The Mosque-Madrasah of Sanjar al-Jawli is a religious complex located on the plateau of Qal'at al-Kabsh. It contains the mausoleums of Sayf al-Din Salar and A'lam al-Din Sanjar al-Jawli, who were Mamluk emirs of the 14th century. The building is named after the latter, who built the complex. Currently, the complex is abandoned, and the mosque is not used for prayers.

Mosque-Madrasah of Sanjar al-Jawli
مسجد ومدرسة سنجر الجاولي
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Year consecrated	1303
Location
Location	Cairo, Egypt
Shown within Egypt
Geographic coordinates	30°3′29″N 31°13′44″E / 30.05806°N 31.22889°E / 30.05806; 31.22889
Architecture
Type	mosque, madrasah, khanqah, mausoleum
Style	Mamluk architecture
Founder	Sanjar al-Jawli
Specifications
Length	100 metres
Width	78 metres
Height (max)	1305 metres
Dome(s)	3 (2 large domes and 1 small dome)

History

The mosque and madrasah complex were built in the 14th century by Mamluk emir Sanjar al-Jawli. An inscription on the building states that construction had been completed in the year 703 of the Hijrah calendar, which corresponds to the year 1303 AD. It also comprised a khanqah which was used to shelter poor and needy Sufis.

As of modern day, the state of the religious complex is in an extremely poor condition.^[1] The mosque has been abandoned and no longer used for prayers.^[2] Reportedly, the grave of Sayf al-Din Salar is no longer visible within the ruined complex.^[3]

Architecture

The mosque features a covered courtyard and the iwan of the qibla. The second door leads to an arch with cross-vaulted arches. On its right are two large domes, identical in style, the dome over the tomb of Sayf al-Din Salar being larger than the second. The smaller one belongs to Sanjar al-Jawli.^[4] These two domes are built from hardened brick, and at the end of the aforementioned path is a smaller dome made out of stone, built over the tomb of a Sufi shaykh, Sidi Abdullah al-Zakir. This dome is regarded as one of the earliest examples of stone domes in Cairo.^[5]

The minaret stands to the right of the door and consists of three layers: The first layer is cubic, its sides decorated with carvings of various shapes, surmounted by a pattern written in stone, and ends with three stations of muqarnas, which make up the base of the minaret. The second layer is octagonal in shape, with eight openings surmounted by carved arches and crowned with a huge cornice of muqarnas with multiple stations. The third layer is round and also has eight openings. It ends with a muqarnas cornice and is covered by a ribbed dome. Following the minaret are the two identical ribbed domes, the largest of which is adjacent to the minaret. The ribbing of each of them ends at the bottom with an embroidery inscribed with Qur'anic verses.^[6]

Incidents

The abandoned mosque was used as a place where drug dealers and drug addicts would take their narcotics.^[7] Criminals would also hide in the building, which threatened the safety of the residents.^[8]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tomb of Salar and Sangar al-Gawli.

• Entry on Egyptopia website
• Salar & Sangar Al Gawali Mosque Architectural review