Complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay

Last updated
Funerary complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay
Qaytbay complex.jpg
Sultan Qaytbay's mosque and mausoleum complex
Religion
Affiliation Islam
PatronSultan al-Ashraf Abu al-Nasr Qaytbay
Location
Location Northern Cemetery, Cairo, Egypt
Egypt adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in Egypt
Geographic coordinates 30°02′38″N31°16′30″E / 30.0439°N 31.2749°E / 30.0439; 31.2749 Coordinates: 30°02′38″N31°16′30″E / 30.0439°N 31.2749°E / 30.0439; 31.2749
Architecture
Typemausoleum, madrasa, mosque, maq'ad, sabil, kuttab, hod (water trough), rab' (apartment complex)
Style late Mamluk
Completed1474
Specifications
Dome(s)2
Minaret(s)1

The funerary complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay is an architectural complex built by Sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay in Cairo's Northern Cemetery, completed in 1474. It is often considered one of the most beautiful and accomplished monuments of late Egyptian Mamluk architecture, and is pictured on the Egyptian one pound note. [1] :244 [2] :273–278 [3] :136

Contents

Historical background

Qaytbay's royal complex in a picture from 1858: Qaytbay's mausoleum is under the dome in the middle, while to the right is the smaller dome over what is now Gulshani's tomb. Mosque of Sultan Quait-Bey (1858), by Francis Frith.jpg
Qaytbay's royal complex in a picture from 1858: Qaytbay's mausoleum is under the dome in the middle, while to the right is the smaller dome over what is now Gulshani's tomb.

Sultan Qaytbay and his reign

Al-Ashraf Qaytbay was a mamluk purchased by Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay (ruled 1422–1438) and served under several Mamluk sultans, the last of whom – Sultan al-Zahir Timurbugha (ruled 1467-1468) – appointed him amir al-kabir, the commander-in-chief or highest position for an amir under the sultan. [1] :246 [2] :273 [3] :135 Qaytbay succeeded Timurbugha as sultan at the age of 54, and ruled for nearly 29 years from 1468 to 1496, the second-longest reign of any Egyptian Mamluk sultan (after al-Nasir Muhammad). His period was marked by external threats and internal rebellions, notably from the rising Ottomans, which required costly military expeditions, as well as by financial problems. [1] :246 [2] :273 Nonetheless, he is also known as an effective ruler who brought long-term stability while he remained in power, and he is especially notable as one of the greatest patrons of architecture in the Mamluk period, and particularly of the Burji Mamluk period which was otherwise marked by Egypt's relative decline. [4] He is known for at least 85 structures which he built or restored in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Mecca, including 17 in Cairo, and this period is characterized by a refinement of the Mamluk architectural style which included greater decorative detail. [1] :246

Construction and context

Qaytbay's funerary complex was one of his earliest architectural commissions; construction work for the complex began in 1470 and the mausoleum was completed in 1474. [2] :275 The construction period was long by Mamluk standards; however, Qaytbay's complex was on a large scale and constituted an entire royal quarter or walled suburb in the then-lightly urbanized desert cemetery area east of Cairo now known as the Northern Cemetery. [2] :275 This desert area was developed by the Burji Mamluks in the 15th century as the main southern Qarafa necropolis, not to mention the main city itself, became too full for major new monuments. Major construction projects like Qaytbay's may have been aimed in part at urbanizing this spacious area at the time, though eventually it became mostly an extension of the city's vast cemeteries. [5] Its religious and commercial establishments took advantage of a caravan route which ran through it from Cairo to Mecca in the east and to Syria in the north. [1] :233 Qaytbay's large complex, like others built by Mamluk amirs and sultans, combined various charitable and commercial functions, which might have contributed to his family's financial future after his death. [1] :246 [2]

Qaytbay's mausoleum and complex was also built close to the shrine of the Muslim mystic 'Abd Allah al-Manafi, over whose tomb Qaytbay built a new dome in 1474. [1] :244 This may have influenced his decision to appoint a shaykh of the Maliki madhhab to his mosque, which was unusual for Mamluk institutions. [2] :275

Description

Floor plan of main building: the domed mausoleum is in the top left corner (6); the mosque/madrasa is in the middle (5); and the sabil is the bottom left corner (2). Britannica Mosque - Sultan Kait-Bey Cairo mosque-tomb plan.jpg
Floor plan of main building: the domed mausoleum is in the top left corner (6); the mosque/madrasa is in the middle (5); and the sabil is the bottom left corner (2).

Overview

Qaytbay's complex contained numerous buildings over a relatively vast area, enclosed by the same wall, of which one gate, Bab al-Gindi, still remains to the south of the mausoleum. [1] :246 Many of the original structures which once faced each other on both sides of the existing street have vanished. [2] :275 What remains today is the mosque, which is attached to the mausoleum of Qaytbay himself, as well as a maq'ad (loggia), a smaller mosque and mausoleum for Qaytbay's sons, a hod (drinking trough for animals), and a rab' (an apartment complex where tenants paid rent). At one point it was also described to have had large gardens. [2] :275

The mosque/madrasa

The mosque (originally a madrasa), along with the mausoleum of the sultan, forms the main building of the complex and is considered exceptional for its refined proportions and the subdued yet exquisite decorations. [1] :244–246 [2] :276 The mosque's entrance faces north and diverts the main road slightly eastwards around the walls of the mausoleum, possibly to enhance its visual effect. [2] :276 The façade features ablaq stonework (alternating dark and light stone) and the entrance portal is enhanced by a high elaborate groin-vaulted recess with muqarnas squinches. The minaret stands above the entrance on the western side and is exquisitely carved in stone, divided into three stories with elaborately carved balconies. The eastern corner of the façade is occupied by a sabil (from which water could be dispensed to passers-by) on the ground floor and by a kuttab (school) on the top floor. The former is marked by large windows with iron grilles, while the later is marked by a loggia with open arches on two sides.

Inside, the vestibule features another ornate groin-vault ceiling and leads to the main sanctuary hall which follows a modified layout of the classic madrasa, with two large iwans on the qibla axis and two shallow or reduced iwans to the sides. [1] :245 The hall is richly decorated in stone-carving, painted wooden ceilings and coloured windows. The mihrab is relatively modest but the wooden minbar is richly carved with geometric patterns and inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. [6] The wooden lantern ceiling above the central space is notable for its carving and painted pattern but is a restoration work by the "Comité" and not the original. [2] :276 The central floor also features elaborate polychrome patterned marble but is usually covered by carpets. [6]

The mausoleum and dome

Qaytbay's mausoleum projects from the eastern side of the building, which makes the dome more visible from the street and allows for more light to reach the interior through the northern-facing windows. The outer dome of the mausoleum demonstrates an evolution from the stone domes built earlier and nearby by Sultan Barsbay and others: it is often cited as the apogee of Mamluk dome design in Cairo due to its complex stone-carved decorative pattern. [1] :245 [7] :88–89 This pattern features a central geometric star radiating from the apex of the dome and an arabesque floral design which are superimposed and enhanced by natural shadows. [2] :276

On the inside, the mausoleum chamber is reached from a door next to the qibla wall. It is decorated with a carved and ablaq mihrab, polychrome marble paneling, and a high dome with muqarnas pendentives. [1] [2] It contains the sultan's tomb as well as an alleged footprint of the Prophet Muhammad brought from Mecca. [8]

Auxiliary structures

To the west of Qaytbay's main mosque is a smaller domed tomb which may have been built earlier when Qaytbay was only an amir, but was later dedicated to his sons. [2] :277 It was later used by a Turkish Sufi named Gulshani during the Ottoman period. [1] :245 The small dome is decorated on the outside in a stone-carved pattern similar to that of the sultan's mausoleum but slightly simpler. [2] :277 The tomb is attached to a building which seems to have been part of the royal residential complex which Qaytbay built. [9] Just west of this is a maq'ad, which usually denotes a loggia overlooking a courtyard but in this case is an enclosed hall with many windows, located over storage rooms. [1] :246

Just to the north of the mosque, on the main street, is a hod or drinking trough for animals, with shallow decorative niches along its wall. [1] :244 Further north are the semi-ruined remains of a rab' or apartment complex on the west side of the main street. It is partially buried below street level but its high vaulted entrance portal is still visible. [2] :276

Modern-day use and restoration

For the past few years, the Cairo-based ARCHiNOS Architecture has been conserving monuments within the funerary complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbey. The work is primarily financed by the European Union and done under the auspices of the Historic Cairo Project within the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. ARCHiNOS has increasingly included social development and cultural components in its work, and has adapted the reception hall in the Sultan's onetime residence (maq‘ad) for a hub of art and culture in the neighbourhood. ARCHiNOS also upgraded the small urban square in front of the building to make it a fitting setting for various cultural events organised in and around the maq‘ad of Sultan Qaitbey. In 2016, the not-for-profit Sultan Foundation has been established to provide access to culture in the underprivileged neighbourhood and to promote links between preservation of cultural heritage and social and economic development. [10] [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

Qaitbay Sultan of Egypt and Syria

Sultan Abu Al-Nasr Sayf ad-Din Al-Ashraf Qaitbay was the eighteenth Burji Mamluk Sultan of Egypt from 872–901 A.H.. He was Circassian by birth, and was purchased by the ninth sultan Barsbay before being freed by the eleventh Sultan Jaqmaq. During his reign, he stabilized the Mamluk state and economy, consolidated the northern boundaries of the Sultanate with the Ottoman Empire, engaged in trade with other contemporaneous polities, and emerged as a great patron of art and architecture. In fact, although Qaitbay fought sixteen military campaigns, he is best remembered for the spectacular building projects that he sponsored, leaving his mark as an architectural patron on Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, Damascus, Aleppo, Alexandria, and every quarter of Cairo. To some historians, he is infamous for building a fortress on the remains of the ancient wonder, the Lighthouse of Alexandria, in 1480, resulting in the final disappearance of the lighthouse, confining it to the history books.

Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan

The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan is a monumental mosque and madrasa located in the historic district of Cairo, Egypt. It was built between 1356 and 1363 during the Bahri Mamluk period, commissioned by Sultan an-Nasir Hasan. The mosque was considered remarkable for its massive size and innovative architectural components, and is still considered one of the most impressive historic monuments in Cairo today.

Al-Zahiriyah Library

The Az-Zahiriyah library or Madrasa al-Zahiriyya is a historic library, madrasa, and mausoleum in Damascus, Syria. It dates back to 1277, taking its name from Sultan al-Zahir Baybars (1223–1277) who is buried here.

Aqsunqur Mosque

The Aqsunqur Mosque is located in Cairo, Egypt and is one of several "blue mosques" in the world. It is situated in the Tabbana Quarter in Islamic Cairo, between Bab Zuweila and the Citadel of Saladin The Aqsunqur Mosque also serves as a funerary complex, containing the mausoleums of its founder Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur, his sons, a number of children of the Bahri Mamluk sultan an-Nasir Muhammad and that of its principal restorer, Ibrahim Agha al-Mustahfizan.

Mosque of Sultan al-Muayyad

The Mosque of Sultan al-Mu'ayyad is a Mosque in Cairo, Egypt next to Bab Zuwayla built under the rule of sultan Al-Mu'ayyad Sayf ad-Din Shaykh from whom it takes its name, "Al-Mu'ayyad", meaning The Supporter in Arabic language. Construction began in 1415 and the mosque was completed in 1421. The complex included a Friday mosque and a madrasa for four madhhabs. It replaced a prison which originally stood next to Bab Zuwayla.

Fountain of Qayt Bay

Fountain of Qayt Bay or Sabil Qaitbay is a domed public fountain (sabil) located on the western esplanade of the Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem, near to Madrasa Al-Ashrafiyya. Built in the 15th century by the Mamluks of Egypt, it was completed in the reign of Sultan Qaytbay, after whom it is named. It is also colloquially known as The Fountain of Hamidiye by the reason of Abdul Hamid II’s restoration. It has been called "the most beautiful edifice in the Al-Haram Al-Sharif" after the Dome of the Rock.

Palace of Yashbak

Palace of Yashbak, also known as the Palace of Amir Qawsun, is a semi-ruined palace in Medieval Cairo, Egypt, originally built between 1330 and 1337 CE for the Mamluk amir known as Qawsun. It was restored and expanded again in the 1480s by the amir Yashbak min Mahdi under the reign of Sultan Qaytbay.

Madrasa of Al-Nasir Muhammad

The Madrasa of Al-Nasir Muhammad is a madrasa and mausoleum located in the Bayn al-Qasrayn area of al-Muizz street in Cairo, Egypt. It was built in the name of the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, but its construction began in 1296 under the reign of Sultan Al-Adil Kitbugha, who was sultan in between Al-Nasir Muhammad's first and seconds reigns. When Al-Nasir Muhammad returned to the throne in 1299 he oversaw its construction until its completion in 1303. It is adjacent to the earlier hospital and funerary complex of Sultan Qalawun and the later Madrasa of Sultan Barquq.

Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex

The Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex or Funerary complex of Sultan al-Ghuri, also known as al-Ghuriya, is a monumental Islamic religious and funerary complex built by Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri between 1503 and 1505 CE. The complex consists of two major buildings facing each other on al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah street, in the Fahhamin Quarter, in the middle of the historic part of Cairo, Egypt. The eastern side of the complex includes the Sultan's mausoleum, a khanqah, a sabil, and a kuttab, while the western side of the complex is a mosque and madrasa. Today the mosque-madrasa is still open as a mosque while the khanqah-mausoleum is open to visitors as a historic site.

Mamluk architecture

Mamluk architecture was a flowering of Islamic art during the reign of the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517), which is most visible in medieval Cairo and is hugely inspired by the former Fatmid and Byzantine architecture of Egypt. Religious zeal made them generous patrons of architecture and art. Trade and agriculture flourished under Mamluk rule, and Cairo, the caliphate's capital, continued to be one of the wealthiest cities in the Near East and the center of artistic and intellectual activity. And as described in the words of Ibn Khaldun, "Cairo is the center of the universe and the garden of the world", with majestic domes, courtyards, and soaring minarets spread across the city.

Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq

Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq or Mosque-Madrasa-Khanqah of Az-Zaher Barquq is a religious complex in Islamic Cairo, the historic medieval district of Cairo, Egypt. It was commissioned by Sultan al-Zahir Barquq as a school for religious education in the four Islamic schools of thought, composed of a mosque, madrasa, mausoleum and khanqah. The complex was constructed in 1384-1386 CE, with the dome added last. It was the first architectural facility built during the time of the Circassian (Burji) dynasty of Mamluk Sultanate.

Mosque of Taghribirdi

The Funerary Complex of Amir Taghribirdi or Mosque and Madrasa of Taghribirdi is a historical funerary complex of a mosque and madrasa located in Cairo, Egypt and built in the year 1440, during the Mamluk Sultanate. This monument honors Amir Taghribirdi, the mosque's commissioner and the secretary to Sultan al-Zahir Jaqmaq. The mosque and madrasa of Taghribirdi is located on a corner of Saliba street. This is not to be confused with a different Mosque of Taghribirdi, which is located in the Darb al-Maqasis neighborhood of Cairo.

Al-Ashraf Mosque

The Al-Ashraf Mosque or the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay is a historical complex of mosque and madrasa located in Cairo, Egypt. The mosque was built during the Mamluk period by the Burji Sultan Al-Ashraf Al-Barsbay. The complex consists of a mosque-madrasa, mausoleum, and Sufi lodgings. The mosque is characterized by its design, which incorporates marble and stained-glass windows.

Wikala of Sultan Qaytbay

The Wikala of Sultan Qaytbay or Wakala of Sultan Qaytbay is an urban caravanserai and rab built by Sultan al-Ashraf Abu al-Nasr Qaitbay in 1481 CE in Islamic Cairo, the historic medieval district of Cairo, Egypt.

Amir Qijmas al-Ishaqi Mosque

The Mosque ofAmir Qijmas al-Ishaqi or Abu Hurayba Mosque is a late Mamluk-era mosque in Cairo, Egypt. It dates from 1480-81 CE and is located in the historic al-Darb al-Ahmar district, near Bab Zuweila. It is considered by many to be one of the finest examples of late Mamluk architecture.

Khanqah of Faraj ibn Barquq Historic building in Cairo, Egypt

The Khanqah of Faraj ibn Barquq is a religious Islamic funerary complex built by the Mamluk Sultan Faraj ibn Barquq from 1400 to 1411 CE. It is located in Cairo, Egypt, in the Northern Cemetery which is a part of Cairo's historic necropolis districts. It is often considered one of the most accomplished works of Mamluk architecture in Cairo, and one of the major monuments of the Northern Cemetery district.

Sultaniyya Mausoleum

The Sultaniyya Mausoleum is a Mamluk-era funerary complex located in the Southern Cemetery of the Qarafa, the necropolis of Cairo, Egypt. It is believed to have been built in the 1350s and dedicated to the mother of Sultan Hassan. It is notable for its unique pair of stone domes.

Khanqah-Mausoleum of Sultan Barsbay Islamic funerary complex in Cairo, Egypt

The Khanqah and Mausoleum of Sultan Barsbay or Complex of Sultan Barsbay is an Islamic funerary complex built by Sultan al-Ashraf Barsbay in 1432 CE in the historic Northern Cemetery of Cairo, Egypt. In addition to its overall layout and decoration, it is notable for the first stone domes in Cairo to be carved with geometric star patterns.

Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Shaban

The Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban is a Mamluk-era complex located in the Al-Darb al-Ahmar area of Islamic Cairo in Egypt. It was founded or built in 1368-69 CE on the order of Sultan al-Ashraf Sha'ban in honour of his mother, Khawand Baraka. It is located outside Bab Zuweila along al-Tabbana street, and is adjoined to the north by the Bayt al-Razzaz palace. The complex is made up of a college (madrasa), mausoleum, water trough (hawd), and a primary school (maktab).

Maristan of al-Muayyad

The Maristan of al-Mu'ayyad or Bimaristan al-Mu'ayyadi is a bimaristan constructed by the Mamluk sultan al-Mu'ayyad Sheikh between 1418 and 1420. It is located on the southern edge of the Darb al-Ahmar district in Cairo, Egypt, near the Citadel of Cairo and the former Bab al-Wazir gate. It did not serve its function as hospital very long and stood ruined for many years. Its facade and main walls have survived, and have been recently restored.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Williams, Caroline. 2008 (6th ed.). Islamic Monuments in Cairo: The Practical Guide. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 2007. Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of Architecture and its Culture. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.
  3. 1 2 AlSayyad, Nezar. 2011. Cairo: Histories of a City. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
  4. Raymond, André. 1993. Le Caire. Fayard.
  5. El Kadi, Galila; Bonnamy, Alain (2007). Architecture for the Dead: Cairo's Medieval Necropolis. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.
  6. 1 2 Discover Islamic Art (entry on "Madrasa and Mosque of Sultan Qaytbay"), retrieved on January 25, 2014, http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;eg;Mon01;12;en
  7. O'Neill, Zora et al. 2012 (11th edition). Lonely Planet: Egypt. Lonely Planet Publications.
  8. McGregor, Richard J. A. (2020). Islam and the Devotional Object. Cambridge University Press. pp. 140–141. ISBN   9781108483841.
  9. Williams, Caroline (2018). Islamic Monuments in Cairo: The Practical Guide (7th ed.). Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.
  10. ARCHiNOS Architecture website, retrieved November 2018, https://www.archinos.com
  11. The European Union Delegation to Egypt, Culture Heritage for the Living in the City of the Dead, retrieved December 2018, https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/egypt/42730/culture-heritage-living-city-dead_en