It is the presence of innumerable Mosques in Cairo that has earned Cairo the name ‘city of 1000 minarets’. Egypt itself is the hub of the Muslims and there are innumerable mosques most of which are concentrated in the capital city, Cairo. The mosques are religious sites indeed and the beautiful and intricate carvings and engravings make the mosques artistic epitomes. The most striking architectural feature of the Mosques in Cairo is the presence pf Minarets.
Egypt, especially Cairo has been the site of many settlements. Fatimid, Abbasid, Ottoman and Ayyubid Mamluk and many more other rulers have dominated the region. Their distinct culture and art have had a definite effect on the artistic aura of the city. Each of the mosques that were erected consisted of the trademark of the dynasty that was building it. The mosques at Cairo actually express the versatility and the genius of the artists.
In recent years many of the mosques have also been renovated and in so doing other newer and modern incorporations have been made. Each mosque therefore reflects a particular style. The variety and patterns adopted are indeed unique. Another feature of the Cairo mosques, apart from the glaring minarets, is the use of colorful glass tiles.
Mosques in Cairo are mostly complexes. This implies that the mosque is located in a large area and within the premise there are other structures.
Most of the mosques include Islamic school facility. This is called the ‘madrasa’. You will also find mausoleums and tombs. In fact many of the mosques have cemeteries where there are cells attached to the tomb where the relative of the deceased may stay for a couple of nights if they so desire. Even hospitals (maristan) are often present within the campus in which the mosque is placed.
Some of the important Mosques in Cairo are:
- Al Hussein Mosque
- Al Rifa'i Mosque
- Al Salih Tala'i Mosque
- Al-Hakim Mosque
- Fatema Al Zahraa
- Mosque of Amr ibn al-As
- Mosque of Ibn Tulun
- Mosque of Muhammad Ali
- Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
- Qala'un Mosque
travel.mapsofworld.com provides complete online information about the Mosques in Cairo.
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