Walking along with El-Moaz Street in Cairo, which is surrounded by many mosques, madrasas, and however, old houses,
You feel as if you are immersed in the atmosphere of Ancient Egypt El-Moaz itself is a very long El-Moaz Street: it connects the northern gate of Bab al-Nasr and however, Bab al-Futuh with the
southern gate of Bab Zuweil.
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Where is El-Moaz Street Cairo Located?
Cairo, the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt, more especially the Al-Azhar neighborhood in the city’s center, is where El-Moaz Li-Din Allah Al-Fatimi Street is situated. It is bounded by Bab Al-Nasr and Bab Al-Fotouh on the north, Al-Daras Street and the remnants of Cairo’s walls on the east, Bab Al-Wazir Street on the south, and Port Said Street on the west. It was created in the year 969 AD, or ever since El-Moaz Li-Din Allah the Fatimid founded the city of Cairo.
Due to the preservation of the complete set of archaeological structures up until now, it is the largest open museum of Islamic artifacts in the entire globe. El-Moaz Street is home to a revered archaeological site, a popular tourist destination, and a bustling marketplace.
Why was it named El-Moaz Al-Deen?
El-Moaz Li-Din Allah Fatimid Street got its name from the Fatimid Caliph El-Moaz Li-Din Allah, who ruled over Egypt during the Fatimid period. This street is immensely significant historically.
Because it is the oldest street in the world with Islamic architecture, El-Moaz Li-Din Allah Al-Fatimi first passed through it in his convoy.
Salah Al-Din Al-Ayyubi lived there, the historian Al-Maqrizi also did, the novelist Naguib Mahfouz was born there, and President Gamal Abdel Nasser attended a nearby school.
Who is El-Moaz Li-Din Allah the Fatimid?
El-Moaz Li Din Allah Abu Tamim Maad bin Mansour Al-Obaidi (932 AD – 975 AD) was the fourth Fatimid caliph in Tunisia and the first Fatimid caliph in Egypt. He founded the city of Cairo, and when Jawhar al-Siqilli finished that, he sent a request for El-Moaz to Cairo to open it, and he established a large palace known as the Eastern Palace.
El-Moaz was an educated man, fluent in several languages, fond of science and literature, and experienced in managing state affairs and its affairs. He gained the respect and appreciation of politicians. El-Moaz adopted a rational policy and succeeded in building a strong army, preparing leaders and conquerors, uniting the Maghreb countries under his banner and authority, and extending his influence to southern Italy.
Top sights to visit in El-Moaz:
1- Al-Aqmar Mosque
It is Cairo’s tiniest mosque. In 1125 AD, the Caliph Al-Amir Ahkam Allah Abu Ali Al-Mansour bin Al-Musta’li Billah gave the order for its construction. The only mosque whose level is below the earth’s surface is the Al-Aqmar Mosque, regarded as a masterpiece of architecture.
2- Bab al-Futuh
It is one of the entrances of Cairo’s walls. In 1087 A.D., Minister Badr al-Jamali constructed it. To manage Cairo’s entrances.
3- Bab Zuweila
It is one of the gates to the walls of Cairo. It was built by the Fatimid leader Badr al-Din al-Jamali in 1092 AD.
4- Al-Hakim Mosque by Amr Allah
Its construction began in 989 AD during the reign of Al-Aziz Billah Al-Fatimi, and after his death, the building was completed by his son Al-Hakim at the command of Allah in 1013 AD.
5- Mosque-Sabil of Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar
It is a complex of mosques, sabils, and kuttabs built during the reign of Muhammad Ali Pasha in Cairo, Egypt’s Islamic Cairo, a historic medieval neighborhood. It is situated at the start of the renowned El-Moaz Street’s Burjouan Alley, and its opposite side faces the Bab Al-Shaareya square’s Al-Nahasin Street extension. The building’s stone façade with floral designs is its most significant feature. With its marble decorations and oil paintings on the hardwood ceilings in Ottoman style, which were influenced by European arts at the time, it demonstrates the impact of European Renaissance art. The mosque’s minaret is visible from El-Moaz Street’s beginning, and it is a distinctive feature of Ottoman “pencil” minarets. As an act of kindness, the Sabil also has drinking basins for stray animals.
6- Bayt al-Suhaymi
As wealthy residents vied for the land next to the Palace Walk, the Darb Al-Asfar (the Yellow Way), where Bayt Al-Suhaymi is situated, barely meters off of El-Moaz Street, became one of Cairo’s wealthiest streets. El-Moaz Street was given this name in Naguib Mahfouz’s book of the same name.
One of Cairo’s most opulent houses, Bayt Al-Suhaymi, was constructed in the seventeenth century. This house, which was recently restored after falling into disrepair throughout the 20th century, is now a stunning illustration of the best non-monumental architecture from medieval Cairo.
7- Amir Bashtak Palace
One of the private residences during the 14th century’s palace era is Bashtak Palace. Additionally, Bashtak Palace houses an Islamic museum. It was constructed between 1334 and 1339 on the site of the Fatimid Eastern Palace by Prince (Amir) Bashtak Al-Nasiri, one of the commanders of the Mamluk sultan, al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, and the husband of one of his daughters (al-Qasr al-Sharqi). The palace is an outstanding example of Islamic architecture, with features like the mashrabiyya screens on the windows, stained-glass windows in the pointed arches on the second floor, and painted and gilded timber paneling.
The palace is a courtyard with four iwans and a central fountain made of colorful marble. Each iwan has a wooden roof adorned with exquisite wooden Islamic ornamentation.
8- Hammam of Sultan Inal
The Madrasa of El Kamil Ayyub is close to the Hammam of Sultan Inal, which is situated on El-Moaz Le Din Allah Street. It is the only piece of a larger complex that once included a Wikala, or marketplace, a fountain, and two Hammam, or bathhouses, one for men and one for women. This structure was built by Sultan Inal, a notable Mamluk under Sultan Barquq.
El-Moaz Li Din Allah Street is where it is situated. It was created in 861 AH/ 1456 AD and was designed to serve a societal purpose. The main entrance of the spa is located on a broken path so that passersby on the street cannot see who is inside. The facade of the bath looks out onto El-Moaz Street. A modern, tiled dressing room with a cross vault and a circular stone fountain in the center is accessible from the north side of this room via an open door.
9- Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq
It is a religious complex in Cairo, Egypt’s Islamic Cairo, a former medieval neighborhood. Its construction as a mosque, madrasa, mausoleum, and khanqah was ordered by Sultan al-Zahir Barquq as a school for religious instruction in the four Islamic schools of thought. The dome was added last in 1384–1386 CE (786–788 AH) while the complex was being built. It was the first architectural structure constructed under the Mamluk Sultanate’s Circassian (Burji) dynasty.
The complex is located near El-Moaz Street, which is a well-known neighborhood. It comprises one of the best collections of Mamluk monumental architecture in Cairo, together with the Complex of Sultan Qalawun and the Madrasa of al-Nasir Muhammad, with which it is adjacent. Bayn al-Qasrayn is a section of El-Moaz street.
10- Qalawun complex
The construction of Sultan al-Mansur Sayf al-Din Qalawun’s mausoleum and madrasa, which took place between 1284 and 1285, took about 13 months. Emir ‘Alam al-Din Sanjar al-Shuja’i al-Mansuri oversaw the entire construction project and enlisted the help of Cairo and Fustat workers and Mongol war prisoners.
The hospital portion of the Qalawun Complex was destroyed in 1910, but the complex had a mosque, a madrasa, a mausoleum, and a hospital. The complex may be found in Bayn al-Qasrayn, a neighborhood in the center of Cairo sometimes referred to as Old Cairo or Medieval Cairo. One of Cairo’s finest examples of this type of architecture is part of the architectural work at the Qalawun Complex.
11- Mosque of Taghribirdi
It is an ancient mosque and madrasa complex constructed in Cairo, Egypt, around 1440, under the Mamluk Sultanate. Amir Taghribirdi, the secretary to Sultan al-Zahir Jaqmaq and commissioner of the mosque, is honored by this monument. On the corner of Saliba street are the mosque and madrasa of Taghribirdi. This mosque is not to be mistaken with another one of Taghribirdi’s mosques situated in Cairo’s Darb al-Maqasis district.
12- khan al-Khalili
It is a well-known market and souq (or souk) in Cairo’s old city. The bazaar district, which was first a hub of commerce during the Mamluk era and was given its name after one of its several old caravanserais, has since grown to become one of Cairo’s top tourist destinations for both Egyptians and foreign visitors. Additionally, it is the location of numerous Egyptian craftsmen and workshops that produce traditional crafts and trinkets. Historically, the area’s one building went by the name Khan el-Khalili; today, the term is used to describe the entire commercial district.
13- Al-Ashraf Mosque
It is a significant mosque and madrasa complex found in Cairo, Egypt. The Burji Sultan Al-Ashraf Al-Barsbay constructed the mosque during the Mamluk era. The compound includes a mausoleum, a mosque-madrasa, and accommodations for Sufis. The mosque’s design, which incorporates marble and stained-glass windows, makes it unique.
14- Mosque of Sultan al-Muayyad
It is a mosque located next to Bab Zuwayla in Cairo, Egypt. It was constructed under the authority of Sultan Al-Mu’ayyad Sayf ad-Din Shaykh, from whom it derives its name, “Al-Mu’ayyad,” which in Arabic means “The Supporter.” The mosque’s construction started in 1415 and was finished in 1421. A Friday mosque and a madrasa for the four madhhabs were part of the compound. It took the place of a prison that had previously been near Bab Zuwayla.
15- Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex
It is a massive Islamic religious and burial complex constructed between 1503 and 1505 CE by Sultan Qansuh al-Ghuri. The complex comprises two large structures situated next to one another on El-Moaz li-Din Allah street (also known as El-Moaz Street), in the Fahhamin Quarter, in the center of Cairo, Egypt’s historic district. The Sultan’s mausoleum, a khanqah, a sabil (water distribution kiosk), and a kuttab (Islamic primary school) are located on the complex’s eastern side. In contrast, a mosque and madrasa are situated on its western side. The khanqah-mausoleum and the mosque-madrasa are open to visitors as historic sites today.
16-Sabil-Kuttab of Tusun Pasha
The Sabil-Kuttab of Tusun Pasha is located next to Bab Zuwayla in one of the side lanes off El-Moaz Street. It was built by Ahmed Tusun, who was instrumental in Saudi Arabia’s victory over the Wahhabis and passed away in 1816. It is intended to open a museum showcasing Tusun Pasha’s creations.
This Sabil’s round front and decorations that mimic the style popular during the reign of Mohammed Ali set it apart from other designs. It is praised for having exquisite details like acanthus, grilles, sunbursts, and attractive Quranic verse inscriptions on the walls. Two cisterns and a gorgeously painted dome were uncovered while the building was being restored. The Kuttab is made up of a series of spaces that served as classrooms in the late 19th century.
17- Zawiya of Faraj Ibn Barquq
The Zawiya and Sabil Faraj Ibn Barquq, built between AD 1408 and 1409, is a model Mamluk complex with several remarkable architectural and decorative features. The monument is imposing because of its placement; it faces the well-known Bab Zuwayla. The Zawiya has traditionally been a significant hub for pedestrian activity, which has sparked a rise in interest from organizations trying to preserve it.
18- Al-Salih Tala’i Mosque
The mosque of al-Salih Tala’i’, constructed in 1160 during the caliphate of al-Fa’iz by the Fatimid vizier al-Salih Tala’i’ ibn Ruzzik, is the second-oldest Fatimid mosque still in existence to have been built by a vizier (the first being that of al-Aqmar), and it stands in for the final Fatimid mosque in Cairo. It is also the second mosque suspended or hung from a ceiling (after that of al-Aqmar). It is located north of the Citadel, opposite and facing Bab (Gate) Zuwayla. The tent maker’s market is located directly beside this mosque. The simplicity of this old mosque lends it a charm that restoration efforts have dramatically preserved.
19- Qasba of Radwan Bey
Directly south of the Bab Zuweila entrance and just outside the old walled city is the Qasaba of Radwan Bey, a souq and covered market in Cairo, Egypt. Its building was finished around 1650 CE. It is Cairo’s only surviving example of a former covered market street. As the last significant market devoted to the selling of decorative fabrics known as khayamiya, it is also well known today as the Street of the Tentmakers or al-Khayamiya.
20- Madrasa of Al-Nasir Muhammad
It is a madrasa and mausoleum situated in Cairo, Egypt’s Bayn al-Qasrayn neighborhood on El-Moaz street. It was constructed by the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. Still, it was started between 1294 and 1295 under Sultan Al-Adil Kitbugha, who was in power between Al-Nasir Muhammad’s first and second reigns. It is situated close to the earlier hospital and funerary complex of Sultan Qalawun and the later Madrasa of Sultan
21- Al-Azhar mosque
Al-Azhar is one of Egypt’s and the Arab world’s oldest and most significant mosques. It is regarded as a wellspring of wisdom and is the biggest mosque in the entire Islamic world.
On Ramadan 14, 359 AH (970 AD), the cornerstone of the Al-Azhar Mosque was laid. The mosque was constructed during Ramadan between 361 AH and 972 AD. After receiving the go-ahead from the Fatimid Caliph El-Moaz Li Din Allah, Jawhar al-Saqli issued an order to start building Al-Azhar on April 4, 970.
Summery
El-Moaz Lidin Allah Al-Fatimi Street contains a collection of monuments and architectural treasures from several previous eras, including the establishment of Fatimid Cairo and through the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Circassian eras. This medieval period spans from the tenth century to the century. As a result, it is the world’s largest open-air museum of Islamic antiquities. The Ottoman era, which began in the sixteenth century AD, left behind numerous architectural components and imposing structures.
Since the city of Cairo began, Al-Moez Street has been regarded as its hub. It is home to 29 of the most exquisite Islamic structures in the entire world. The Boulevard also has monuments from every Islamic Cairo era, including the Fatimid and Muhammad Ali eras.
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