Funerary Complex Of Sultan Qaytbay
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The funerary complex of Sultan Qaytbay is an architectural complex built by the
Mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...
sultan al-Ashraf Qaytbay in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
's Northern Cemetery. It was built between 1470 and 1474. The main building is a mosque (originally a
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
) attached to Qaytbay's mausoleum, while other parts of the complex include residential structures, a drinking trough for animals, and a smaller tomb. The complex is considered one of the most beautiful and accomplished monuments of late
Mamluk architecture Mamluk architecture was the architectural style that developed under the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517), which ruled over Egypt, the Levant, and the Hijaz from their capital, Cairo. Despite their often tumultuous internal politics, the Mamluk su ...
and it is pictured on the Egyptian one pound note.Williams, Caroline. 2008 (6th ed.). ''Islamic Monuments in Cairo: The Practical Guide''. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. 2007. ''Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of Architecture and its Culture''. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press.AlSayyad, Nezar. 2011. ''Cairo: Histories of a City''. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.


Historical background


Sultan Qaytbay and his reign

Al-Ashraf Qaytbay was a
mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...
purchased by Sultan
Barsbay Al-Ashraf Sayf ad-Dīn Barsbāy () was the ninth Burji dynasty, Burji Mamluk sultan of Egypt from AD 1422 to 1438. He was Circassians, Circassian by birth and a former slave of the first Burji Sultan, Barquq. Early career A former slave of the i ...
() and served under several Mamluk sultans, the last of whom – Sultan al-Zahir
Timurbugha Al-Malik al-Zahir Timurbugha al-Rumi (died 1475) was the seventeenth Burji Sultan of Mamluk Egypt, briefly ruling from late 1467 to early 1468 when he was deposed. He used the title of ''al-Malik al-Zāhir''. Biography Timurbugha was of Greek o ...
() – appointed him ''amir al-kabir'', the commander-in-chief or highest position for an
amir Emir (; ' (), also transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremonial authority. The title has ...
under the
sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
. Qaytbay succeeded Timurbugha as sultan at the age of 54, and ruled for nearly 29 years from 1468 to 1496, the second-longest reign of any Egyptian Mamluk sultan (after
al-Nasir Muhammad Al-Malik an-Nasir Nasir ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qalawun (), commonly known as an-Nasir Muhammad (), or by his kunya: Abu al-Ma'ali () or as Ibn Qalawun (1285–1341) was the ninth Mamluk sultan of the Bahri dynasty who ruled Egypt between 129 ...
). His period was marked by external threats and internal rebellions, notably from the rising
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
, which required costly military expeditions, as well as by financial problems. Nonetheless, Qaytbay is known as an effective ruler who brought long-term stability while in power. He is notable as one of the greatest patrons of architecture in the Mamluk period, particularly of the Burji Mamluk period which was otherwise marked by
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
's relative decline. He is known for at least 85 structures which he built or restored in
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
,
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
, and
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, including 17 in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, and this period is characterized by a refinement of the Mamluk architectural style which included greater decorative detail.


Construction and context

Qaytbay's funerary complex was one of his earliest architectural commissions; construction work for the complex began in 1470 and the mausoleum was completed in 1474. The construction period was long by Mamluk standards; however, Qaytbay's complex was on a large scale and constituted an entire royal quarter or walled suburb in the then-lightly urbanized desert cemetery area east of Cairo – now known as the Northern Cemetery. This desert area was developed by the
Burji Mamluks The Burji Mamluks () or Circassian Mamluks (), sometimes referred to as the Burji dynasty, were the rulers of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt from 1382 until 1517. As with the preceding Bahri Mamluks, the members of the Burji Mamluk ruling class we ...
in the 15th century as the main southern Qarafa necropolis, not to mention the main city itself, became too full for major new monuments. Major construction projects like Qaytbay's may have been aimed in part at urbanizing this spacious area at the time, though eventually it became mostly an extension of the city's vast cemeteries. Its religious and commercial establishments took advantage of a caravan route which ran through it from Cairo to Mecca in the east and to Syria in the north. Qaytbay's large complex, like others built by Mamluk
amirs Emir (; ' (), also transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremonial authority. The title has ...
and
sultans Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
, combined various charitable and commercial functions, which might have contributed to his family's financial future after his death. Qaytbay's mausoleum and complex was also built close to the shrine of the Muslim mystic 'Abd Allah al-Manafi, over whose tomb Qaytbay built a new dome in 1474. This may have influenced his decision to appoint a shaykh of the
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
madhhab A ''madhhab'' (, , pl. , ) refers to any school of thought within fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence. The major Sunni Islam, Sunni ''madhhab'' are Hanafi school, Hanafi, Maliki school, Maliki, Shafi'i school, Shafi'i and Hanbali school, Hanbali. They ...
to his mosque, which was unusual for Mamluk institutions. File:Tombs of the caliphs, with minaret, Cairo, Egypt. Coloured l Wellcome V0049384.jpg, Illustration of the Qaytbay complex by David Roberts (c. 1848) File:Tombeaux des Khalifes. Kait-Beit. Egypte - Bonfils. LCCN2004668124.jpg, Exterior of the Qaytbay complex (c. 1867) File:Interieur de la mosqée Kaı̈t-Bey - Bonfils. LCCN2004668125.jpg, Photo of the mosque's interior (c. 1867) File:Caire. Chaire et sanctuaire de Kaït-Bey - Bonfils. LCCN2004668126.jpg, Photo of the mosque's mihrab and minbar (c. 1867) File:Tombeau du Sultan Kaı̈t-Bey, intérieur - Bonfils. LCCN2004668127.jpg, Photo of Qaytbay's tomb chamber (c. 1867)


Description


Overview

Qaytbay's complex contained numerous buildings over a relatively vast area, enclosed by the same wall, of which one gate, Bab al-Gindi, still remains to the south of the mausoleum. Many of the original structures which once faced each other on both sides of the existing street have vanished. What remains today is the mosque, which is attached to the mausoleum of Qaytbay himself, as well as a ''maq'ad'' (loggia), a smaller mosque and mausoleum for Qaytbay's sons, a ''hod'' (drinking trough for animals), and a ''rab (an apartment complex where tenants paid rent). At one point it was also described to have had large gardens.


The mosque/madrasa

The mosque (originally a madrasa), along with the mausoleum of the sultan, forms the main building of the complex and is considered exceptional for its refined proportions and the subdued yet exquisite decorations. The mosque's entrance faces north and diverts the main road slightly eastwards around the walls of the mausoleum, possibly to enhance its visual effect. The façade features ''
ablaq ''Ablaq'' (; particolored; literally 'piebald') is an architectural technique involving alternating or fluctuating rows of light and dark stone. It is an Arabic term describing a technique associated with Islamic architecture in the Arab world. It ...
'' stonework (alternating dark and light stone) and the entrance portal is enhanced by a high elaborate groin-vaulted recess with ''
muqarnas Muqarnas (), also known in Iberian architecture as Mocárabe (from ), is a form of three-dimensional decoration in Islamic architecture in which rows or tiers of niche-like elements are projected over others below. It is an archetypal form of I ...
''
squinches In architecture, a squinch is a structural element used to support the base of a circular or octagonal dome that surmounts a square-plan chamber. Squinches are placed to diagonally span each of the upper internal corners ( vertices) where the w ...
. The minaret stands above the entrance on the western side and is exquisitely carved in stone, divided into three stories with elaborately carved balconies. The eastern corner of the façade is occupied by a sabil (from which water could be dispensed to passers-by) on the ground floor and by a
kuttab A kuttab ( ''kuttāb'', plural: ''kataatiib'', ) or maktab () is a type of elementary school in the Muslim world. Though the ''kuttab'' was primarily used for teaching children in reading, writing, grammar, and Islamic studies, such as memorizing ...
(school) on the top floor. The former is marked by large windows with iron grilles, while the later is marked by a
loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
with open arches on two sides. Inside, the vestibule features another ornate groin-vault ceiling and leads to the main sanctuary hall which follows a modified layout of the classic madrasa, with two large
iwan An iwan (, , also as ''ivan'' or ''ivān''/''īvān'', , ) is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called , a Persian term for a portal projecting ...
s on the
qibla The qibla () is the direction towards the Kaaba in the Great Mosque of Mecca, Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which is used by Muslims in various religious contexts, particularly the direction of prayer for the salah. In Islam, the Kaaba is believed to ...
axis and two shallow or reduced iwans to the sides. The hall is richly decorated in stone-carving, painted wooden ceilings and coloured windows. The
mihrab ''Mihrab'' (, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "''qibla'' wall". ...
is relatively modest but the wooden
minbar A minbar (; sometimes romanized as ''mimber'') is a pulpit in a mosque where the imam (leader of prayers) stands to deliver sermons (, ''khutbah''). It is also used in other similar contexts, such as in a Hussainiya where the speaker sits and le ...
is richly carved with geometric patterns and inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl.Discover Islamic Art (entry on "Madrasa and Mosque of Sultan Qaytbay"), retrieved on January 25, 2014, http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;eg;Mon01;12;en The wooden
lantern A lantern is a source of lighting, often portable. It typically features a protective enclosure for the light sourcehistorically usually a candle, a oil lamp, wick in oil, or a thermoluminescence, thermoluminescent Gas mantle, mesh, and often a ...
ceiling above the central space is notable for its carving and painted pattern but is a restoration work by the " Comité" and not the original. The central floor also features elaborate polychrome patterned marble but is usually covered by carpets. File:Qaitbey5 (2133771422).jpg, View of the entrance façade of the mosque/madrasa, with the sabil on the lower left and the
kuttab A kuttab ( ''kuttāb'', plural: ''kataatiib'', ) or maktab () is a type of elementary school in the Muslim world. Though the ''kuttab'' was primarily used for teaching children in reading, writing, grammar, and Islamic studies, such as memorizing ...
on the upper left above it File:Qaytbay complex portal DSCF7244.jpg, The entrance portal File:Qaitbey2 (2132987471).jpg, Details of the minaret File:Qaytbay interior.jpg, View of the prayer hall of the mosque, with the
mihrab ''Mihrab'' (, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "''qibla'' wall". ...
on the right; the arches feature
ablaq ''Ablaq'' (; particolored; literally 'piebald') is an architectural technique involving alternating or fluctuating rows of light and dark stone. It is an Arabic term describing a technique associated with Islamic architecture in the Arab world. It ...
masonry File:Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaytbay Mosque and Mausoleum.jpg, The western
iwan An iwan (, , also as ''ivan'' or ''ivān''/''īvān'', , ) is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called , a Persian term for a portal projecting ...
File:Qaytbay lantern ceiling.jpg, The wooden lantern ceiling over the prayer hall of the mosque


The mausoleum and dome

Qaytbay's mausoleum projects from the eastern side of the building, which makes the dome more visible from the street and allows for more light to reach the interior through the northern-facing windows. The outer dome of the mausoleum demonstrates an evolution from the stone domes built earlier and nearby by Sultan
Barsbay Al-Ashraf Sayf ad-Dīn Barsbāy () was the ninth Burji dynasty, Burji Mamluk sultan of Egypt from AD 1422 to 1438. He was Circassians, Circassian by birth and a former slave of the first Burji Sultan, Barquq. Early career A former slave of the i ...
and others: it is often cited as the apogee of Mamluk dome design in Cairo due to its complex stone-carved decorative pattern.O'Neill, Zora et al. 2012 (11th edition). ''Lonely Planet: Egypt''. Lonely Planet Publications. This pattern features a central geometric star radiating from the apex of the dome and an
arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foliate ...
floral design which are superimposed and enhanced by natural shadows. On the inside, the mausoleum chamber is reached from a door next to the qibla wall. It is decorated with a carved and ''
ablaq ''Ablaq'' (; particolored; literally 'piebald') is an architectural technique involving alternating or fluctuating rows of light and dark stone. It is an Arabic term describing a technique associated with Islamic architecture in the Arab world. It ...
''
mihrab ''Mihrab'' (, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "''qibla'' wall". ...
, polychrome marble paneling, and a high dome with ''
muqarnas Muqarnas (), also known in Iberian architecture as Mocárabe (from ), is a form of three-dimensional decoration in Islamic architecture in which rows or tiers of niche-like elements are projected over others below. It is an archetypal form of I ...
''
pendentives In architecture, a pendentive is a constructional device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or of an elliptical dome over a rectangular room. The pendentives, which are triangular segments of a sphere, taper to point ...
. It contains the sultan's tomb as well as an alleged footprint of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
brought from Mecca. File:Qaytbay mausoleum dome (R Prazeres 2019) DSCF0095.jpg, alt=, The dome of the mausoleum File:Qaytbay dome closeup.jpg, Closeup of the dome's stone-carved relief patterns File:Qaitbey12 (2133767392).jpg, The mausoleum chamber of Sultan Qaytbay, with mihrab visible (photo from 2006, before recent restorations) File:Qaitbey3 (2133737622).jpg, Interior of the mausoleum dome


Auxiliary structures

To the west of Qaytbay's main mosque is a smaller domed tomb which may have been built earlier when Qaytbay was only an
amir Emir (; ' (), also transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremonial authority. The title has ...
, but was later dedicated to his sons. It was later used by a
Turkish Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
named Gulshani during the
Ottoman period The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Central Euro ...
. The small dome is decorated on the outside in a stone-carved pattern similar to that of the sultan's mausoleum but slightly simpler. The tomb is attached to a building which seems to have been part of the royal residential complex which Qaytbay built. Just west of this is a ''maq'ad'', which usually denotes a
loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
overlooking a courtyard but in this case is an enclosed hall with many windows, located over storage rooms. Just to the north of the mosque, on the main street, is a ''hod'' or drinking trough for animals, with shallow decorative niches along its wall. Further north are the semi-ruined remains of a ''rab or apartment complex on the west side of the main street. It is partially buried below street level but its high vaulted entrance portal is still visible. File:Gate of Qaytbay complex.jpg, The remains of the old gate of Qaytbay's complex, Bab al-Gindi File:Qaytbay minor mausoleum.jpg, The smaller attached mausoleum, dedicated to Qaytbay's son and, later, to Gulshani File:Qaytbay complex maqad 2019.jpg, The (recently restored) ''maq'ad'' of Qaytbay's complex, a part of the residential compound he built File:Hod of Qaytbay complex.jpg, The ''hod'' of Qaytbay complex, a drinking trough for animals (pictured in 2012, before recent restoration) File:Hod details of Qaytbay complex.jpg, Stone-carved details of the ''hod'' File:Qaytbay rab.jpg, The remains of the ''rab or apartment bloc of Qaytbay's complex, north of the mosque File:Qaytbay rab portal.jpg, Portal of the ''rab of Qaytbay's complex


Modern-day use and restoration

For the past few years, the Cairo-based ARCHiNOS Architecture has been conserving monuments within the funerary complex of Sultan al-Ashraf Qaitbey. The work is primarily financed by the European Union and done under the auspices of the Historic Cairo Project within the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. ARCHiNOS has increasingly included social development and cultural components in its work, and has adapted the reception hall in the Sultan's onetime residence (maq‘ad) for a hub of art and culture in the neighbourhood. ARCHiNOS also upgraded the small urban square in front of the building to make it a fitting setting for various cultural events organised in and around the maq‘ad of Sultan Qaitbey. In 2016, the not-for-profit Sultan Foundation has been established to provide access to culture in the underprivileged neighbourhood and to promote links between preservation of cultural heritage and social and economic development.


See also

*
Khanqah-Mausoleum of Sultan Barsbay The Khanqah and Mausoleum of Sultan Barsbay or Complex of Sultan Barsbay is an Islam, Islamic funerary complex built by Sultan Barsbay, al-Ashraf Barsbay in 1432 CE in the historic City of the Dead (Cairo), Northern Cemetery of Cairo, Egypt. In ...
*
Mosque of Qaytbay (Qal'at al-Kabsh) The Mosque of Qaytbay, also known as the Madrasa of Qaytbay, is a historic religious structure in the Qal'at al-Kabsh neighbourhood of Cairo, Egypt. Completed in 1475, it is one of multiple monuments sponsored by the Mamluk sultan al-Ashraf Qaytb ...
*
Lists of mosques Lists of mosques cover mosques, places of worship for Muslims. These lists are primarily arranged by continent, with the exception of lists for the largest, tallest, and oldest mosques. Asia * List of mosques in Asia ** List of mosques in Afghani ...
*
List of mosques in Africa This is a list of mosques in Africa. See also * Islam in Africa * Lists of mosques References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mosques in Africa Mosques in Africa, * Lists of mosques in Africa, Lists of religious buildings and structures in Africa, Mo ...
*
List of mosques in Egypt There are 114,000 mosques in Egypt as of 2016, of which 83,000 are affiliated with the Ministry of Endowments. This list includes notable mosques within Egypt. See also * Islam in Egypt * Lists of mosques ** List of mosques in Cairo Ref ...


References


External links


3D Virtual Tours - spherical view of the interior of Qaytbay's mosque.


* ttp://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;eg;Mon01;12;en 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
{{Islamic Cairo Qaitbay Mamluk architecture in Egypt Religious buildings and structures with domes Mosques in Cairo Mausoleums in Cairo Buildings and structures completed in 1474 Mosques completed in the 1470s 15th-century establishments in the Mamluk Sultanate Religious buildings and structures with minarets