IBN TOULOUN MOSQUE
A large ancient mosque preserving its original appearance, with arcades carved with floral motifs and Koranic verses.
This mosque is not only one of the country's oldest, but also its largest at 26,000m2. Built on high ground to escape the flooding of the Nile and sheltered from outside view by an imposing brick wall, it will suddenly appear to you at the end of a broken road, wherever you come from. Its construction, between 876 and 879, marked a milestone in the city's development. This mosque is the only one to have preserved its original appearance. Once you've passed through the double enclosure, pierced every 20 m by massive wooden gates and topped by elegant battlements, you'll be struck by the sobriety and simplicity of its architecture, as well as by the atmosphere of calm and tranquillity that reigns here. A sense of nobility and humility is awakened by contact with a perfect work of art. The courtyard, which follows the outline of a perfect square measuring 92 m on each side, is lined with two-aisled porticoes; only the prayer room has five. The arcades are beautifully carved with floral motifs and Koranic verses. At the center of the vast courtyard stands a stone fountain, polished by use and time, used for the ablutions of believers. The curious minaret, reminiscent of the one at Samarra in Iraq (a later addition here), is reached by a spiral staircase, unique in Egypt. Admire the pulpit beside the mihrâb, one of the most beautiful in Cairo. You'll be captivated by the spirituality that emanates from it. A visit here is sure to leave a lasting impression.
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