Funerary complex of Sultan Qaytbay

Sultan Qaytbay Complex

mosque, türbe, mausoleum

Part of	Islamic Cairo, City of the Dead
Year dem found am	1474
Country	Egypt
Edey de administrative territorial entity insyd	Cairo Governorate
Coordinate location	30°2′38″N 31°16′30″E
Architectural style	Mamluk architecture
Heritage designation	part of UNESCO World Heritage Site
Category for the interior of the item	Category:Interior of Qaytbay Complex

De funerary complex of Sultan Qaytbay be an architectural complex de Mamluk sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay insyd Cairo ein Northern Cemetery. Na dem build am between 1470 den 1474. De main building be a mosque (originally a madrasa) dem attach to Qaytbay ein mausoleum, while oda parts of de complex dey include residential structures, a drinking trough give animals, den a smaller tomb. Dem consider de complex one of de most beautiful den accomplished monuments of late Mamluk architecture wey dem picture am for for de Egyptian one pound note top.

Historical background

Sultan Qaytbay den ein reign

Interior of a Mosque, by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1897), de Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, identify am as de mosque of Qaitbey

Na Al-Ashraf Qaytbay be a mamluk purchase by Sultan Barsbay (r. 1422–1438) wey na he serve under chaw Mamluk sultans, de last of whom – Sultan al-Zahir Timurbugha (r. 1467–1468) – appoint am amir al-kabir, de commander-in-chief anaa highest position for an amir under de sultan. Qaytbay succeed Timurbugha as sultan for de age of 54, wey he rule for nearly 29 years from 1468 to 1496, de second-longest reign of any Egyptian Mamluk sultan (after al-Nasir Muhammad). Na ein period be marked by external threats den internal rebellions, notably from de rising Ottomans, wich require costly military expeditions, as well as by financial problems.

Nonetheless, Qaytbay be known as an effective ruler wey bring long-term stability while insyd power. He be notable as one of de greatest patrons of architecture insyd de Mamluk period, particularly of de Burji Mamluk period wich na otherwise be marked by Egypt ein relative decline. He be known for at least 85 structures wich na he build anaa he restore insyd Egypt, Syria, Palestine, den Mecca, wey dey include 17 insyd Cairo, wey dis period be characterized by a refinement of de Mamluk architectural style wich include greater decorative detail.

Construction den context

Qaytbay ein royal complex insyd a photo from 1858. Qaytbay ein mausoleum dey under de dome insyd de middle. To de right be de smaller dome over wat now be Gulshani ein tomb.

Na Qaytbay ein funerary complex be one of ein earliest architectural commissions; construction work for de complex begin insyd 1470 wey na dem plete de mausoleum insyd 1474. Na de construction period be long by Mamluk standards; however, na Qaytbay ein complex dey on a large scale wey e constitute an entire royal quarter anaa walled suburb insyd de then-lightly urbanized desert cemetery area east of Cairo – now dem know am as de Northern Cemetery.

Na dis desert area be develop by de Burji Mamluks insyd de 15th century as de main southern Qarafa necropolis, not to mention de main city einself, cam turn too full give major new monuments. Na major construction projects like Qaytbay fi be aimed in part for urbanizing dis spacious area for de time, though eventually e cam turn mostly an extension of de city ein vast cemeteries. Ein religious den commercial establishments take advantage of a caravan route wich run thru am from Cairo to Mecca insyd de east den to Syria insyd de north.

Qaytbay ein large complex, like odas dem build by Mamluk amirs den sultans, combine chaw charitable den commercial functions, wich fi contribute to ein family ein financial future after ein death. Na dem sanso build Qaytbay ein mausoleum den complex close to de shrine of de Muslim mystic 'Abd Allah al-Manafi, over whose tomb Qaytbay build a new dome insyd 1474. Dis fi influence ein decision make he appoint a shaykh of de Maliki madhhab to ein mosque, wich na ebe unusual for Mamluk institutions.

• 19th-century images of de complex
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  Illustration of de Qaytbay complex by David Roberts (c. 1848)
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  Exterior of de Qaytbay complex (c. 1867)
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  Photo of de mosque ein interior (c. 1867)
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  Photo of de mosque ein mihrab den minbar (c. 1867)
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  Photo of Qaytbay ein tomb chamber (c. 1867)

Modern-day use den restoration

For de past few years, na de Cairo-based ARCHiNOS Architecture dey conserve monuments within de funerary complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbey. De work be primarily financed by de European Union den done under de auspices of de Historic Cairo Project within de Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. ARCHiNOS increasingly include social development den cultural components insyd ein work, wey dem adapt de reception hall insyd de Sultan ein onetime residence (maq‘ad) give a hub of art den culture insyd de neighbourhood. ARCHiNOS sanso upgrade de small urban square in front of de building make e make am a fitting setting give chaw cultural events dem organise insyd den around de maq‘ad of Sultan Qaitbey. Insyd 2016, na dem establish de not-for-profit Sultan Foundation make e provide access to culture insyd de underprivileged neighbourhood den make e promote links between preservation of cultural heritage den social den economic development.

Gallery

• De mosque/madrasa
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  View of de entrance façade of de mosque/madrasa, plus de sabil for de lower left den de kuttab for de upper left above am
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  De entrance portal
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  Details of de minaret
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  View of de prayer hall of de mosque, plus de mihrab for de right; de arches feature ablaq masonry
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  De western iwan
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  De wooden lantern ceiling over de prayer hall of de mosque
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  De dome of de mausoleum
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  Closeup of de dome ein stone-carved relief patterns
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  De mausoleum chamber of Sultan Qaytbay, plus mihrab visible (photo from 2006, before recent restorations)
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  Interior of de mausoleum dome
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  De remains of de old gate of Qaytbay ein complex, Bab al-Gindi
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  De smaller attach mausoleum, dem dedicate to Qaytbay ein son den, later, to Gulshani
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  De (dem recently restore) maq'ad of Qaytbay ein complex, a part of de residential compound he build
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  De hod of Qaytbay complex, a drinking trough give animals (dem picture insyd 2012, before recent restoration)
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  Stone-carved details of de hod
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  De remains of de rab' anaa apartment bloc of Qaytbay ein complex, north of de mosque
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  Portal of de rab' of Qaytbay ein complex

External links

• 3D Virtual Tours - spherical view of the interior of Qaytbay's mosque.
• 3D Virtual Tours - spherical view of the interior of Qaytbay's tomb chamber.
• Discover Islamic Art - information and pictures on Qaytbay's mosque/madrasa, including floor plan.
• Dobrowolska Agnieszka/Dobrowolski, Jaroslaw: More than Stones: Heritage for the Living in Cairo's 'City of the Dead', 2018