The Mosque of Ibn Tulun is the oldest mosque in Cairo that still keeps its original form, and one of the largest in the world. Built between 876 and 879 AD, it is a place of great calm and simplicity, with an unusual spiral minaret you can climb for a view over the old city.
History
Ahmad ibn Tulun was sent by the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad to govern Egypt, and made himself its independent ruler. He built the mosque as the center of his new capital, al-Qatai, modeled on the great mosques of Samarra in Iraq, where he had grown up.
What to see
The huge open courtyard is surrounded by arcades of brick piers covered in plaster and carved with geometric patterns. In the center stands a domed fountain added in the 13th century. The minaret, with its outside spiral staircase, is the only one of its kind in Egypt. Next door, the Gayer-Anderson Museum is a pair of beautifully furnished Ottoman houses that appeared in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
Visiting
Allow about an hour, including the minaret. Dress modestly, take off your shoes inside, and women should bring a scarf to cover their hair. Ibn Tulun is part of our Islamic Cairo Cairo day tours.
