Mosque Of Muhammad Ali
by Debbie Oppermann
Title
Mosque Of Muhammad Ali
Artist
Debbie Oppermann
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
"Mosque Of Muhammad Ali" by Debbie Oppermann. Though certainly not one of the most ancient mosques in Cairo, nor even one of the most historic, because of its grandeur and its location in the Citadel, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali is the most popular Islamic mosque among tourists. This mosque is also sometimes referred to as the Alabaster Mosque due to its extensive use of that stone on some of the exterior walls and other surfaces.The mosque, the largest such structure built during the first half of the 19th century, is more impressive at a distance than close up. Though its artistic merit is questionable, it is an unparalleled contribution to the skyline of Cairo, visible high atop the Citadel grounds. It's great dome and towering minarets give the Citadel a romantic, oriental quality that makes up for any shortcomings in its detail. It should be noted that the Mosque of Muhammad Ali is not typical of such structures in Cairo. In its architecture, Muhammad Ali Pasha, viceroy and effectively king of Egypt, as well as the founder of Egypt's modern era, achieved a radical break with all traditional characteristics of Cairo architecture from the Mamluk to the late Ottoman period. This departure is emphasized by the choice of sites. Now, because it is the most visible of Islamic monuments in Cairo, Muhammad Ali's mosque became a symbol of the city, even though it is the least Egyptian of these monuments.
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June 29th, 2017
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