Seeing the splendour of our heritage in Egypt makes one feel the greatness of our ancestors but what enhances this pleasure is to see the younger generation at a historic site, breathing in its beauty in an ambience that blends old and new. At Amir Taz Palace in the Khalifa district of Islamic Cairo, below the Citadel complex, the visitor is happy to find students of fine arts faculties looking at the architecture of the palace to draw it. The same impact of happiness can be felt by the visitor on finding many young people attending a concert in an eclectic programme of traditional and innovative music in the inner courtyard of a palace that belonged to a prince, which has a story to tell. The story of Amir Taz mirrors the ambitions, rivalries, adventures and tragedies that mark the whole of Mamluk history (The Mamluks ruled Egypt from 1250 ��" 1517 AD). His Bahri Mamluk master, Sultan al-Nasir Mohamed ibn Qalawun, was one of Egypt's greatest rulers. Taz was his cup-bearer (saqi) and married the sultan's daughter Khwand Zahra when he was grand dawader or executive secretary of the chancery. After Sultan al-Nasir's death in 1340, powerful princes put his different sons on the throne as their protégés. In 1347, Hasan, a 12-year-old boy with red hair and freckles was made sultan, but when he started dismissing high officials, Taz fearing for his own position, deposed Hasan and raised his younger brother to the throne. Hasan, however, had a powerful supporter in Amir Shaykhu who waited for his chance to gain power. Three years later, when Taz was away hunting, Shaykhu sent the boy sultan to the harem and reinstated Hasan. Taz returned to Cairo with his Mamluks ready to fight, but when he found himself outnumbered by his opponents five to one, he dispersed his troops and hid in his sister's house. A few days later, he walked unarmed to the Citadel and presented himself to Sultan Hasan. The reconciliation was emotional, but the sultan exiled Taz to Aleppo in northern Syria. There he built a huge army, which caused alarm in Cairo. Taz was summoned to the capital. When he arrived, his rivals, the princes Shaykhu and Sargatmish, imprisoned him in Alexandria where he was blinded to eliminate him from the political game forever. He outlived his enemies, however, for both Shaykhu and Sargatmish were soon either assassinated or executed. Sultan Hasan freed Taz and allowed him to live the rest of his days in Mecca where he died in 1361 AD. The palace was constructed in 1352 after three years of work. At the core of the complex was the qasr (living quarters) built around a large courtyard. The main entrance is located on Al-Suyufiya Street, a central portal richly decorated with the forms of stalactites flanked by two secondary arches. The western and main entrance was also used as an entrance for carriages and lead directly to the central courtyard, which was also near to the stables of the complex. Also here lies a large basin which was probably linked to a water well. The eastern entrance, characteristic for its simplistic architectural style, overlooks a rather dim, narrow alley. The detailed decorative ornaments appear only in the interior chambers and courtyard walls of the palace, where the one can easily see wonderful Islamic writings, some of them being Qur'anic verses, while others praise the Prophet Mohamed. The luxurious palace's many amenities and features included a huge fish-pond. Another statement of the owner's status was a tablakhana, an area for musicians by the entrance gate from which fanfares of fifes and drums announced the master's entry. The palace also contained extensive service facilities. Horses were an essential part of life for every Mamluk, and the stables in the palace housed no less than two hundred of them! Amir Taz's Mamluks lived on the premises, and numerous storerooms contained weapons, food supplies, clothes and other goods. To feed the huge household, large kitchens were located at the back of the building. Two water wheels supplied baths for men and women. The master of the house received guests in the maq'ad (loggia) overlooking the courtyard, which is accessed from the main courtyard through a magnificent tri-lobed portico with rich masonry decorations. On seeing the maq'ad at night, when there is an event or concert at the palace, with its lit lamps gently swaying in the breeze, the visitor can easily imagine the presence of the Mamluk guests. The maq'ad overlooks the courtyard through four grand arches linked with wooden beams resting on three marble columns. The writing on the ceiling which is adorned with gilded decoration comprises some verses from the Qur'an, and gilded decorations. The palace also has beautiful chamber for a sabil, public drinking fountain, in the charitable Islamic tradition of providing water for passers-by. The two bathrooms (hammam) have beautiful ceilings, pierced vaulted and flat ceilings with cone shaped colourful glass to let in the sunlight. This was a very common and attractive feature used for illumination at that time. There is one bathroom for men and the other for women. Over the centuries the Amir Taz Palace was remodelled several times, notably in the 17th century, accounting for the surprising Ottoman additions, but eventually fell into disrepair, and was even used as a storage site by the Ministry of Education. It was also badly affected by the large earthquake that hit Cairo in 1992. From 2001 to 2004 the Amir Taz Palace was restored, and structures such as the courtyard, the rooms, the baths and the water system are now in good condition. The Cultural Development Fund, affiliated to the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, holds varied concerts, exhibitions, arts workshop and other artistic events at the palace. The Amir Taz Palace lies at 27 Suyufiya Street, Khalifa. From the square below the Citadel, where the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan is situated, take Saliba Street (which leads to Ibn Tulun Mosque) and, when you see the Sabil-Kuttab of Umm Abbas on a corner, turn right into a narrow alley to reach the Amir Taz Palace.
