First Look at Al-Tunbagha Al-Maridani Mosque After Restoration

Visitors will soon be able to visit the fully restored 14th-century Al-Tunbagha Al-Maridani Mosque. The mosque has been fully refurbished following years of restoration work, which was overseen by the Aga Khan Foundation and the European Union.

The Al-Tunbagha Al-Maridani Mosque, built in 1340 CE by Emir Al-Tunbagha Al-Maridani under the patronage of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Mohamed, is an enduring example of Mamluk architecture. Featuring a court surrounded by four aisles, with the deepest in the direction of prayer, it includes a marble fountain, marble-clad northern aisle facade, and a prayer wall adorned with fine marble and mother of pearl. The mosque also boasts three entrances, a dome supported by eight pillars, an interior garden, mashrabiya screens, and stained-glass windows.

The mosque had not been restored since its previous conservation by the Arab Heritage Conservation Committee between 1895 and 1905. Since then it had suffered from humidity, salt accumulation and neglect.

This restoration project began in 2016 with a French expert's examination, leading to a memorandum of understanding in 2018 between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, funded by the European Union. This project, part of ‘Creating Access to Cairo’s Islamic Cultural Heritage’, included conservation work, creating a visitor path, and developing local products and services related to cultural tourism. The project aimed to preserve Cairo’s Islamic heritage and promote cultural tourism.