Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo
Courtyard of the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo. Photo by Ashraf al-Mansur.
View of Ibn Tulun Mosque from its minaret. Photo by romsrini.
View from a side aisle to the unique spiral minaret. Photo by ccarlstead.
Dome containing the ablutions fountain. Photo by Francesco Gasparetti.
View inside the dome, with delicately carved wood. Photo by Erin Berg.
Inside the arcaded corridors. Photo by Francesco Gasparetti.
The Ibn Tulun Mosque is a huge and historic mosque in Cairo built by Ahmad Ibn Tulun. The oldest mosque in Egypt, it is also famed for its lovely architecture and unique minaret.
History
Ibn Tulun built this mosque in 879 AD with the intention of accommodating his entire army during Friday prayers. It was the third congregational mosque to be built in what is now greater Cairo, and it is the oldest mosque in Egypt that has survived in a fairly original form.
Separated from the streets around it with a ziyada (a walled-off space), the entire complex of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun covers an area of more than 6 acres. With an area of 26,318 sq m, it is the third largest mosque in the world.
The vast courtyard is surrounded by four arcaded aisles. The soffits of the arches are covered in beautifully carved stucco, the first time this medium was used in Cairo.
The minaret, the only one of its kind in Egypt, is modeled after the minarets of Samarra, with the zigguratlike stairs spiraling on the outside of the tower.
| Names: | Ibn Tulun Mosque, Mosque of Ibn Tulun |
| Type of site: | Mosque |
| Dates: | 879 AD |
| Size: | Area: 26,318 sq m |
| Records: | Oldest original mosque in Egypt; only minaret of its kind in Egypt; 3rd largest mosque in the world |
| Address: | Shar'a Tulun Bay, Cairo, Egypt |
| Phone: | None |
| Cost: | £e6 |
Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Ibn Tulun Mosque. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Cairo Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
More Information
- The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun – Tour Egypt
- Ibn Tulun Mosque – Muslim Heritage
- Ibn Tulun Mosque – ArchNet Digital Library
- Ibn Tulun Mosque – Egypt State Information Service
