The Holyoaks in the Holy Land: Egypt: Minarets and the Mosque of Muhammed Ali

The Mohammed Ali Mosque stands on the highest point inside the courtyard of the Citadel of Saladin, the largest mosque you see in the distance of the photo below. It is often referred to as the Alabaster Mosque because it was built from white alabaster and limestone.

Before we visit the Mosque of Muhammed Ali, we need to know more about minarets because the city of Cairo boasts more than 1,000. A minaret is a very distinctive structure of architecture built adjacent to a mosque and the shape of the top part indicates the time period in which it was constructed. As we drove towards the Citadel where the Mosque is located, minarets of all sizes dominated the skyline of Cairo, adding interest to the view of the city.

Some minarets soar high above mosques while others are short. Some are tall and skinny and shaped like a pencil while others have a bulbous top that looks like an onion. Minarets have been described as the "gates from heaven and earth."

Mosques with royal patronage have more than a single minaret, ranging from two to six. They are built of stone and those in Cairo were cut from the quarries found in the hills of Muqattam, a quarry that once supplied stones for the pyramid builders 4,000 years prior.

This very simple, pencil-shaped minaret was built in the Ottoman style which ended the latter part of the 13th century. The top (or crown) is covered with lead and the conical cap is elongated. Minarets may be conical (tapering), square, cylindrical or polygonal (faceted).

Minarets are all different but each is patterned in three or four levels. The base, or first level, is usually square or octagonal in shape and from it a tower rises to a second level. The second level may be round or octagonal in shape and has a balcony encircling it. It is from this level the call to prayer is made. The third level has (but not always) a circle of colonnades. As the minaret rises upward, it tapers off and inside the tower is a very narrow staircase which spirals upward to the top to a dome. The Call to Prayer is performed from with a microphone or speaker.

Styles of minarets vary according to the time period in which they were built but their main purpose is to provide a visual focal point to the Muslim community from where the Call to Prayer is broadcast. The Call to Prayer is made five times each day. The first mosques did not have minarets so the Call to Prayer was performed elsewhere or from the roof of a house. It wasn't until the death of Muhammed Ali that the first known minarets appeared.

The Muhammed Ali Mosque is the largest Ottoman mosque built in the first half of the 19th century. As previously mention- ed, it located on the summit of the Citadel of Salah Al-Din (a fortified area of the city) and has been the most visible mosque in Cairo for the past 150 years. It was commissioned by Muhammed Ali and construct-ion began in 1830. It was used to guard the Delta area, the Nile River area and Upper Egypt.

The Citadel of Salah Al-Din was built by Saladin during the end of the 12th century. It is located at the top of a high cliff and was a great place to get a view of different sections of Cairo.

This diagram of the Citadel in Cairo, Egypt will give you a better perspective of the layout. Other than mosques, the Citadel has four interesting museums: the Military Museum, the Police Museum, the Royal Carriages Museum and the Qaser El Gawhara Museum.

I posted this photo on my first Egypt entry but now that you know something about minarets, you might notice the number of minarets on the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan in the background behind us. Right after this photo was taken, one of our students asked to have her photo with two of our very handsome security officers who were always present wherever we traveled. However, they posed showing their ever-ready and very intimidating guns!

Today, the Citadel of Saladin is considered to be among the most popular historical sites of Cairo and is historically connected to two historical leaders: Saladin, who defeated the Crusaders and conquered Jerusalem and Muhammed Ali, who introduced European technology to Egypt and transformed it into his private kingdom. He was known as the "Father of Modern Egypt."

The courtyard of the Citadel is surrounded by arched riwaqs. What are riwaqs? Architecturally, they add an arcade element and define courtyard areas of mosques and other structures. They are usually found along main walkways of large bazaars and offer covered circulation and places to meet and rest.

On the west wall in the open courtyard is a huge brass clock. Apparently it never worked but was a gift to Muhammed Ali by the King of France, Louis-Philippe in 1845 before Muhammed Ali's death. There is also a tea salon on the upper level and the style is a mixture of Neo-Gothic and Oriental.

The richly decorated ceiling appeared weathered and in need of repair.

The Alabaster Mosque stone is no longer white due to heavy pollution in the air. Our guide said attempts are being made to clean it. The Mosque is classically Turkish in style and the best example in Egypt.

On the two edges of the western façade of the courtyard are two slender minarets that tower over 100 feet up into the sky.

In the middle of the courtyard is the ablution fountain. It is octagonal in shape and covered by a large leaded domed canopy resting on 8 pillars with natural ornaments. Inside the dome is another marble small dome, octagonal in shape and decorated with floral motifs. In the arched walls of the courtyard behind, there are 46 windows.

Muhammed Ali - Entrance to the Mosque

A Turkish man from Istanbul began building the mosque for Mohammed Ali who ruled Egypt, but it wasn't finished until 1849 after his death. Mohammed was buried inside in the tomb on the southeastern side on the right side of the entrance that leads to the main section of the mosque.

The interior also reflects some French Rococo influences and is also finished with lines of red, green and gold. However, the entire interior looked drab and did not appear well maintained.

I love this photo of Elise, one of our students from the Jerusalem Center.

The marble mihrab (the niche in the wall that faces Mecca) is covered by a half-dome.
Worshipers face Mecca when they pray and there are a number of mihrabs in the Mosque.

There are 6 medallions around the dome, which include the names of Allah (God) and Mohammed (the Prophet) as well as the names of followers of Mohammed and some Muslim leaders.

The ceiling is decorated with a constellation of hanging globe lamps.

To the right of the entrance of the Mosque is the tomb of Mohammed Ali. (Photo below) It is made of white marble covered with floral motifs and gilded inscriptions. Originally, Mohammed was not buried in this mosque but later during the reign of King Abbus (1849 - 1854), his body was transferred from Housh El Basha to the inside of this mosque where it rests inside the bronze grill.

Muhammad Ali is buried beneath this white marble monument.

Muhammed Ali reigned from 1805 to 1848 and

this mosque was built as a monument to himself.

The doors to the Tomb of Muhammed Ali.

As I looked up at the many lights and the massive chandelier, I kept thinking how much more beautiful it would be IF only someone would clean it. The air inside the mosque was clouded with incense and it smelled like dirty feet and was musty. I couldn't help from comparing it to the Al-Asqa Mosque at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.