The Suleyman Pasha Mosque is located behind the military museum in the Citadel. Sometimes called the Sariya el-Gabal Mosque after the Fatimid saint Sayyid Sariya whose tomb is located at the eastern end of the surrounding wall, this mosque was built by an Ottoman governor named Suleyman Pasha in 1528. It is both Egypt's first cupolated Ottoman mosque and its most beautiful example of this style. It is located in a small, walled garden which is entered by way of a courtyard with arcades topped by small cupolas. The single minaret is tall and slender and hence of traditional Ottoman style. Within the prayer hall, there is a large central cupola and three demi-cupolas, all richly decorated with floral and geometric motifs, and the fine marbled mihrab shows Mameluke influence. Here, the inscribed names of God, Muhammad, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali serve to remind the Sunni sect of their religious heritage. Several other rooms are surmounted by cupolas and decorated with 19th century nave designs.
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Design, Layout and Graphic Art by Jimmy Dunn, an InterCity Oz, Inc. Employee
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