A Walk along Cairo's 'Greatest Street'

 

                                                                Night views

In the middle of Cairo is a city within the city. With its millennia-old wall, Islamic or Medieval Cairo was at one time the center of the region's power is one of the oldest areas of the city founded under the reign of the Fatimids. Within these ancient streets, which begin in Bab al-Futuh in the north and extending towards Bab Zuweila in the south is a road from the 10th century with the largest concentration of medieval architectural styles throughout the Islamic world.

The street was once known as al-Sharii al Aazam The most prestigious StreetThe Greatest Street Moez Ledin Allah Al Fatimi also known as Muizz Street for short, is approximately one kilometre long and was the bustling heart of the capital for many centuries, and across several different dynasties. Mosques, palaces, bazaars mansions, houses and sufi lodges are scattered throughout the street, creating their own lively urban landscape

                                                  Qalawun Complex

The first time it was established was by the Fatimids and was named in honor of its founder, Fatimid caliph, Abu Tamim Ma'ad Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah, who transferred the Dynasty out of Tunisia towards Egypt. Muizz Street served as the central point of economic activity for The city throughout the Fatimid dynasty, and was a major area of the city throughout it's Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman dynasties. Each one of them was striving to make an impression on this street and, in some instances, surpass those previous ones, there's an abundance of influence of each of these dynasties along the one-kilometer stretch. With a glance down the street , you can find an Mamluk Palace, Ayyubid madrassa Ottoman sebil (fountain) and the Fatimid minaret.

Today , the street is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2008, it was re-designated as a pedestrian zone all hours of the day. I was able to visit Muizz Street with an expert tour guide. Rokaya Taha, who is an Islamic Art History graduate from Cairo University. She spent most of her time in the locations located in Muizz Street and elsewhere while she was studying.

Qalawun Complex

The Qalawun Complex is one of the most interesting places to see on Muizz Street. It's a huge complex constructed for the Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun in 1285. In contrast to other palaces, this one didn't have a gate or extravagant entrance. It was instead the doorway was large enough to blend in with the streets. The complex was designed as a multi-use which was used as mausoleum, madrassa, as well as a bimaristan (Persian for hospital).

According to my source it was typical for patients of the bimaristan to stay as long as three to five months for no cost to receive different treatments. They also dealt with mental health issues.

Copyright Ismaeel Elkhateeb. The copyright owner has all the rights to use it.

The Madrasa was among the very few places in the world at that time where they taught the four main institutions that were part of Islamic law, also known as madhahib. Inside the madrassa, there are four Iwanswhich are large halls that are walled on three sides and a wide open onto the 4th. They were the Hanafi madhab, the government supported madhab of the time, occupied the main iwan. It was largest and most lavish. It was also the primary place of worship in the madrassa. It was also the place where Shafi madhab stood directly across it, but was smaller and less extravagant. Finally there was the Maliki as well as the Hanbali madhabs were the two less spacious spaces along the other two sides, as they were among the least-used schools in Egypt in the period.

The mausoleum is home to the graves of The Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun, his wife and two kids. The tomb is located in front of is a stunningly decorated mihrab. According to Rokaya the custom was to place the mihrab with less ornamentation near the tomb, and the more elaborate of the two in the principal prayer space. This was done to inspire people to pray behind the more attractive one and not in front of the grave (since praying near tombs is considered unacceptable).

But Sultan Qalawun changed the procedure as he would like people who visited the complex later on to visit his mausoleum in order to gaze at the mihrab and later make a dua in honor of his family and him. It's not surprising that (shortly after being informed of this) I stopped to make an unintentional dua for the Sultan and his entire family after having a look at the stunning mihrab. it was evident that his plan worked.

  In the street directly across that runs parallel to The Qalawun Complex is a smaller mausoleum, and a school named in honor of the Ayyub Sultan the Al-Saleh Nagm Al-Din Ayyub. The madrassa, built in 1243 was the first one in Egypt to offer all four madhahibs in one location. In 1250, it was transformed into a complex, and the one of its type following the Sultan's mausoleum was built on the same spot. The Qalawun complex, which was built later took the same path.

As with other madrassas of that time the structure was mostly destroyed, with just one iwan left. It is obscured by an old apartment building that is directly connected to the historical structure.

Al-Saleh Ayyub ruled Egypt from 1240 until 1249. His death occurred during a war against the Crusaders who, upon hearing about his demise, decided gather reinforcements and move to Cairo. Shajar al Durr wife of Ayyub kept the announcement of his demise from any potential successors and assumed the throne for herself. She repelled the invading army as well as ended the Crusade. Her rule brought down the Ayyubid Dynasty, and her reign was followed by the rule of the Mamluks.

Right adjacent towards the Sultan Qalawun Complex is a madrassa and mosque which is the Sultan Qalawun's son the Madrassa of Sultan Qalawun's son, Al-N Muhammad Qalawun. It was constructed in 1304 and features an Gothic doorway , and is much smaller than his father's palace just next door. Though it was it was intended to be the location of the burial of Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammed but he ended up being burial with his father in his Qalawun compound.

Sabil from Muhammed Ali Pasha

Near the Qalawun complex was a place I frequently saw in TurkeySebils in Ottoman style fountains, which were public and were used to provide flowing waters to city inhabitants. There were three scattered across the busy street. The two most famous were that of Sebils that belong to Muhammed Ali Pasha and the Sabil-Kuttabs of Katkhuda.

The Sabil of Muhammed Ali Pasha is situated close to the end on the main street right ahead of Bab Zuweila. It was constructed in 1820, and was the first one of its kind and was decorated with panels with writing by hand in Ottoman Turkish. Muhammed Ali Pasha was the one who commissioned the construction of this sebil to honour Tosun, his son. Tosun. If you purchase a ticket, can access the cistern below that was filled twice per year. According to Rokaya the sebil generally operated two shifts per day, with as many as four employees working on it in a single shift. Numerous background checks and health checks were conducted on prospective employees to ensure that they did not infect their water source. When dealing with the public, they needed to be a personable individual. references from relatives and acquaintances were required to testify to the integrity of a person before they were allowed to be hired.

Sebil is Sabil-Kuttab , a member of Kathuda

The other well-known sebil Sabil-Kuttab of Kathuda It is located conveniently at the fork of Muizz Street. The sebil was constructed in 1744, and was ordered by the Emir Abdulrahman Katkhuda. It is famous for the building of several mosques and charity work, he constructed this sebil as a major water source for the city. With no cistern, water was brought in from different locations and was poured into the dispensers situated on the three sides to serve people who walked by. On the second level , there was an kuttab or small school dedicated to teaching orphan children about the Quran. It was right in front of it from the outside the building has a beautiful street view as well as a stunning Ottoman-style façade. The sebil is hard to miss and is definitely worth visiting. If you've traveled to Turkey and missed the stunning blue tiles found in many palaces and mosques It is possible to get some of that beauty in this sebil's Turkish-style tiles in the interior.

Khanqah from Baybars II

Another aspect that I noticed in Muizz Street was the reflection of Egypt's rich sufi heritage. Contrary to what we hear in the news or in political debates, Egypt has and continues to have a vibrant sufi community , as well as the history. I was especially interested in visiting certain Khanqahs (place which host spiritual gatherings and retreats).

The first place we went to was called the Khanqah from Baybars II. It was situated around the midpoint of the stroll through Muizz Street. It was built in 1309 to house hundreds of believers within the capital city of Cairo, it's still the longest standing Khanqah still in Cairo in the present. When we entered the hallway, we were led by a winding path us to a courtyard in which prayers and gatherings were conducted. The curved path that led to the khanqah was planned so that the sound of the street's traffic could not be heard by the crowd. Pigeons were flitting around looking for crumbs and pecking them off the surface. A few people were praying, while others marveled at how beautiful the place. It was quiet and peaceful. I didn't hear any noise from the bustling streets outside.

Khanqah from Sultan Al-Sutal al Zahir Barquq

The second khanqah we went to, the one of Sultan al-Sutal Al-Zahir Barquq, is located on the same street and just a few doors towards it. Qalawun Complex (incidentally it looks very similar to the one found in the famous Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan outside the Salahuddin Citadel).

In this instance, I took extra time to take a moment to sit down and be aware of where I was. I was sitting in the part of the khanqah that was in the corner and was looking out at the view that you can see in the photo above. I thought of the numerous gatherings of dhikrs, the many occasions when Allah's name was mentioned, and the level of respect for Allah, our beloved, which this spot had certainly witnessed.

This is another building which was a place where the four madhahib were taught and was used as a mausoleum and mosque as well as an Khanqah. It, together with Qalawun Complex Qalawun Complex and several other locations located on Muizz Street mark the largest collection of Mamluk contributions to Egypt.

Al Aqmar Mosque

The next stop was one of the most ancient sites located on Muizz Street, Al Aqmar Mosque. Although it's the tiniest Mosque in Fatimid Cairo is, it holds significant architectural significance along the street. It was originally built for only the Shia who resided in the city, the exterior design was unique and unique during the period of its construction. It has inscriptions from notable individuals from the Prophet's clan, including Ali, Hussain, Hassan and Fatima and is one of the last places in Cairo that has distinctive Shia identity.

We stopped at midday to offer Dhuhr in addition to Asr prayers.

Al Hakim Mosque

Near the corner of the avenue when you get into Bab Al Futuh is one of my favorite mosques in Cairo. It's beautiful both architecturally and in design, but also has an interesting history that is connected to it.

It was built in 1013 and was never used as a place of worship for the majority of its time. The mosque was built from Sultan Al Hakim who was the sixth Fatimid ruler who took over the throne at the age of 11. He was known for the brutality of his reign , and historians have deemed the ruler to be mad. When he was on one of his outings outside from town, he seen heading to the mountains of Muqattam and then vanished and was never ever seen again. A member of his group, Al Darizy, considered this as a sign of Al Hakim's divinity , and this led to the creation of the sect of Druze which is still in existence today.

This mosque served for a variety of purposes, such as the use of a prison for Frankish soldiers as well as the stable for horses in Salahuddin's time. In the last few years, the mosque has seen massive renovations however, it is the two minarets, which are unaffected. They are two of the most ancient standing minarets found in Cairo and are still standing. The work was led by an Indian local international Ismaili group. In addition, when we stopped at the mosque to attend Maghrib service, we noticed that a small group of people from India was praying in a separate area from the other section of the mosque, away from those in the congregation.

Beit Al Suhaymi

Beit al Suhaymi was originally constructed as two separate houses belonging to two wealthy people, Ismail Shalaby and Sheikh Abdul Wahab Al Tablawy. Both were bought through Al Suhaymi and combined into one. Al Suhaymi was a professor at the famous Al Azhar University and was principally responsible for the Turkish students who traveled to the university.

The house is divided into a variety of parts, like the salamlik (reception/guest space) as well as an Haramlik (harem) as well as an area for cooking and a well and various rooms that serve as living spaces. The house was expanded several times to accommodate the entire family when it grew due to marriage.

The house was designed to accommodate both summer and winter temperatures. Some rooms were specifically designed to trap cool air in the summer while others kept out the cool air during winter. One of my favourite rooms was the one in which guests were entertained by musicians and singers in a sitting gathering. In these rooms, they were able to see the Qasidah Burdah of Imam Al Busiri was written on these walls (I was especially happy to see this because I'd be going to Alexandria the next time, which is where Al Busiri is buried).

Bab Zuweila

Bab Zuweila is the last stop of our journey through the famed medieval street. It was first constructed in 1092AD or 485AH Two minarets are constructed on the structure instead of on the Muayyad Sheikh Mosque that is next to it. They were put on top of the gate because of its strong foundation. They also stand higher as opposed to the mosque which makes them easier to spot and ideal for sound transmission when the adhan is called.

We were able to climb the minarets , and get a spectacular panorama over the entire city. From the top, one can view Muizz Street in its entirety with all its splendor and hustle. In the opposite direction, and you will see the remainder of Cairo and that of the Muhammed Ali Pasha Mosque in the citadel that towers over the city.

This is The Last Fez Maker

It was one of the most fascinating spots I went to. Mohamed Al Tarbeeshi runs the one of the last shops in Cairo which makes Fez from scratch, which is widely known in Egypt more popularly as Tarboosh. I decided to look it up and buy myself two. The business has been in operation for more than a century and has been passed down through the same family over generations. Unfortunately, the owner is facing a decline in sales and no one to take over the business.

I strolled down the bustling market street, in which the shop is situated only a few minutes walking distance from the historical Ghouria Complex. I was fitted and made my order. I picked it up just a few days later. Watching the hats be handmade which is a long-standing tradition, was truly enjoyable and I would highly recommend all Tarboosh lovers out there to go to this wonderful shop while it's in operation.

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In the space of a single kilometre I have learned many more things in just one kilometre about Cairo and its past than I did anywhere else on the streets of Cairo. The wealth of information obtained from Muizz Street is incredible, and I'm not sure I can convey it in this article.

While numerous dynasties have come and passed after the Fatimids laid the foundations for Cairo It was interesting to realize the extent of a lasting impression each one has had upon the capital city. The diversity of the city's the city's history, clearly visible to the naked eye on Muizz Street, is oddly often ignored by Egyptians as well as tourists (the phrase "Islamic Cairo may not help). In addition to those of the Sunni mahahibs and the sufi lodges there is a rich Shia tradition also remains and it was this reminder of a complex past that left an impression.