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Cairo Citadel, also known as Saladin Citadel or the Citadel of the Mountain, is one of the most ancient and famous fortifications in Cairo. It was built by Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, in 1176 A.D. and developed by Ibn Qalawun and Mohamed Ali Pasha. The fort has a massive defensive location over Mokattam Mountain, providing it with a panoramic view of Cairo. Cairo Citadel served as the seat of government and the residence of its rulers from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Khedive Ismail moved the government's seat from Cairo Citadel to Abdeen Palace in 1874.
Cairo Citadel consists of two major parts: the Northern Enclosure and the Southern Enclosure. The Northern Enclosure housed military garrisons, while the Southern Enclosure served as the residence of the Sultan. In addition, the citadel has 13 gates and 4 palaces.
Mohamed Ali Mosque
Mohamed Ali Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Mohamed Ali Pasha or Alabaster Mosque, is situated in Cairo Citadel. It was built by Mohamed Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt and the Ottoman viceroy from 1805 to 1849. The mosque was built in 1828 and finished in 1849. The mosque’s site was occupied by some remains of Mamluk palaces. Mohamed Ali demolished them to construct his mosque. Primarily, the French architect Pascal Coste was the architect of the mosque. For unknown reasons, Mohamed Ali Pasha replaced Pascal Coste with the Armenian architect Youssef Bushnak.
The Turkish architecture and decorations influenced by the European architecture of the mosque were totally alien to architectural traditions in Cairo. Mohamed Ali Mosque consists of two halves: the prayer hall and the open courtyard. The courtyard has a clock tower gifted to Mohamed Ali by the king of France, Louis Philippe. In return, Mohamed Ali gave the French king the obelisk of Luxor temple, which now stands in Place de la Concorde in Paris. The courtyard also has an ablution fountain in the middle. The mosque has a central dome surrounded by four small domes and four semicircular domes. The mosque also has two elegant pencil-shaped minarets.