Al Hakim Mosque is the second major Fatimid Mosque and the fourth most important religious edifice in Egypt. The articles provides an elaborate account of the Fatimids contribution to its rich architectural design.
|Figure 1. Plan of Al-Hakim Mosque showing the five aisled prayer hall and porticoes resembling the Al-Azhar Mosque. Source: M. Hattstein and P. Delius (eds.) (2000), 'Islam Art and Architecture', Konemann, Cologne,p.148)|
Al-Hakim Mosque was built following the tradition established by the Ibn Tulun and Al-Azhar mosques. It emulated the building forms and techniques of the former and the spatial configuration of the latter. The mosque's history and magnitude made it the second major Fatimid Mosque and the fourth most important religious edifice in Egypt after the mosques of Amr, Ibn Tulun and Al-Azhar.
The reign of the Fatimids was somewhat controversial. The succession of this dynasty to the Caliphate has been accomplished on the ruins of the Abbasid state, a period which saw much of the Muslim civilization's glories and progress. The Fatimids are also accused of being too soft with Crusaders, in some instances accused of collaborating with them to end the Seljuk rule in the Levant. Whatever their political motives and dealings were, the Fatimids left a considerable architectural and artistic heritage highly admired by historians and collectors.
This brief article assesses the Fatimid architectural contribution in Al-Hakim Mosque which was built between 990 and 1012. Although started by Caliph Al-Aziz in 990, the mosque, as referred to in the name, was completed by Al-Hakim Bi Amrillah (the ruler by the orders of God) who ruled between 996-1021 inheriting the throne from his father al-Aziz (975-996) and grandfather, Caliph Muizz (953-75). However, unlike his predecessors, he was accused of brutality, torture and assassination of his rivals and in turn, he was himself assassinated.
Architecture of the Mosque
Originally built outside Cairo's northern wall, the mosque was incorporated within the city in 1087 transforming its own northern wall and minarets into an integral part of the fortifications. Al-Hakim, or more precisely Al-Aziz, reused the plan of Al-Azhar mosque with a five aisled prayer hall (sanctuary) and arcaded porticoes. The central nave in front of the mihrab was enlarged and raised higher above the roof accentuating its importance and it was pierced with clerestory windows as at Al Aqsa in Jerusalem. The mihrab itself was defined by a semi-circular dome raised on squinches and standing at the centre of two corner domes of similar design. The trio were clearly introduced to emphasize the Qibla wall. Historic sources indicate that Al-Azhar, built two decades earlier, had similar arrangement with three domes on the Qibla wall. Rivoira who studied the dome of the mihrab concluded that it has retained its original form although there were traces of later restoration work, mainly brick work undertaken during the restoration carried out by Baybars in 1304. However, Rivoira probably went too far in suggesting that the dome form and character was derived from a Roman Sicilian tradition as having "typically Ravennate pendentives", a reference to the church of Ravenna.
Figure 2. General view of the prayer hall showing the raised central nave of the
The influence of Ibn Tulun Mosque can also be felt in many architectural elements of the Al-Hakim Mosque. The arches supporting the arcades of the sanctuary (prayer hall) as well as the portico were built pointed in Tulunid fashion on robust masonry piers with engaged columns at the corners.
In relation to the original features introduced by the mosque, one can refer to the distinguished façade and its two corner minarets. To create a balance with the apposing sanctuary end, Al-Hakim ordered in 1003 the construction of a monumental façade at the north western end of the courtyard. The centre of this façade was pierced with an imposing masonry gateway of tripartite design unfamiliar in Egypt at that time, but greatly resembling the entrance portal of the Great Mo