Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo (must see)
The Mosque of Ibn Tulun is one of the largest, oldest and best-preserved mosques in Egypt. Some scenes of the James Bond movie, 'The Spy Who Loved Me', were filmed here.
The mosque was built between 870 and 879 by the Abbasid Governor Ahmad Ibn Tulun. He was a slave who founded the Tulunid Dynasty that ruled Egypt between 868 and 905. After the fall of the dynasty, the mosque was neglected for many years. It was restored in 1296 by the Mamluk Sultan Lajin. A recent major restoration was carried out in 1999 and the courtyard was paved and the fountain was covered with black marble.
Ibn Tulun Mosque covers an area of 6 acres. It is the third largest Mosque in the world. The galleries have intricately carved stucco arches. It was the first time that stucco was used in Egypt. The unique feature of the building is the minaret. Unlike other minarets, it has a spiral structure. The model is from the minarets found in Samarra, Iraq. A spiral staircase is found on the outside. The minaret arches have a horseshoe shape resembling the type of arches found in Spain and showing the influence of Muslim refugees who fled here after the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors.
Why You Should Visit:
To see what many people agree is one of the most beautiful mosques in Cairo, besides being the oldest intact mosque in the whole of Egypt.
You can enter the mosque to soak in the atmosphere or you can ask the people working there if you could just climb the minaret (me'zana) to get an amazing view of the old city.
Tip:
Before climbing the stairs to the minaret, you can go to the top of the mosque (one set of stairs leads to both) and see the whole place from above.
If you do go inside, don't forget to tip the guy that's going to cover your shoes with pieces of cloth, so that you don't have to take your shoes off.
The mosque was built between 870 and 879 by the Abbasid Governor Ahmad Ibn Tulun. He was a slave who founded the Tulunid Dynasty that ruled Egypt between 868 and 905. After the fall of the dynasty, the mosque was neglected for many years. It was restored in 1296 by the Mamluk Sultan Lajin. A recent major restoration was carried out in 1999 and the courtyard was paved and the fountain was covered with black marble.
Ibn Tulun Mosque covers an area of 6 acres. It is the third largest Mosque in the world. The galleries have intricately carved stucco arches. It was the first time that stucco was used in Egypt. The unique feature of the building is the minaret. Unlike other minarets, it has a spiral structure. The model is from the minarets found in Samarra, Iraq. A spiral staircase is found on the outside. The minaret arches have a horseshoe shape resembling the type of arches found in Spain and showing the influence of Muslim refugees who fled here after the re-conquest of Spain from the Moors.
Why You Should Visit:
To see what many people agree is one of the most beautiful mosques in Cairo, besides being the oldest intact mosque in the whole of Egypt.
You can enter the mosque to soak in the atmosphere or you can ask the people working there if you could just climb the minaret (me'zana) to get an amazing view of the old city.
Tip:
Before climbing the stairs to the minaret, you can go to the top of the mosque (one set of stairs leads to both) and see the whole place from above.
If you do go inside, don't forget to tip the guy that's going to cover your shoes with pieces of cloth, so that you don't have to take your shoes off.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cairo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Mosque of Ibn Tulun on Map
Sight Name: Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Sight Location: Cairo, Egypt (See walking tours in Cairo)
Sight Type: Religious
Sight Location: Cairo, Egypt (See walking tours in Cairo)
Sight Type: Religious
Walking Tours in Cairo, Egypt
Create Your Own Walk in Cairo
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cairo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Cairo Walking Tour
Old Cairo, otherwise known as Coptic Cairo or Masr al-Qadima, largely predates the city of Cairo as we know it. Some Egyptologists think that a settlement here existed as far back as the 6th century BC. Later, the Romans built on the site a fortress named Babylon. Today, this ancient threshold of history is still in place, its weathered ramparts and sturdy bastions bearing witness to the ebb and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Cairo Downtown Walking Tour
Egyptians often refer to Cairo as Maṣr, which is the Arabic name for Egypt. This is due to the city's importance for the country, in part manifested by its closeness to the ancient pyramids. Indeed, the area of present-day Cairo has been the center of Egypt since the days of the pharaohs. The strategic territory at the base of the Nile Delta first hosted the town of Memphis.
By the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
By the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
17 Uniquely Egyptian Things to Buy in Cairo
A jewel, a rose... what else is there distinctly Cairo to bring home as a gift? Feeling lost for ideas? - Look in here to generate some and expand your souvenir-shopping...