Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex

Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex, Mosque-Madrasa of Al-Amir Khair Bak or Khayrbak Mosque (Arabic: مسجد ومدرسة الأمير خاير بك) is a religious complex at Bab al-Wazir street (Darb al-Ahmar district), Islamic Cairo, Egypt. It originally consisted of a mausoleum established by the Ottoman governor of Egypt Khayr Bak in 1502 CE. Later he added a madrasa and a mosque, and annexed the adjacent Amir Alin Aq Palace (built in 1293) which was used by him as residence.[1] On the surrounding area, there is Citadel of Cairo located on the southeast, Amir Alin Aq Palace on the southwest, Aqsunqur Mosque on the northeast side. It is one of many Circassian (Burji) style Mamluk architectures built during the Middle Ages.

Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex
مسجد ومدرسة الأمير خاير بك
Religion
AffiliationIslam
RegionAfrica
StatusActive
Location
LocationBab al-Wazir street, Islamic Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex is located in Egypt
Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex
Shown within Egypt
Geographic coordinates30°02′08″N 31°15′37″E / 30.0355°N 31.2604°E / 30.0355; 31.2604
Architecture
TypeMadrasa, Mausoleum, Mosque
StyleIslamic
Mamluk architecture
Completed908-926 AH
1502-1520 CE[1]

Architecture

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Inside the Khayrbak Mosque

On the exterior there is a domed roof with floral motifs, an arched entrance covered with muqarnas, a pathway that leads to north end of the complex, and a minaret which lost its peak at the earthquake of 1884, but was reconstructed in 2003.[2]

As for the interior, it is rectangular shaped and there is an incised bowl with four ribs, and it is surrounded by four iwans. The eastern and western iwans are deeper than the iwan with qibla which occupies the southern side of the building and the northern iwan on the opposite side, due to the building being rectangular. The walls of the iwans are surrounded by 1.5 meters marble mantle above the madrasa floor, topped with a strip inscribed with verses from Surah al-Fath. The mihrab is in the middle of the southern wall and is surrounded by two smaller rings. These three girders occupy the whole area of the southern iwan.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex. Penn Libraries Fine Arts Library Image Collection. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  2. ^ Amir Khayrbak Funerary Complex Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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