, which we were told is give the nickname "Obama's mosque" since it was renovated, and new carpets were added to the prayer areas since Obama was supposed to visit it. In the mosque, Mr. Sayed, recited the call to prayer and Qu'ranic verses for us. We were told that he also appeared in the movie, Cairo Time.After this visiting these two mosques, we started our walk in Islamic Cairo, by going down Shari’a al-Muizz (al-Muizz street) at Bab al-Futuh which is at the opposite end of Bab Zuwayla, which we had visited a week ago. We went inside Hakim mosque and saw its beautiful architecture. It was made in a way so that when walking the arches would align with the windows, a welcoming site to those coming to pray. We were told that the Hakim mosque was also a pilgrimage site to the Bohra Muslims, who are mostly from Pakistan, though I'm not sure why. I'll have to do some research on that.
As we continued our walk, we passed Al-Aqmar Mosque, the Sabil- Kuttab, a place where free water was once distributed to the local people and also a school for learning the Qu'ran.
We then went inside Barquq, and concluded our walk with the Qalawun complex which is modeled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (constructed between 1285 to 1304). The designs were beautiful and the Qu'ranic inscriptions seemed to shimmer in gold. This had to be one of the most beautiful interior I had seen thus far.
Today we continued our walk of Islamic Cairo but this time with Dr. Tarek Swelim (Ph.D., Islamic Art & Architecture, Harvard University as our guide. The walk made me appreciate the Islamic Arts even more and I wish I got a chance to in each Mosque for hours so I can really take in the architectural beauty of all the sites. We started our tour at the Mosque of Ibn Tulun. This was the third mosque built in Egypt. It is known for it's grandness and structure it is one of the attractions that one must visit when walking in Islamic Cairo. We got a chance to go up on a minaret and see a beautiful view of the Ibn Tulun Mosque itself and the city around it. We then visited Sultan Hassan mosque, which we were told is give the nickname "Obama's mosque" since it was renovated, and new carpets were added to the prayer areas since Obama was supposed to visit it. In the mosque, Mr. Sayed, recited the call to prayer and Qu'ranic verses for us. We were told that he also appeared in the movie, Cairo Time.
After this visiting these two mosques, we started our walk in Islamic Cairo, by going down Shari’a al-Muizz (al-Muizz street) at Bab al-Futuh which is at the opposite end of Bab Zuwayla, which we had visited a week ago. We went inside Hakim mosque and saw its beautiful architecture. It was made in a way so that when walking the arches would align with the windows, a welcoming site to those coming to pray. We were told that the Hakim mosque was also a pilgrimage site to the Bohra Muslims, who are mostly from Pakistan, though I'm not sure why. I'll have to do some research on that.
After this visiting these two mosques, we started our walk in Islamic Cairo, by going down Shari’a al-Muizz (al-Muizz street) at Bab al-Futuh which is at the opposite end of Bab Zuwayla, which we had visited a week ago. We went inside Hakim mosque and saw its beautiful architecture. It was made in a way so that when walking the arches would align with the windows, a welcoming site to those coming to pray. We were told that the Hakim mosque was also a pilgrimage site to the Bohra Muslims, who are mostly from Pakistan, though I'm not sure why. I'll have to do some research on that.
As we continued our walk, we passed Al-Aqmar Mosque, the Sabil- Kuttab, a place where free water was once distributed to the local people and also a school for learning the Qu'ran.
We then went inside Barquq, and concluded our walk with the Qalawun complex which is modeled after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (constructed between 1285 to 1304). The designs were beautiful and the Qu'ranic inscriptions seemed to shimmer in gold. This had to be one of the most beautiful interior I had seen thus far.
All the mosques had different designs and their own specialty. Ibn Tulun wasthe biggest and the Qalawun had the most intricate interior in my opinion.
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