Mosque of Ibn Tulun

Welcome, esteemed travelers, to a site of absolute architectural majesty: The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun. As you stand before the towering, austere outer walls of this complex, you are preparing to enter a space that fundamentally…

Before we enter the sanctuary itself, notice that we are standing in a vast, empty space situated between the outer stone wall and the actual walls of the mosque. These outer courtyards are known in Islamic architecture as the…

Step inside the arcade and prepare to be awestruck by the structural genius that defines this building. Look down the long, sweeping aisles. …

Move out from the shaded arcades and step into the blazing light of the central courtyard, the sahn. The sheer vastness of this open space is breathtaking. …

As we walk back under the arcades, I want you to direct your gaze upward to the clerestory level, the upper section of the thick walls just beneath the wooden ceiling. Here, you will discover the most delicate and mesmerizing…

We now enter the deepest part of the mosque, the sanctuary or prayer hall, which consists of six deep aisles running parallel to the qibla wall. The atmosphere here is noticeably more intimate and shadowed than the rest of the…

Our final architectural marvel within the complex requires us to step back outside, into the northern ziyada. Here stands the iconic symbol of the mosque, and arguably one of the most recognizable structures in all of Egypt: the…

As we conclude our time at the Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun, let us walk toward the exterior walls near the Gayer-Anderson Museum. This beautiful Ottoman-era house, also known as Bayt al-Kritliyya, physically leans against the…