The founder :
Ahmed Ibn Tulun ( 263-265 A.H ), born about 835 A.D, he is one of the
Turkish commanders in Samarra in Iraqu. He receives his military and
theological training in Samarra and Tarsus .His intelligence and courage
attracted the attention of the Khalif and in 868 A.D he made proxy for
his step-father Bakabak's governorship of Egypt.
He established himself as an independent ruler for the
Province. An abortive attempt to remove him encouraged Ahmed to attach
Syria.
Ahmed Ibn Tulun founded a new Capital called Alqatai
around the hill of Gabal Yashkur, to the NE of Al Fustat, razing the
Christian and the Jewish cemetery that was located in that area.
The Mosque
The site chosen for his mosque was an outcrop of rock called Gabal Yashkur. Is It situated in sharia Al Saliba.
1-It is the oldest intact functioning Islamic monument
in Cairo. It is considered the 3rd mosque which was constructed for the
whole community or the congregation joined together for the Friday noon
prayer.
2- It is also rare preserved example of the art and the architecture of the classical period of Islam.
It is one of the biggest mosques in Egypt. The mosque together with the ziyada occupies an area of 6.5 acres.
The plan of the Mosque:
It is nearly square in shape, measures 162 m. in length
and 161 m. in width. The area which is dedicated for the prayer is
rectangular in shape measures about 137 m. x 118 m.
It was designed as open court or central square Sahn
(about 92 m) Surrounded by four riwaqs. The riwaq of the quibla contains
5 arcades . while each of the other riwaqs consists of 2 arcades.
The mosque surrounded by Ziyadas ( extension) on 3
sides, the Ziyada is an enclosed space or precinct to separate the
mosque from the markets and in order to protect the mosque and the
prayers from the noise of the street.
Outside the mosque on the quibla wall there was a
palace or Dar El Imarah (house of the government, or the ruler residence
), now destroyed, with its own entrance near to the Mihrab from which
Ahmed Ibn Tulun used to enter to the mosque before leading the prayer.
The Entrance of the Mosque:
This mosque has19 doors on 3 sides, each door
corresponding To another door in the ziyadas, and there are another 3
doors cut in the wall of the quibla. The lintels are composed of
palm-trunks, boxed with wood and above a releasing arch, some of these
doors still retain their original carving.
The Foundation Slate:
On the right hand central Pier of the 3rd arcade from
the sahn is the Foundation Slate ; it includes the Foundation
Inscription, it is a rectangular slab of marble ( 1,6 m X 97 cm) written
in Kufic inscription and it contains The verse of El Kursi ( Ayat Al
Kursi) from the Koran and the date of 265 A.H
The Crenulations:
Both the walls of the mosque and the Ziyada are crowned
with crenulations which are similar to the paper cut-outs of human
figures with linked arms.
The Sahn ( the courtyard ):
It is square in shape, each of its sides measures about 92 m.
The original courtyard was not paved and filled with pebbles as it is today, because this space was intended for prayer.
The Fawarah in the middle of the Sahn is the 3rd one,
the first one was the original built by Ahmed Ibn Tulun. It was gilded
and stood on 10 columns of marble. The 2nd one was Al Aziz but was
destroyed .The actual one is the third built by The sultan Lagin Al
Mansoury among some other works he did for the mosque. ( 14 X 12 m ) and
it is 20 m in height. This Fawarah was built by the architect Ibn Al
Roumyyah. It has a Mameluk design; it is stood on 4 pointed arches , the
zone of transition has stepped corners with a window in the uppermost
step and 3 windows of 3 lights on each side. The dome is plain without a
drum and raised on squinch. Above, a continuos stalactite frieze runs
around the base of the dome and above that a band of Naskhi inscription
from the Koran dealing with the ablution.
The Arcades:
The arcades around the courtyard or the Sahn which are
deeper on the quibla Riwaq or the sanctuary side are formed by pointed
Arches on brick Piers .Rosettes and windows form a continuous and simple
decoration. These arcades are supported by piers.
Unlike columns.These Piers are rectangular and
decorated with four masonry-engaged columns. Their capitals have the
same bell shape as the bases, and both plastered and carved. Originally
would seem that all of the arcades had soffits of curved stucco similar
to those which have been restored in the Southern arcade.
The arches:
The Arches of the arcades are pointed, They are
outlined with an edge of carved stucco, and spring from oblong supports
rounded at the corners by pilasters or engaged columns.
The Quibla Riwaq ( The Sanctuary ):
It includes 5 aisles deeper than the others and they
are parallel to the Prayer niche ( the Mihrab), while each of the other
riwaq includes just 2 aisles . This Riwaq actually has 6 prayer niches
or mihrabs
The main Mihrab is in the middle of the quibla wall, it
is the tallest and the only concave one The others are flat .It
consists of a double pointed arched recess flanked by a pair
Byzantine style marble columns with basket work
capitals. Its stucco moluding and the 2 stucco bosses on each side
of the arch are original. The interior is decorated in Mameluk style
made by the sultan Lajin, the upper decoration of painted wood, and
strips of polychrome marble , above which is a band of Naskhi
inscription in black mosaic on a gold background containing the shahada.
The Dikka of the Mouballegh ( the bench of the Mouballegh) is situated
in Riwaq. Al Quibla near the courtyard. It is a wide bench of marble
columns used for communicating the words of the Imam during the prayer.
The Ceiling:
The ceiling is composed of Palm logs boxed in wooden
panels. Below the ceiling there are a long band of inscription on
sycamore wood which runs around the whole mosque contains verses from
the Koran. This frieze is 2 Km. In length, and it is calculate one
fifteenth of the whole holly book .There is a legend that the boards
used for this inscription are left over from the Noah's Ark.
The Windows:
The upper part of the mosque wall is pierced with
pointed arch windows flanked with colonnades .The windows alternate on
the outside wall within blind niches with a shell conch .
There are 128 windows and their arrangements on the
walls are independent of the arches so that not every arch has a centred
window. The functions of these arched windows of the arched windows are
providing light and reduce the weight carried by the arches.
Creswell attributes only 4 of the windows stucco grills
to the Tulunide Period, those of the plain geometrical design, while
the rest displaying a large variety of more complicated geometrical
patterns date back to the Fatimide and the Mameluk Periods.
The Minaret:
It stands on the North side of the Ziyada, where a door
leads to it is an unusual stone structure with an outer staircase, and a
Mameluk top of the type named Mabkhara. This minaret caused controversy
among the Cairo's Architectural historians. We don't have enough
sources to clear this point or determine its date.
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