IT'S a huge and magnificent and has an interesting history. Sultan Hassan Mosque is perhaps the most wonderful Islamic monument in Cairo. US President Barack Obama visited the mosque, constructed by Sultan Al-Nasser Hassan Bin Mohamed Bin Qalawoun, when he was in Cairo last year. Sultan Bin Qalawoun, who was born in 1334, became ruler of Egypt in December 1347, when he was only 13 years old. A Mamluk ruled on his behalf till he reached the age of 16. However, a group of Mamluks objected to his being Sultan. They threatened to assassinate him, so he fled and his brother Al-Saleh Saleh replaced him. Three years later, Sultan Qalawoun assumed power again, but then a Mamluk killed him and had his body thrown in the sea. Sultan Qalawoun, a brave, selfless ruler, had orderedwork to begin on the construction of the mosque in1356. It took seven years to build. One of its minarets collapsed during construction work, killing more than 300 people. That was thought to be a bad omen and, shortly afterwards in 1361, Sultan Hassan Qalawoun was murdered. A functionary named Bashir Al-Gamdar finished building the Sultan Hassan Mosque. Its courtyard, about 34m long and 32m wide, is almost square. There is a large ablution fountain in the middle, which is covered with a wooden dome, carried on eight marble columns, whose capitals are decorated with inscriptions from Surat el-Kursi (the Chapter of the Chair) in the Holy Qur'an. In each corner of the courtyard is a door that leads to one of the four madrasas (schools), the biggest being the Hanafiya Madrasa, which occupies an area of 898sqm. Structurally from the outside, the mosque is very impressive, holding its own with its impressive cornice and the protruding verticals of its façade, even though it stands in the shadow of the massive Citadel. As one enters the mosque from el-Qalaa Street, there is an impression of height, especially from the towering doors decorated in Mamluk fashion. Even during the Mamluk era in Cairo, building space was at a premium. Thus the outer walls are somewhat askew, in order to fit the available lot, but the architects had a wonderful way of creating the impression of uniformity. Many historians and artists have admired the architectural style of the Sultan Hassan Mosque, including the French painter Pierre Renoir, while historian Ghars Eddin Khalil Ibn Shahin noted that this mosque is the most beautiful in the Muslim world.
