One of the most intriguing pages of history is that of the Mediterranean Sea during the period of 1500-1650AD. At the start of this time, an Ottoman subject, commonly known as Barbarossa, helped the Ottoman Empire establish its dominance throughout the Mediterranean Sea. His legendary tactics and military insights have won him high praise from his Sultan as well as his adversaries. His statue today stands in front of the Turkish Naval Museum flanked on both sides by pirates aiding him.
Sultan Hassan Mosque is one of the largest mosque in Islam, and indeed the largest in Cairo. It measured 150 meters long, 76 meters wide, its sealings reach 36 meters high, and its tallest minaret is 68 meters tall. The mosque was commissioned by Sultan Hassan who as the son of the great Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. In 1347, Sultan Hassan was first dethroned by other Mamluk generals and princes when he was only 13 years old. In 1356, he was able to regain his thrown, but acted as a puppet leader manipulated by other princes, such as Amir Sarghatmish. The mosque is now featured on the Egyptian one-hundred pound note.
Muhammad Ali Mosque was built on an area in Cairo called the Citadel. The Citadel of Cairo was built during Saladin’s rule in Egypt between 1176-1183 as a royal residence and military barracks. Over the years, the Citadel served the same purpose under the Ayyubid, Mamluk, Ottoman, and Khedival rules of Egypt from the thirteenth to the nineteenth centuries. From the 19th century until 1946, it was used by the British troops as a military barracks.
The more popular Blue Mosque in Istanbul is better known to most people. It grandeur and size is breath-taking. However, a little known secret is that Cairo has a Blue Mosque too! Although not as glamourous as the one in Istanbul, it is the only mosque outside Turkey that uses authentic blue tiles in its construction.
The Blue Mosquread more
Sultan Barquq (1348 – 1386 AD) was originally a Circassian slave who was freed in 1363 AD. He ended the Bahri Mumluk era in 1382 and started his own dynasty of Circassian Mamluks.
The Khanqah and Mausoleum of Sultan Farag ibn Barquq was built by his son Sultan al-Nasir Farag in Cairo’s Northern cemetery to fulfill his father’s desire to be built near the tombs of the read more
Soon after Sultan Hassan regained power, read more
Additions done to the Citadel include al-Nasir Muhammad mosque (early read more
The Blue Mosqu read more
