Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad
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Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad at the Citadel
View of the mihrab niche, with restored marble paneling and dome above; "Cairo expanded greatly during the reign of al-Nasir Muhammad (reigned 1294-1340 with interruptions), a noted patron of architecture. His long and prosperous reign allowed him to shape the capital according to his ambitions. He destroyed and rebuilt many of his predecessors' buildings, especially the palaces of the citadel, which were designed to be the stage for a sophisticated court ceremonial. Al-Nasir encouraged his amirs to develop the land to the west of the Khalij, which was mainly occupied by orchards, by giving them long-term leases, but the western bank was not truly urbanized until the Ottoman period." This mosque is all that remains of a massive building project. It was built between 1318 and 1355 as a congregational (and royal) mosque. The two corkscrew minarets with bulbous finials are covered with faience tiles in a fashion then popular in Tabriz. Many of the columns capitals were spolia from Coptic, Roman and Byzantine buildings. Marble panelling once graced the mosque; it was removed by Sultan Selim I in 1517 and sent to Istanbul. The qibla wall has been restored. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/17/2008)
architectural exteriors, rulers and leaders, Mamluk