Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq

**Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq** anaa **Mosque-Madrasa-Khanqah of Az-Zaher Barquq** (Arabic: مسجد ومدرسة وخانقاه الظاهر برقوق) be a religious complex insyd Islamic Cairo, de historic medieval district of Cairo, Egypt. Na Sultan al-Zahir Barquq commission am as a school for religious education insyd de four Islamic schools of thought, wey compose of a mosque, madrasa, mausoleum den khanqah. Na dem construct de complex insyd 1384-1386 CE (786 to 788 AH), wy na dem add de dome last. Na ebe de first architectural facility dem build during de rule of de Circassian (Burji) dynasty of Mamluk Sultanate.

De complex dey situate insyd de traditional area of Muizz Street. Along plus de Complex of Sultan Qalawun den de Madrasa of al-Nasir Muhammad, plus wich ebe contiguous, e dey form one of de greatest arrangements of Mamluk monumental architecture insyd Cairo, insyd de section of al-Mu'izz street dem know as Bayn al-Qasrayn.

## Patron den historical context

Al-Zahir Barquq be notable as de first "Burji" Mamluk sultan of Cairo. Na he be a Circassian slave purchase by Yalbugha al-Umari, a Mamluk emir wey rule Cairo for behalf of Sultan Sha'ban. Like chaw oda mamluks of de time, na dem train am insyd de Circassian military barracks wey locate insyd de citadel. Under Yalbugha, Barquq gain considerable influence insyd de state, wey he subsequently cam turn a key player insyd de period of chaos den internal conflict dey follow de violent deaths of first Yalbugha den then Sultan Sha'ban. Eventually, Barquq gain enough support make he depose Sultan Hajj, a son of Sha'ban wey na he still be kiddie, wey he take de throne for einself insyd 1382.Dey follow ein ascension, he mainly recruit Mamluks of Circassian origin to ein regime, wey na ebe dis group wich dominate de Sultanate til ein eventual fall to de Ottomans. Since dem live den train mostly insyd Cairo ein Citadel, na dem refer to dem as de "Burji" Mamluks, wey dey mean Mamluks "of de tower".

Despite de regime change, Barquq ein construction dey show architectural den artistic continuity plus preceding Mamluk buildings. Ein complex dey show important similarities insyd form den layout plus de earlier den much larger religious complex of Sultan Hassan, though na dem shift de components around make e suit de different setting. Barquq build ein complex insyd one of Cairo ein most prestigious locations, Bayn al-Qasrayn, dem name after de previous Fatimid royal palaces wich na e occupy de site (wich ba be progressively replace by religious buildings den mausoleums of Ayyubid den Mamluk sultans). Ein building be right next to de Madrasa of Al-Nasir Muhammad den de funerary complex of Sultan Qalawun (both important Mamluk sultans of de past), wey dey form a long continuous line of imposing religious complexes along dis street insyd de heart of Cairo.

Furthermore, na ebe part of Bayn al-Qasrayn (along al-Mu'izz street), de mosque be embedded insyd de fabric of Egyptian society den de daily life of Egyptian citizens. One of ein lesser known purposes be as a shelter give evicted families insyd de 1970s. Na de street wey de mosque dey locate on inspire chaw works of art den literature most famously de novel "Bayn al-Qasrayn" anaa palace walk by Naguib Mahfouz. Na de film wich be inspired by de novel, sanso dey include chaw images of de mosque insyd ein background.

## Construction

De construction of Barquq ein madrasa den funerary complex begin insyd December 1384 (Rajab 786 insyd de Islamic calendar) wey dem fini, according to de inscription for ein facade top, insyd April 1386 (Rabi' I 788). Since na de site dey insyd de busy heart of Cairo, sam existing structures, wey dey include a *khan* anaa caravanserai, na dem for demolish am before construction.Although na dem often dey build Mamluk monuments plus de help of forced labour (plus either prisoners of war anaa by corvée), na dem report Barquq ein construction dem use paid workers per.

Barquq appoint ein emir Jarkas al-Khalili as supervisor of de works, while de architect anaa master builder (dem title as *mu'allim* insyd Arabic) na he be Ahmad al-Tuluni.Ahmad al-Tuluni, from a family of carpenters den stone-cutters, be notable as one of de few master builders of dis period make he reach great success den recognition, wey Barquq marry two of ein female relatives. Na he get enough means make he eventually build a mausoleum for einself insyd Cairo ein Southern Cemetery.Jarkas al-Khalili, de sultan ein master of de stables, sanso be notable for building de original Khan al-Khalili, wich give ein name to de famous bazaar still der today insyd Cairo.

## Description

Like chaw Mamluk foundations, Barquq ein religious complex serve chaw functions for a time. De foundation deed dey state dat de complex dey include a Friday mosque, a madrasa wey teach de four Sunni madhhabs give 125 students, den a khanqah (a monastery-type institution for Sufis) give 60 Sufis. De overall design den decoration dey resemble dat of de larger den earlier Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan. De building sanso dey include a mausoleum wey ein dome be visible from de street. Barquq make dem move den bury de remains of ein poppie insyd de mausoleum of ein complex wen na dem plete am. Barquq einself, however, later wish make dem bury am insyd a new mausoleum insyd de Northern Cemetery of Cairo, a task ein son Faraj plete.

Der be a mansion dem name Zakat Khan for de same location, wey na ein construction sanso be supervised by Emir Jarkas Al Khalili, de prince of Akhor.

### Exterior
De exterior facade of de complex dey appear na dem carefully design am make e maximize ein prominence along a street wich already dey feature oda major monuments: de minaret be for de far northern corner wey dem superimpose am visually plus de dome (a common arrangement), while for de southern corner de entrance portal dey project both horizontally den vertically from de surrounding facades (a feature dem know as a *pishtaq*). A foundation inscription dey run along de upper part of de wall, just below a row of muqarnas sculpting, while dem fi anoda Qur'anic inscription for a lower level around de doorway. De Qur'anic inscription dey feature an ornate den unusual calligraphic style by wich de top lines of letters join togeda into flower-like knots. De two round windows visible along de exterior wall correspond to de mihrabs of de madrasa den de mausoleum.

De entrance portal dey rise up to an ornamental stone vault plus muqarnas carving. Below dis be a large panel of inlaid marble, similar to an example dem found insyd de Sultan Hassan madrasa ein vestibule wey dem possibly bring from Syria. Dem finely decorate de bronze doors of de entrance be plus geometric patterns dem base for 18-pointed den 12-pointed stars, wey dey feature anoda inscription.

### Interior

De entrance vestibule, much like de one for Sultan Hassan ein madrasa, be topped by a lantern structure above den more muqarnas vaults. From hie, a passage dey lead to de central rectangular courtyard (a *sahn*) dem flank by four iwans (vaulted rooms open for one side), wich na ebe characteristic of monumental madrasas of de period. De walls be enlivened by alternating colored stone (dem know as *ablaq*). De sabil (a fountain anaa pavilion for water) insyd de middle of de courtyard be a recent addition by de late 19th-century "Comité" wey dey oversee ein restoration, though na sam kind of fountain still be der originally. De iwan for de eastern side top (towards de direction of prayer) be covered by de largest single wooden roof insyd amluk architecture wey dey shelter de main sanctuary anaa prayer hall of de complex, while de oda three iwans be covered by stone vaults. De main prayer hall get a basilica-style plan similar to dat dem find insyd de madrasa of Qalawun ein complex, plus columns wey dey uphold de roof. However, ein richly painted den carved wooden ceiling be innovative wey na dem consider am wey outstanding feature of dis monument, plus patterns dey resemble those insyd contemporary illumination of Qur'ans. Both de floor den de qibla wall (de wall wey dey mark de direction of prayer) be adorned plus marble mosaics den paneling. A rare den unusual detail be de mihrab-shaped marble mosaics wey dey line de floor for de foot of de qibla wall. De main mihrab einself be covered insyd multicolored marble mosaics wey dem flank by four decorative columns (once again, similar to de mihrab of de Sultan Hassan madrasa).

De windows around de complex dey feature de usual stucco frames plus colored glass, though de roundels above de mihrabs get wooden frames. For de back of de building (for de western side) na most of de cells den rooms be give de resident students den Sufis, buh today dis section dey insyd ruins.

#### Mausoleum

Adjoining de prayer hall for ein northern side, buh dem separate by a wall, be de mausoleum chamber under de dome. Na dem originally make de dome einself of wood buh na de Comité reconstruct am for brick insyd 1893.

Dem achieve de transition between de round dome above den de square chamber below by de original (though dem restore am) wooden pendentives plus muqarnas forms den plus gilded decoration of similar quality to dat for de prayer hall ceiling. De mihrab den qibla wall hie sanso get marble decoration, much like de qibla wall insyd de prayer hall, except dat de mihrab hie be noticeably narrower. Dem possibly design de mihrab dis way so as make e allow de flanking windows to be wide enough for Qur'an reciters make dem sit insyd dem, from wer dem fi be heard by those wey dey pass for de street outsyd. As dem mention above, na dem no bury Barquq einself hie for de end, buh de chamber dey contain de tomb of one of ein daughters, Fatima.

## References


## External links

* Government Website of Islamic artifacts