The Mosque of Ulmas al-Hajib or funerary mosque of Amir Ulmas al-Hajib[1] is a historic mosque and mausoleum in Cairo, Egypt. It was commissioned by a Mamluk official named Sayf al-Din Ulmas and its construction was completed in 1329–1330 CE.
Mosque of Ulmas al-Hajib
Exterior of the mosque, with mausoleum dome (left), entrance portal and minaret (right)
Sayf al-Din Ulmas was an amir (commander or high official) under the Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Muhammad. He rose through the Mamluk ranks as a jashankir (foodtaster), then a hajib (chamberlain), and eventually became the sultan's deputy.[1][2]
The mosque Ulmas founded was built in a neighbourhood known as Hadarat al-Baqar, located west of Cairo's Citadel.[1] An inscription on the mosque's entrance dates its foundation to 729 AH (1328–1329 CE) and its completion to 730 AH (1329–1330 CE).[1] According to contemporary writer al-Safadi, Ulmas imported marble from Syria, Anatolia, and other places overseas in order to complete the mosque and its decoration.[1][2]
Ulmas was executed in 1333, three years after the mosque's completion, apparently on suspicions of plotting against the sultan.[1][3] He was buried in the mausoleum attached to his mosque.[3]
In 1713, during the Ottoman era, the mosque's minaret collapsed and was rebuilt in its current form. The craftsmen of the time re-used the old minaret's stones and tried to rebuild the tower in a Mamluk style, but were unable to match the craftsmanship of the Mamluk era.[3] By the early 21st century, the mosque was closed and had suffered from water damage. It was re-opened in 2010 after undergoing restoration by a local Egyptian firm.[3]
Architectureedit
Overall layoutedit
The general layout of the mosque is a traditional hypostyle building with a central courtyard. As the mosque's prayer area is aligned with the qibla (direction of Mecca) but the street outside is not, the mosque's external façade has a different alignment from the rest of the structure and the entrance involves a bending passage from the street to the mosque interior.[3] The floor plan is also irregular and asymmetrical due to the constraints of the surrounding streets and houses.[1][2] The mausoleum, whose dome is easily visible from the street, occupies the northwestern corner of the building, close to the entrance. Unlike most Mamluk mausoleums, it is not aligned with the qibla. The minaret rises to the south of the entrance.[1]
Exterioredit
Among the most notable details of the mosque are its entrance portal and its outer windows.[2] The portal consists of a deep recess roofed by a "flat" muqarnas vault. This is the earliest known example of this kind of muqarnas canopy in Mamluk architecture and it would subsequently reappear in several later monuments.[1][3][2] It came into fashion for a brief period in the 14th century and similar vaults are found at the Mosque of Bashtak (1336), the Palace of Bashtak (1337–1338), and the Palace of Qawsun (c. 1337) in Cairo, as well as at the Madrasa al-Sallamiyya in Jerusalem (c. 1338).[4]
A small lunette panel of Iznik tiles inserted into the ablaq masonry over the doorway was probably added during an Ottoman restoration, perhaps during the reconstruction of the minaret in the 18th century.[2] The doors of the mosque are covered in bronze crafted into geometric patterns.[3] The mosque's double-arched windows are notable because the wooden screens covering them are carved and pierced into vegetal arabesque motifs instead of the more usual geometric motifs.[1][2][3]
The mausoleum dome
The entrance portal of the mosque, with its flat muqarnas canopy
The main type of decoration inside the mosque is carved stucco, including bands with vegetal motifs around the arches, two arabesque medallions on the qibla wall near the mihrab (niche symbolizing the qibla) and similar medallions inside the mausoleum.[2] Above the mihrab is a rectangular panel of scrolling vegetal motifs that was most likely added in the 19th century[2] or during the 18th-century Ottoman restoration.[3] The marble decoration of the mosque is focused on the mihrabs of both the prayer hall and the mausoleum.[1] The mihrab in the prayer hall is covered by a combination of different coloured marbles forming various patterns around the semi-dome of the niche and on the spandrels.[3]
The courtyard of the mosque (looking towards the mihrab). Carved stucco is visible around the arches.
The prayer hall, with the mihrab and minbar visible on the right, along the qibla wall
Detail of the mihrab's marble decoration and the Ottoman-era stucco decoration above
The current wooden minbar (pulpit) inside the mosque is an Ottoman-era replacement.[2] The mosque's original minbar was made of stone and featured some of the highest-quality carved stonework to survive from the Mamluk period. Fragments of this minbar have been preserved and are kept today at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo.[2][5]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijkBehrens-Abouseif, Doris (2007). Cairo of the Mamluks: A History of Architecture and its Culture. The American University in Cairo Press. pp. 180–183. ISBN9789774160776. from the original on 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
^ abcdefghijkO'Kane, Bernard (2016). The Mosques of Egypt. American University of Cairo Press. pp. 92–95. ISBN9789774167324.
^ abcdefghijWilliams, Caroline (2018). Islamic Monuments in Cairo: The Practical Guide (7th ed.). Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. p. 133.
^Burgoyne, Michael Hamilton (1987). "Al-Sallamiyya". Mamluk Jerusalem: An Architectural Study. British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, World of Islam Festival Trust. p. 307. ISBN9780905035338.
^O'Kane, Bernard; Abbas, Mohamed; Abdulfattah, Iman (2012). The Illustrated Guide to the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo. American University in Cairo Press. p. 324. ISBN978-977-416-338-8. from the original on 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
Further readingedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mosque of Ulmas al-Hajib.
Karim, Chahinda Fahmi (2000). "The Mosque of Ulmas al-Hajib". In Behrens-Abouseif, Doris (ed.). The Cairo Heritage: Essays in Honor of Laila Ali Ibrahim. The American University in Cairo Press. pp. 123–147. ISBN9789774245688.
January 01, 1970
mosque, ulmas, hajib, funerary, mosque, amir, ulmas, hajib, historic, mosque, mausoleum, cairo, egypt, commissioned, mamluk, official, named, sayf, ulmas, construction, completed, 1329, 1330, exterior, mosque, with, mausoleum, dome, left, entrance, portal, min. The Mosque of Ulmas al Hajib or funerary mosque of Amir Ulmas al Hajib 1 is a historic mosque and mausoleum in Cairo Egypt It was commissioned by a Mamluk official named Sayf al Din Ulmas and its construction was completed in 1329 1330 CE Mosque of Ulmas al HajibExterior of the mosque with mausoleum dome left entrance portal and minaret right ReligionAffiliationIslamLocationLocationCairo EgyptGeographic coordinates30 2 7 N 31 15 17 E 30 03528 N 31 25472 E 30 03528 31 25472ArchitectureTypeMosque mausoleumStyleMamlukFounderSayf ad Din Ulmas al HajibGroundbreaking1328 1329Completed1329 1330SpecificationsDome s 1Minaret s 1 Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 2 1 Overall layout 2 2 Exterior 2 3 Interior 2 3 1 Minbar 3 References 4 Further readingHistory editSayf al Din Ulmas was an amir commander or high official under the Mamluk sultan al Nasir Muhammad He rose through the Mamluk ranks as a jashankir foodtaster then a hajib chamberlain and eventually became the sultan s deputy 1 2 The mosque Ulmas founded was built in a neighbourhood known as Hadarat al Baqar located west of Cairo s Citadel 1 An inscription on the mosque s entrance dates its foundation to 729 AH 1328 1329 CE and its completion to 730 AH 1329 1330 CE 1 According to contemporary writer al Safadi Ulmas imported marble from Syria Anatolia and other places overseas in order to complete the mosque and its decoration 1 2 Ulmas was executed in 1333 three years after the mosque s completion apparently on suspicions of plotting against the sultan 1 3 He was buried in the mausoleum attached to his mosque 3 In 1713 during the Ottoman era the mosque s minaret collapsed and was rebuilt in its current form The craftsmen of the time re used the old minaret s stones and tried to rebuild the tower in a Mamluk style but were unable to match the craftsmanship of the Mamluk era 3 By the early 21st century the mosque was closed and had suffered from water damage It was re opened in 2010 after undergoing restoration by a local Egyptian firm 3 Architecture editOverall layout edit The general layout of the mosque is a traditional hypostyle building with a central courtyard As the mosque s prayer area is aligned with the qibla direction of Mecca but the street outside is not the mosque s external facade has a different alignment from the rest of the structure and the entrance involves a bending passage from the street to the mosque interior 3 The floor plan is also irregular and asymmetrical due to the constraints of the surrounding streets and houses 1 2 The mausoleum whose dome is easily visible from the street occupies the northwestern corner of the building close to the entrance Unlike most Mamluk mausoleums it is not aligned with the qibla The minaret rises to the south of the entrance 1 Exterior edit Among the most notable details of the mosque are its entrance portal and its outer windows 2 The portal consists of a deep recess roofed by a flat muqarnas vault This is the earliest known example of this kind of muqarnas canopy in Mamluk architecture and it would subsequently reappear in several later monuments 1 3 2 It came into fashion for a brief period in the 14th century and similar vaults are found at the Mosque of Bashtak 1336 the Palace of Bashtak 1337 1338 and the Palace of Qawsun c 1337 in Cairo as well as at the Madrasa al Sallamiyya in Jerusalem c 1338 4 A small lunette panel of Iznik tiles inserted into the ablaq masonry over the doorway was probably added during an Ottoman restoration perhaps during the reconstruction of the minaret in the 18th century 2 The doors of the mosque are covered in bronze crafted into geometric patterns 3 The mosque s double arched windows are notable because the wooden screens covering them are carved and pierced into vegetal arabesque motifs instead of the more usual geometric motifs 1 2 3 nbsp The mausoleum dome nbsp The entrance portal of the mosque with its flat muqarnas canopy nbsp The minaret rebuilt in the 18th century nbsp One of the windows with wooden screens carved in arabesque openwork nbsp One of the mosque doors with bronze decoration Interior editThe main type of decoration inside the mosque is carved stucco including bands with vegetal motifs around the arches two arabesque medallions on the qibla wall near the mihrab niche symbolizing the qibla and similar medallions inside the mausoleum 2 Above the mihrab is a rectangular panel of scrolling vegetal motifs that was most likely added in the 19th century 2 or during the 18th century Ottoman restoration 3 The marble decoration of the mosque is focused on the mihrabs of both the prayer hall and the mausoleum 1 The mihrab in the prayer hall is covered by a combination of different coloured marbles forming various patterns around the semi dome of the niche and on the spandrels 3 nbsp The courtyard of the mosque looking towards the mihrab Carved stucco is visible around the arches nbsp The prayer hall with the mihrab and minbar visible on the right along the qibla wall nbsp Detail of the mihrab s marble decoration and the Ottoman era stucco decoration above nbsp Decorative stucco medallions on the qibla wall Minbar edit nbsp Piece of the mosque s original marble minbar now kept in the Museum of Islamic Art Cairo The current wooden minbar pulpit inside the mosque is an Ottoman era replacement 2 The mosque s original minbar was made of stone and featured some of the highest quality carved stonework to survive from the Mamluk period Fragments of this minbar have been preserved and are kept today at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo 2 5 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k Behrens Abouseif Doris 2007 Cairo of the Mamluks A History of Architecture and its Culture The American University in Cairo Press pp 180 183 ISBN 9789774160776 Archived from the original on 2024 01 29 Retrieved 2024 01 29 a b c d e f g h i j k O Kane Bernard 2016 The Mosques of Egypt American University of Cairo Press pp 92 95 ISBN 9789774167324 a b c d e f g h i j Williams Caroline 2018 Islamic Monuments in Cairo The Practical Guide 7th ed Cairo The American University in Cairo Press p 133 Burgoyne Michael Hamilton 1987 Al Sallamiyya Mamluk Jerusalem An Architectural Study British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem World of Islam Festival Trust p 307 ISBN 9780905035338 O Kane Bernard Abbas Mohamed Abdulfattah Iman 2012 The Illustrated Guide to the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo American University in Cairo Press p 324 ISBN 978 977 416 338 8 Archived from the original on 2024 01 29 Retrieved 2024 01 29 Further reading edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mosque of Ulmas al Hajib Karim Chahinda Fahmi 2000 The Mosque of Ulmas al Hajib In Behrens Abouseif Doris ed The Cairo Heritage Essays in Honor of Laila Ali Ibrahim The American University in Cairo Press pp 123 147 ISBN 9789774245688 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mosque of Ulmas al Hajib amp oldid 1213903824, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
