Sariyat al-Jabal Egypt’s first Ottoman Mosque Built Over Fatimid Ruins

In 1528 AD, Egypt’s first Ottoman mosque was erected in Cairo beside the northern wall of Salah al-Din Citadel. Named after its founder, Sulayman Pasha al-Khadim, who served as the governor of Egypt under Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent, the mosque stands on the ruins of a Fatimid mosque.

Also known as Sariyat al-Jabal, the mosque is raised atop a mounting base, presenting a striking, angular form, with its faceted façade unfolding in crisp, geometric folds. The southern façade, serving as the main entrance, is approached by a stone staircase leading to a grand external gateway.

Yet, its most defining feature is its pointed minaret—a hallmark of Ottoman architecture. The slender, faceted shaft ascends with graceful precision, culminating in a conical spire, much like a spear. Positioned to the right of the entrance façade, it stands as a beacon, greeting visitors from afar.

The prayer hall follows the Ottoman T-form variant, centred around a square space crowned by a central dome, with three surrounding iwans covered by half-domes. From the outside, the main dome gleams with green ceramic tiles, but within, it unveils a mesmerizing world of intricate Arabic calligraphy.

Sweeping across the dome’s surface, the inscriptions flow seamlessly into delicate floral patterns, their intertwining forms rendered in shades of blue and light olive. The craftsmanship is sublime, each detail echoing the Ottoman aesthetic, creating a celestial tapestry that captivates and transports.

The mosque’s walls are adorned with panels of richly coloured marble, crowned by an inscription band of Qur’anic verses elegantly engraved in black against white marble in the lush Kufic script. This intricate technique, which involves carving designs into marble and filling them with a special paste of coloured clay, first emerged in the late Mamluk era, adding depth and refinement to the space.

The complex also features a Fatimid-era shrine, later rebuilt and seamlessly integrated into the arcades of the courtyard. Originally commissioned around 1140 by Abu Mansur Qasta, the governor of Alexandria, it was intended as his tomb and dedicated to Sidi Sariya, a companion of the Prophet—hence the mosque’s common name. 

To the north, a second courtyard leads to two halls that once housed a ‘kuttab’, their domes adorned with striking blue tiles. Completing the ensemble was a ‘sabil’, now lost, and a perimeter wall enclosing additional courtyards and gardens, adding layers of history and function to the sacred site.