Madrasa and Mosque of al-Ashraf Qaitbay at the Mamluk Cemetery
Madrasa and Mosque of al-Ashraf Qaitbay at the Mamluk
Cemetery
The Founder
Qaitbay was a Mamluk of al-Ashraf Bersbay, then he
appointed to many important positions during reigns of al-Zaher Jaqmaq,
al-Ashraf Inal and their successors, till he ascended the throne in (872 H./
1468 A.D.).
He ruled Egypt for about 29 years that was relatively
a stable era, and died in (901 H./ 1496 A.D.)
His reign was a golden age of architecture and
decorative arts. His endeavors to improve commercial relations with Europe and
boost export trade led to the revival of many crafts.
The main threat during his reign was the increasing
power of the Ottomans and their interference in Asia Minor, which was a
continuous headache to the Circassian Sultans.
External
description:
This
complex has two facades, the main façade at the north eastern side, and the
subsidiary façade at the south eastern side.
The
Main Façade
This
façade lies at the north eastern façade, and contains the main entrance, the
minaret and the Sabil-Kuttab.
The
Main Entrance
The
main entrance is crowned with tri-lobed arch supported by stalactites and is
lined with a continuous molding. The middle part of the entrance has a metal
grill window topped by a stalactite top. The lower part of the entrance has a
wooden entrance door decorated with gilded bronze medallion. This entrance door
is topped by a plain lintel, the tympanum, then a relieving arch of Ablaq
floral joggled voussoirs.
The
Minaret
The
Minaret is built on the Mamluk style and consists of a square base topped by
a first octagonal shaft, a second circular shaft, a third shaft in the shape of
an open pavilion, and finally a bulbous top.
The
first octagonal shaft is decorated with opened and block niches, and crowned
with a circular balcony supported by stalactites. The second circular shaft is
decorated with geometrical decorations and crowned with a circular balcony
supported by stalactites. The pavilion is crowned with a circular balcony supported
by stalactites.
The
Sabil-Kuttab.
It
lies at the eastern corner of the complex. The Sabil has two Sabil windows: one
at the north eastern side and the other at the South eastern side. Each window
is made of metal grills and topped by a lintel of Mushahar joggled voussoirs,
then a tympanum and a relieving arch of Mushahar joggled voussoirs.
The
Kuttab has two balconies overlooking the street, one at the north eastern side
and the other at the South eastern side. Each one consists of arched arcade and
has wooden balustrade of turned wood.
The Kuttab
is roofed by a sunshade.
The
Subsidiary Facade
It
lies at the south eastern side, and is crowned with a cresting in the shape of a
triple leaf. This façade contains the Sabil-Kuttab, facade of the Qibla Iwan,
and the mausoleum which covered by a dome decorated with geometrical decoration.
This
façade consists of a number of shallow vertical recesses. Each one is crowned
with stalactites and contains two windows, the lower one is metal grill window,
while the upper one is an arched rectangular window (Shamsya).
The
metal grill window is topped by a lintel of floral Mushahar joggled voussoirs, the
tympanum, and a relieving arch of floral Mushahar joggled voussoirs.
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق