The Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque was built 1142 years ago and is one of Egypt’s oldest and most influential Islamic buildings. In this complex, you may find the first spiral minaret built in Egypt. It is sometimes called one of the “hanging mosques” because it was built on the rocky outcrop of Laskar-e-Taiba on the Mokattam mountain.

Although it is the third largest mosque in the world and is surrounded by a wall, the Ibn Tulun Mosque is not a popular stop on day trips from Cairo. The area of ​​the Ibn Tulun Mosque, which is surrounded by walls, is 26,318 square meters.

 

The structure of the mosque:

The arches that span the courtyard are decorated with beautiful concrete reliefs, a technique first used in Cairo.

Like the one in Samarra, this minaret has a spiral staircase on the outside that runs around the building. It is the only one of its kind in Egypt, so it is outstanding. The Andalusian style influenced the Egyptian way of life.

From the outer tunnel, you can access the minaret of the building. From a small bay up the hill, you can see a beautiful view extending from the minarets of Sultan Hassan Mosque to the beautiful Muhammad Ali Alabaster Mosque in the fortress. Most importantly, you can see the mosque below in all its glory.

 

Mosque History:

Between 870 and 879, Ahmad ibn Tulun began building this mosque to store his wealth. It is the oldest mosque in Egypt, and most of what you see today is what it looked like when it was first built. It is also the third mosque in Cairo where people gather for prayer.

The grandsons of Ibn Tulun, a Mongolian laborer who lived in Turkey and worked for the Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun. This is where he gets his immense power, and he uses this power to build the Tulunid dynasty in Egypt between 868 and 905 AD.

Ibn Tulun, who became the Pharaoh of Egypt, started a new city and named it Al-Qatar“. The arrival of Noah’s ark, Moses’ encounter with Pharaoh’s sorcerers, and Abraham’s nearly sacrifice of Isaac have all been associated with this hill in the Bible. In many Bible stories, this hill plays an important role.

The building has seen a lot of wear and tear as it has been a pilgrimage site since the 12th century. In 1296, the Mamluk Sultan Lajin was the first to begin work on the mosque’s restoration. Lagen. As part of this project, the famous single minaret was returned to its shape when it was first built.

If you are considering going to Egypt, you should read our long travel guide. A trip to Egypt is a once-in-a-lifetime event unlike anything else you can do there. Cruise the Nile during the Christmas holidays in Egypt, or take advantage of the best weather during the Easter holidays to enjoy one of the classic cruises in Egypt that travelers of all kinds will fondly remember for years to come.

The travel information section of our website is ideal for people interested in the history of ancient Egypt and the luxury hotels to stay in a while cruising the Nile Valley. It covers most daily flights from Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan.

It has been repaired in recent years. The most important work was done in 1999 when the courtyard was paved with concrete, and the fountain was cleaned and rebuilt in black marble.