Mosque of Aslam al-Silahdar

De **Mosque of Aslam al-Silahdar** be a 14th-century mosque den mausoleum insyd de Al-Darb al-Ahmar neighbourhood of Cairo, Egypt.

## History

De mosque be part of a funerary complex wey Aslam al-Baha'i, a Mamluk *amir* (commander anaa high official) of Kipchak origin commission during de period of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad. Na he start eim career as a mamluk under Sultan Qalawun wey he rise thru de ranks over time. Na Al-Nasir Muhammad appoint am as ein armsbearer (*al-silahdar*) den as a high-ranking commander. Na dem later accuse Aslam of treason wey dem imprison am from 1323 to 1333, wey dem reinstate am towards de end of al-Nasir ein reign. Under al-Nasir ein successors, na he rise to a position for de Council of Amirs. Na Aslam al-Baha'i die insyd 1346, during de reign of al-Muzaffar Hajji.

Na dem date Aslam ein funerary complex to de years 1344–1345 CE (745–746 AH). De building get two foundation inscriptions: one for de northwestern portal den one on ein southwestern portal. De southern inscription dey state dat na construction begin insyd Jumada I 745 AH (September–October 1344 CE) wey dem fini insyd Rabi' I 746 AH (July 1345 CE), while de western inscription dey give de completion date as Rajab 746 AH (October–November 1345). De four-month difference between de two completion dates fi mean say de later date dey refer to de completion of an annex structure anaa to de completion of de building ein decoration. 

Na dem build de complex for land wey na e previously dey part of a cemetery during de Fatimid den Ayyubid periods. E dey stand close to Bab al-Mahruq, a gate insyd de eastern wall of de city dem build insyd de Ayyubid period. De layout den orientation of de complex dey suggest say na dem likely build am next to a public square (*maydan*), still partly be present today. Aslam ein mausoleum, wich dey occupy one corner of de complex today, na dem probably build am first wey na ebe likely accompanied by a funerary garden anaa enclosure (*hawsh*). Na de current mosque be then likely built after dis, wey dey expand am into de current building. Chaw oda nearby structures wey na originally be part of se complex no survive today, wey dey include a *rab*' (apartment complex), a *hod* (water trough give animals), a sabil, den an *istabl* (residence plus stables). Na dem give de mosque de status of a Friday mosque, although e no get de hypostyle den courtyard layout wey dem normally associate plus Friday mosques of de time.

Na de building ein condition decline over time. Na e go thru an important restoration insyd 1900 by de *Comité*. By 2000, na ebe in need of anoda restoration. Between 2006 den 2009, de building go thru a successful restoration led by de American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) in partnership plus de Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

## Architecture

De mosque get a slightly irregular layout probably secof de pre-existing urban fabric around de site for de time. Ein external façades dey align plus de streets, while de internal layout be a cruciform anaa four-iwan plan. De space constraints probably sanso explain why de main entrance dey lead straight into de iwans of de mosque, wich be unusual insyd Mamluk architecture.

### Exterior

For de outsyd, de building get two main facades: one for de southwest side (de main entrance) den one for de northwest side. Each dey face a small public square den each dey feature an entrance portal. Above de doorway of de southwest portal features be an exceptional example of Mamluk decorative design: a rectangular marble panel dem occupy by a large circular medallion plus a floral arabesque motif insyd red, black, den white. An inscription panel dey below dis, plus letters dem embellish by floral finishes, den anoda inscription line dey follow above am de medallion. De northwest portal get ein own inscription panel. Dis inscription sanso dey feature a highly refined design insyd marble: de letters dey insyd a cursive *naskh* script wey ebe accompanied by a scrolling floral motif insyd de background. De tops of de letters, instead of ebe flat, be carved into shapes wey dey match de scrolling motif of de background.

Above de roofline, de minaret den de dome of de mausoleum dey overlook de southwest façade. Dem make de dome of brick wey ebe covered by an external layer of stucco wey dey give am ribbed shape. Around de drum of de dome dey run a band of glazed tile mosaic insyd white, blue, green, den black colours. De tiles form an inscription wey dey run around de drum, dey feature de Throne Verse of de Qur'an (2:255). De tile inscription band be a feature wey dem sanso find for de dome of de mausoleum of Tughay, al-Nasir Muhammad ein wifey, construct am insyd de Northern Cemetery around de same period. De present-day minaret of de mosque no be from de original construction wey ebe a much later reconstruction.

### Interior

Insyd, de mosque get a cruciform (four-iwan) layout plus a courtyard insyd de middle. De east den west iwans dey open thru a single large arch, while de lateral (north den south) iwans be separated from de courtyard by an arcade of three arches den two columns. Each of de four iwans be covered by a flat wooden ceiling. Der be no evidence say a ceiling originally exist over de central courtyard; na dem add de current wooden ceiling here during de 1900 restoration make e better protect de mosque ein interior. De ceilings of de lateral (north den south) iwans be lower dan those of de main (east den west) iwans. De windows insyd de courtyard walls above dem signal de presence of upstairs rooms wey be probably used by de inhabitants of de complex, perhaps for lessons. De wall above de western iwan be partly taken by a large balcony, sanso be accessible from upstairs. Na dem probably use dis as a *dikka* by muezzins. Na anoda balcony wey dey cross de arch of de iwan einself dem probably just use am as a bridge anaa passage.

De most notable feature of de mosque interior be ein stucco decoration, wich be generally concentrated along de upper walls of de courtyard den of de eastern (*qibla*) iwan. Aside from de western wall (wich be occupied by de balcony), de upper walls of de courtyard be decorated plus a series of medallions, lozenges, den blind keel arches all dem carve insyd stucco. Insyd de east iwan, wich dem align plus de qibla (direction of prayer), de mihrab (niche wey dey symbolize de qibla) be plain, buh above am be a stucco-carved medallion plus a circular Arabic inscription wer de letters be inset plus red den blue glass. Each of de side walls of dis iwan get a shallow recess insyd wich be anoda stucco-carved medallion inlaid plus ceramic.

De mausoleum chamber dey occupy de southeastern corner of de building wey dem dey enter am via a stone portal insyd de southern iwan. Dem decorate de portal plus *ablaq* (multi-coloured) masonry. Insyd, dem decorate de mausoleum plus high-quality stucco carvings, although sam of am dey appear to be missing. De mihrab hie be finely decorated plus carved arabesques den calligraphic bands, a relatively late example of a stucco-carved mihrab insyd Mamluk architecture. Above am be a stucco medallion plus a grille carved from anoda calligraphic inscription den arabesques around am. De upper walls get stained glass windows. De transition from de square chamber to de round dome be accomplished thru *muqarnas*-carved squinches.

## References


## Further reading

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## External links