Uncovered secrets from El-Moez Street

CAIRO – 5 December 2017: El-Moez Street is one of Cairo's most remarkable historic places, giving you a glimpse of old Cairo.

Walking along El-Moez Street, you will be fascinated by the historic atmosphere of the old cafés, souvenir shops, and food and sweets sold from kiosks and carts. You will also find Islamic art carved into the historic mosques and houses.


El Hakem Mosque - Best Places of Egypt Facebook page

The second largest mosque in Cairo, it was started by the Al Aziz Billah, son of the famous Khalifa Al Moez Lideen Allah Al Fatimy in 990 and was completed by El Hakem bi-Amr Allah.

It gives us a great example of a congregational mosque that was typical of early Islamic architecture. The mosque is constructed of brick with a stone facade and minarets. The building is an irregular rectangular plan with a central, open rectangular courtyard surrounded by arcades supported by compound piers, with a prayer hall that also has arcades supported by compound piers.


The School and Mausoleum of Al Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun (1298 AD) – Best Places of Egypt Facebook page

Built in honor of Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, its foundation's stones were laid in 1296 under the reign of Sultan Al-Adil Kitbugha.

The most remarkable aspect of the mausoleum is the unique aspect of the Madrassa of Al-Nasir Muhammad. Its gothic marble portal, acquired from a Christian church in the city of Acre after al-Ashraf Khalil's victory against the Crusades in 1291.


Aqmar Mosque – Best Places of Egypt Facebook page

At the time it was built, its location was to the north of the Eastern Fatimid Palace, which is now extinct.

It is considered by many as the most beautiful Fatimid mosque and the oldest of the remaining examples of these small mosques in Egypt.

Its distinctive feature is the western façade, which was decorated in the rich, varied style typical of Islamic architecture in Egypt.

Bayt Al-Suhaymi (1648)

The house is in excellent condition due to restoration work in 1997 done by the Arab Fund for Economic Development as part of the Bayt Al-Suhaymi Area Documentation and Restoration.

The home has many mashrabeya windows, which can be seen from outside the house.

Once you enter the doorway, there are many small rooms with huge wooden doors. These used to be for servants. One of the rooms to the left side has a particularly fascinating mashrabeya screen with small windows in it to enable the people inside the room to view the street outside.