| Aqsunqur Mosque Blue Mosque | |
|---|---|
 Courtyard orsahn | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| District | Cairo Governorate |
| Region | Egypt |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Bab el-Wazir Street, Tabbana Quarter (Darb al-Ahmar district),Islamic Cairo,Egypt |
  Location | |
| Geographic coordinates | 30°02′10″N31°15′36″E / 30.036°N 31.260°E /30.036; 31.260 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Mamluk,Ottoman |
| Completed | 1347, then early 1652 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | 5 |
| Minaret(s) | 1 |
| Materials | Stalactite, brick, wood, marble |
TheAqsunqur Mosque (Arabic:مسجد آق,Turkish:Aksungur Camii; also known as theBlue Mosque (Arabic:الجامع الأزرق,Turkish:Mavi Cami) or theMosque of Ibrahim Agha (Arabic:مسجد إبراهيم أغا مستحفظان,Turkish:İbrahim Ağa Camii) is located inCairo,Egypt and is one of several"blue mosques" in the world. It is situated in the Tabbana Quarter (Darb al-Ahmar district) inIslamic Cairo, betweenBab Zuweila and theCitadel of Cairo. The Aqsunqur Mosque also serves as a funerary complex, containing the mausoleums of its founder Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur, his sons, a number of children of theBahri Mamluk sultanan-Nasir Muhammad and that of its principal restorer, Ibrahim Agha al-Mustahfizan.[1]
The mosque was built in 1347 on the orders of theemir ("prince") Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur during the reign of theMamluk sultan,al-Muzaffar Hajji.[1][2] Aqsunqur was the son-in-law of former sultanan-Nasir Muhammad and one of the more prominentemirs of the latter's court. Aqsunqur's influence in the affairs of the sultanate grew during the reign of an-Nasir's successors following his death in 1340.[2]
MedievalMuslim historianal-Maqrizi noted Aqsunqur supervised the entire project and also participated in its actual construction. Being the former governor ofTripoli, he had the mosque built in aSyrian architectural style.[3] It was built around the late sultanal-Ashraf Kujuk's mausoleum which had been constructed previously in 1341. The mausoleum's incorporation within the mosque accounts for the irregularity of the building's structure. Aqsunqur's grave is also located in the mosque complex along with those of his sons.[2][3]
By the 15th century the Aqsunqur Mosque was reportedly in poor shape due to the loss ofwaqf ("religious endowments") funds from Syria.[3] In 1412 aşadirvan ("ablution fountain") was built in the center of the courtyard by the Mamlukemir Tughan.[2] Because funding was low, the Aqsunqur Mosque was used only forFriday prayers and religious holidays.[3]
Between 1652 and 1654, duringOttoman rule, theemir Ibrahim Agha al-Mustahfizan, who was a general of theJanissaries, began a major renovation project for the Aqsunqur Mosque, restoring its roof and arcades, and adding columns to support the mosque's southern prayer hall. Significantly, he decorated the building with blue and green tiles, hence the mosque's unofficial name as the "Blue Mosque".[3] The tiles, which were imported fromConstantinople andDamascus,[4] were crafted in theIznik style with floral motifs such ascypress trees and vases holdingtulips.[3]
Ibrahim Agha built his mausoleum, which was also decorated with marble tiles, in the southern hall. It was constructed using the typical Mamluk architectural style and included amihrab ("prayer niche") resembling the mausoleums of Mamlukemirs also located in the mosque complex. In line with Ottoman tradition at the time, the Aqsunqur Mosque was officially renamed after its restorer as the "Ibrahim Agha Mosque." The latter name was not used frequently.[3]
In 1908 the Aqsunqur Mosque was restored by theComité de Conservation des Monuments de l'Art Arabe. The1992 Cairo earthquake damaged the arches of the mosque'sporticoes, but they were reinforced by the Egyptian government in the mid-1990s to prevent additional deterioration.[5]
TheAga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in conjunction with theWorld Monuments Fund began a restoration project of the mosque in 2009.[4] The Mosque opened to the public in May 2015 after the completion of a six-year renovation project. The mosque was inaugurated in presence of Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty, theAga Khan, the Chairman of theAga Khan Development Network, and Cairo governor Galal Saeed.
Renovation work focused structural stability, conservation of the interior and roof repair.[5] Today, the Aqsunqur Mosque is a major destination for tourists visiting Egypt.[6]
The general layout of the mosque consists of a large open courtyard (sahn) enclosed by four arcades (riwaqs).[2] There are three main entrances with the mainportal opening into the western arcade. The latter consists of a large pointedarch with corbels on the front edges of its roof. Facing the courtyard is thedikka ("tribune") from which theQur'an is recited. The structure usesWestern European-style capitals that Islamic architecture expert Doris Behrens-Abouseif believes were taken fromCrusader-era structures in theLevant.[3]
Kujuk's mausoleum is situated at the portal's northern side and has twofacades facing the street. Of the two alternative entrances, one opens into the southern arcade while the other opens between the northern and western arcades.[1] Unlike other tombs in Cairo, Kujuk's mausoleum, which predates the mosque, is not aligned according to theqibla ("orientation withMecca") and instead is aligned with the street. This structure is the principal feature unique to other major mosques in Egypt.[1]
Above the prayer hall sits a brick one-baydome carried on four bricksquinches. A large brick dome supported by brick squinches is also situated atop the mausoleum of Kujuk. However, the latter has apendentive below each squinch. When the mosque was originally built this technique of using plain squinches was considered archaic.[7]
The mosque's interior also has an irregular layout mostly due to Ibrahim Agha's renovations which replaced most of the originalcross-vaulting of the arcades with columns supporting a flat wooden ceiling. The only part of the mosque that continues to employ Aqsunqur's interior design is theqibla wall which uses cross-vaults that rest on octagonal-shaped piers.[2] The technique of cross-vaults is a reflection of Islamic Syrian architectural influence. Along with theMosque of Amir al-Maridani, the Aqsunqur Mosque has ahypostyle plan which is rare in Cairo and typically associated with Syrian style mosques.[3]
Themihrab ("prayer niche" that indicatesqibla) was built in a geometricinterlace style typically found in Mamluk architecture. The design is used in themihrab'sspandrels. Other features of themihrab include the hood's relief painted carvings, fluctuatinglintel panels, marble panels, carved marbleregisters andmosaic inlay.[4] To the right of themihrab is the marbleminbar ("pulpit.") Decorated with light gray,salmon, green and plum-colored stone inserts, it is the oldest and one of the handful remaining marbleminbars used in a Cairo mosque. The handrail is also built of marble and has a pattern of rolling leaf and grape clusters carved from the stone.[4]
The minaret is situated at the southern corner of the facade looking intoBab al-Wazir Street, affording a dominant view of the entire southern part of the street.[7] It consists of three stories, the first being circular and plain and the second circular and ribbed while the top story is a bulb resting on a pavilion supported by eight slender stone columns. Its circular shaft is rare among Mamluk minarets.[3] Prior to its 20th-century restoration, the minaret had four stories. The third story was octagonal and removed during the restoration, depriving the Aqsunqur Mosque a unique feature it shared with another mosque in Cairo, theSultan al-Ghuri Complex which has four stories.[7] The Aqsunqur Mosque minaret was featured in several 19th-century illustrations.[3]
