Madrasa and mosque of al-Zaher Barquq at at al-Mo’iz Street

 

Introduction  

This complex (madrasa, mosque, Kanqaa and dome) is built by al-Sultan al-Zaher Barquq – the first ruler at the Circassian Mamluk period – in (786 -788 H. / 1384-1386 A.D.) at al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah Street, between al-Kammiliya Madrasa and Madrasa of al-Nasser Muhammed Ibn Qalawun.

- This complex is built on a place of a Khan called Khan El-Zakah, dated back to the reign of al- Sultan al- Nassir Muhammed Ibn Qalawun.

 - Al-Sultan Barquq bought this Khan from al- Nassir Muhammed’s successors, and gave his orders to his Amir-Akhur Gaharkas al-Khalily to be the supervisor of his complex's architecture.

- Gaharkas al-Khalily asked the famous architect Shehab al-Din Ahmed Ibn Tulun to be the architect and designer of this complex .  

Note:

Amir Akhur was a high position during the Mamluk period, meaning “the prince who is responsible for the royal stables”.

The Founder

- Al- Zaher barquq was firstly a slave came to Egypt with a slave dealer called al-Khawaga Fakhr el-Din Ibn Osman, who sold him to al-Amir Yalbugha al-Nassiry who set him free and made him one of his Mamluks.

- After he had been promoted to several high positions during the Bahari Mamluk period, his luck and skill brought him to the throne of Egypt in ( 784 H./ 1382 A.D.)

- He was dethroned in ( 791 H./ 1389 A.D.) as a result of a rebellion in Syria, then he get the throne back in ( 792 H./ 1390 A.D.) and keep it till his death ten years later in ( 801 H./ 1399 A.D.)

The description

The external description

The façade

This complex has only one façade lies in the south eastern side and overlooks al-Mu'iz li-Din Allah Street. This façade contains the main entrance, the dome, the minaret and façade of the south eastern Iwan "The Qibla Iwan "

This façade is colored Moushaher "red and yellow colors made alternatively" and is crowned by a cresting in the shape of a triple leaf.

This façade consists of a number of shallow vertical recesses, each recess is crowned by stalactites and contains two windows: the lower one is a metal grill window, while the upper one is an arched rectangular window "Shamsiya".

The Main Entrance

The main entrance is a "monumental entrance, crowned by a tri-lobed arch supported by stalactites. This entrance is lined by continuous molding.

The middle part of the entrance contains a Qamarya surrounded by Ablaq geometrical and floral decorations.

The lower part of the entrance contains an entrance door made out of wood inlaid with bronze and decorated with geometrical decorations in the shape of star patterns. This entrance door is topped by lintel of Ablaq joggled voussoirs, then a tympanum, then a relieving arch of Ablaq joggled voussoirs.

There are two inscription panels at the two sides of the entrance telling us the name of the founder and the construction date of "the construction text or the foundation text ".

The minaret

The minaret is located at the eastern corner of the main facade. It consists of a square base topped by a first octagonal shaft, a second octagonal shaft, a third shaft in the shape of an open pavilion, and finally a bulbous top.  

The first octagonal shaft is decorated with block niches and is crowned by a balcony supported by stalactites.

The second octagonal shaft is decorated with geometrical decoration in the shape of medallions and is crowned by a balcony and supported by stalactites.

The pavilion "jawsaq" is crowned by the third balcony supported by stalactites.

The Internal Description

The entrance leads to a square vestibule "Dirkah" roofed by a small plain shallow dome supported by stalactites. The drum of this dome has a number of arched rectangular windows

The Dirkah leads to a corridor, is paved with marble, and leads to the open court. 

In the middle of the open court, is a marble fountain topped by a wooden dome supported by 8 marble columns. This dome is restored by khedive Abbas Helmey II in (1310 H.) as it is mentioned in the restoration text upon it. The interior of the dome is decorated with a Qur'anic inscription surrounded by zigzag and floral decorations.

The open court is surrounded by four Iwans, the most important of them is the Qibla Iwan. Each of the four Iwans overlooks the open court with a pointed arch.

The Qibla Iwan

The Qibla Iwan is divided into three arcades by four granite columns (two at each side), the middle arcade is the widest. This middle arcade is roofed by a flat wooden ceiling decorated with gilded decoration on blue back ground that looks like the sky, while the two side arcades are roofed by coffers.  

There is an inscription band runs below the ceiling containing Qur'anic verses.

The Mihrab

In the middle of the Qibla wall, is the Mihrab "prayer niche", which is crowned with double pointed arch decorated with colored floral ornaments and Ablaq  joggled voussoirs rests on four marble columns.

The Mihrab is divided into three decorative parts: the upper part is decorated with colored decoration in the shape of sun rays. The middle part is decorated with floral decoration. The lower part of is decorated with small vertical cavities in the shape of small Mihrabs.

Over the Mihrab, is a Qamarya "circular window" that made of stucco and colored glass.

At the two sides of the Mihrab, there are four arched recesses. Each recess has a metal grill window, and is topped by a rectangular arched window "Shamsya" made of stucco interlaced with colored glass and inscribed with the name of al-Zaher Barquq.

The pulpit

Beside the Mihrab, is a wooden pulpit consists of a front door leads to stair cases leads to the imam's sitting surrounded by an open pavilion topped by a bulbous top "

The two sides of the pulpit "two Rishas" are decorated with geometrical decoration the shape of star pattern. Over these two sides, are two balustrades made of turned wood and decorated with geometrical decorations.

At the lower part the pulpit, there are two Rawda doors topped by two inscription panels containing a restoration text with the name of Sultan Jaqmaq.  

The caller's podium  

At the back of the Qibla Iwan, is a marble caller's podium carried on 8 marble columns.

The mausoleum 

The mausoleum lies at the eastern corner of the Madrasa. It is a square room covered by a dome supported by 4 transitional zones of stalactites.  At the ground of the mausoleum, there is a tomb topped by the marble cenotaph.