THE MOSQUES OF EGYPT \ 5.THE MAMLUK PERIOD, 648 - 923H. (1250- 1517 A.D.) .   45- THE MOSQUE, MADRASA, AND MAUSOLEUM OF SULTAN AL- GHURI 909/910H. (1503/1504) . THIS MOSQUE, AND THE MAUSOLEUM facing it, are situated in Shari' al- Mu'izz li- Din Illah, at its junction with Shari' al- Azhar. To the left of the entrance to the mausoleum is a sabil with a kuttab above. Behind the mausoleum is a courtyard with a maq'ad (loggia) and the remains of a khanqa, to the north of which are three houses which form a faade overlooking Shari' al- Azhar. This group of buildings was erected by al- Malik al- Ashraf Qansuh al- Ghuri in 909H. (1503). He was originally a Mamluk of al- Malik al- Ashraf Qayt- Bay, and remained in his service until he set him free. He kept on progressing in the state offices until he attained the highest office of all in the days of al- Malik al- Ashraf Ganbalat. In 906H. (1501) he ascended the throne of Egypt, and his rule continued until 922H. (1516) , when he was killed in the month of Ragab of that year, in a battle with Sultan Selim, north of Aleppo. One of his chief characteristics was his love of architecture. Thus we owe to him a number of buildings, both religious and charitable. His architectural activities were not confined to the buildings he founded, for he repaired and restored many monuments built by his predecessors. His example was followed by the Amirs, who founded several buildings which still exist, and which show how architecture and the arts flourished during his reign. The greatest work al- Ghuri has left us is this monumental group, the buildings of which are considered among the most magnificent ones the Circassian Mamluks have left us. Al- Ghuri devoted great attention to them, and spared no pains in decorating them, so that they might excel those built in the days of Qayt- Bay. The mosque has three faades, the most important being the eastern one overlooking the Shari' al- Mu'izz li- Din Illah, and of which the lower part is occupied by shops. This faade comprises the main entrance and three rows of windows, all of which are above the level of the shops. Further above, runs a band of Mamluk inscription, containing a Qur'anic verse, the name and titles of al- Ghuri, and some prayers in his favour. The faade is crowned by foliated cresting, with carved ornament on its outer face. The entrance is decorated with white and black marble, and is covered by a beautiful stalactite hood. The two halves of its door are covered with pierced brass. At the southern end of this faade rises a huge minaret, square in plan; it has two galleries, supported by stalactites. The minaret ends with a square top with five heads. The main entrance, which is reached by a few steps, leads into a square vestibule, with a fine polychrome marble floor. Its timber ceiling is decorated and gilt. From this vestibule one passes into a corridor leading into the sahn. The mosque is built according to the cruciform madrasa plan. It consists of a sahn, surrounded by four iwans; the qibla iwan and the one opposite to it being larger than the side ones. The dado of coloured marble, which lines the walls, ends at the top with a marble band of floral Kufic inscriptions, consisting of some Qur'anic verses and the date of completion (909H.). Above the arches of the four iwans, runs a band of inscription, consisting of verses from the Qur'an, and above it is a cornice of beautiful stalactites. There is a mihrab of coloured marble and, next to it, a wooden minbar of fine craftsmanship, with ivory panels, elaborately carved, and others inlaid with zarnashan. The floor of the mosque is paved with coloured marble in beautiful patterns. Its ceilings are divided by joists, decorated and gilded, and below them runs a band of gilded inscription with stalactites at the corners and in the middle of each side. The dikka, which is supported by two wooden brackets, is placed at the back of the western iwan, opposite the mihrab. On it are inscribed the name and titles of al- Ghuri and some prayers in his favour. The dikka has a balustrade, divided into panels, some of the lower ones being inlaid with ivory and ebony, while others are of fine turned wood. The mausoleum faces the mosque. There is a stalactite portal next to its north corner, decorated with marble set into the stone, similar to the mosque entrance. It also has two rows of windows in recesses; the lower ones have lintels with joggled voussoirs of white and black marble. The upper windows are in groups of three each, two arched ones, the arches of which are supported by three marble columns, and a circular one on top, between the arches. The faade ends with a foliated cresting, the faces of which are ornamented with decoration carved in the stone. At the northern end of this faade projects a sabil with three large windows with iron grilles, and a fine marble floor. Above the sabil is a kuttab, in each of the three sides of which are two arches, supported by columns. It has a wooden awning supported by wooden brackets. The entrance is reached by a flight of steps; it leads into a square vestibule, with a decorated ceiling and a marble floor, similar to that of the mosque. On the right side of the vestibule is a door leading into the mausoleum, of which only the walls and the zone of transition remain. These are rich with decoration and inscriptions, engraved in the stone. In the corners are several tiers of stalactites. The dome itself has gone, for it was pulled down during the reign of al- Ghuri, having threatened to fall. It was rebuilt and pulled down again; it was then rebuilt in wood, about 1881 A.D., and remained thus until it was pulled down and replaced by the present flat wooden roof. The floor is of coloured marble. The walls are lined with a marble dado, and in the centre of the eastern side is a mihrab, similar to that in the mosque. To the left hand side of the vestibule is another door leading to a large hall, with a coloured marble mihrab in it. This hall is used for prayer; it has a new wooden ceiling, decorated with beautiful gilded ornaments. Plates 145- 152.
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