Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo was commissioned by Abbassid governor of Egypt, Ahmad Ibn Tulun. The unique aspect of the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo is that it is situated atop a small hill. The hill is called Gebel Yashkur or the “hill of thanksgiving”. Some believe that it was here that Noah’s ark had come to rest after the great flood and not on Mount Ararat. Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo is based on the Tulunids style.
Tulun insisted on following the Abbassid constructions. The characteristic of this kind of architecture was the Samarran style. Of this kind of style the courtyard is an important feature. On all four sides there is a covered hall. The largest hall is in the direction in which Mecca is. Originally within the premise of the mosque there was an ablution fountain or sabil. Later in the thirteenth century AD another sabil was added by the Sultan Lajin.
The Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo interiors are like a ziyada. It served as a venue for congregation. There is an area of 162 meters (530 feet) on each side. This is a feature that is present in most of the Samarra influenced mosques in Cairo. The structure was such that there is a distinct outer and inner part of the architectural structure. The outer enclosure especially distinctly separated the city streets from the mosque. The moment you step in you will see lofty rectangular brick piers and arcades that support a flat wooden roof that doubles up as a ceiling.
The arcades which face the qibla or Mecca are five bays deep. On all the other sides the arcades are not more than two bays deep. Even more striking is the limestone minaret that just opposite to the mihrab in the Ziyada. The minaret is a helicoidal tower like many of the other Samarra style minarets. In addition the fascinating plaster brands carved along the arcades and arches enhances the beauty of the interiors of the Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo. Wooden lintels and door panels are also worth all the admiration that lookers on shower on them. Even more interesting are the delicate and very distinctly written were carved in Quranic inscriptions in Kufic script on the walls of the mosque.
travel.mapsofworld.com provides complete online information on Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo.
| 
