Known as the Alabaster Mosque for its material outside, Muhammad ali Mosque is located on Mount Muqattam in the Citadel of Saladin.
The mosque was built between 1830 and 1857 at the reign of Muhammad Ali in memory of his eldest son, who died in 1816. The architects were inspired by Istanbul’s New Mosque and the foundations were built using some of the material brought from the demolished Pharaonic buildings for its construction.
Walking through the mosque
The Alabaster Mosque is an oasis of peace in the chaotic center of Cairo. Its huge prayer hall is decorated with beautiful mosaics and gemstones set, while the floor is covered with carpets that try to muffle the sound of visitors’ footsteps.
In the inner courtyard, one of the most surprising elements is the clock that Louis Philip I gave to Egypt in exchange for the obelisk that now stands in the center of Place de la Concorde in Paris. Paradoxically, the watch never worked.
One of the most important mosques
The Alabaster Mosque is one of the most visited by tourists, thanks to its strategic location, visible from every point of Old Cairo, thus becoming one of the emblems of the city.
Location:
In the Citadel of Saladin
Time:
Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
