 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 Mosque of Mahdiya (Tunisia, 916 CE), the first Fatimid capital. These features had considerable impact on the evolution of façade architecture in Egypt, especially on Cairene streets.
|Figure 3. Corner of Al-Hakim mosque showing the northern minaret in its encasement as well as the ablution fountain. Source: M. Hattstein and P. Delius (eds.) (2000), 'Islam Art and Architecture', Konemann, Cologne,p.148|
Further influence of the monumentalisation of this entrance is connected to the rise of the highly emphasised portal entrances of the 11th and 12th century Romanesque gateways. It is true that the Romans used mainly monumental arches for the celebration of particular victories but they did not attach them to buildings. Furthermore, it has been established beyond doubt that the example of Mahdiya to be indeed the first recorded prototype of such entrances. With their close connections with the Normans in Sicily, the Fatimids played an important role in the transmission of many Muslim architectural themes and techniques to Europe including the use of porches at entrances.
The other original feature of the mosque consists of the two minarets, which despite the newly added sections they represent the oldest surviving examples of the Fatimid period, both raised high at the corners of the north western wall but of differing designs. The minaret of the western corner was erected first on a square substructure changing later into an octagon above the height of the surrounding walls. The minaret of the northern corner was built cylindrical on a square base, contrasting with the rectilinear nature of the rest of the building. In an attempt to address this problem it was decided, in 1010, to build a square salient around the minarets to conceal the imbalance. Another encasement was built around the northern minaret in 1087 when the mosque was incorporated into the city's boundary. Unfortunately the top sections of these minarets were partly destroyed in an earthquake in 1303 which wrecked the area as well as causing great dama