Bab-Zuweila Cairo Egypt

Bab-Zuweila is one of the gates of the Fatimid Cairo's walls, located on the southern side. It was built by the Fatimid Vizier Badr al-Gamali during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir in 485 AH/1092 AD, about five years after the construction of the Bab al-Nasr and Bab al-Futuh on the northern side. Together, these gates stand as enduring evidence of the grandeur of military architecture in Egypt during the Fatimid era.

The gate consists of two semi-circular towers and the entrance lies between them. it measures approximately 4.82 meters wide. 300 years later, the Mamluk Sultan al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh used the bases of these two towers to build the two minarets of his mosque adjacent to the gate in 818–824 AH / 1415–1421 AD.

The gate was named Zuwayla after the tribe of Zuwayla, that came from North Africa with Jawhar al-Siqilli and quartered near the gate.  Bab Zuwayla was also known as Bawabat al-Mitwalli (the gate of al-Mitwalli), after the Mitwalli al-Hesba, the official in charge of finances and tax collection based here.

Bab Zuwayla witnessed the end of Mamluk rule when the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, hanged the last Mamluk Sultan Tumanbay, in 923 AH/1517 AD.

In the 1990s, the gate underwent its first restoration by the Committee for the Conservation of Arab Monuments. Later, the Supreme Council of Antiquities, in collaboration with the American Research Center in Egypt, successfully restored the gate as part of a five-year conservation project between 1998 and 2003.

Its name comes from Bab, meaning "gate", and Zuwayla, a Berber tribe originally from the Fezzan. This name was given because Fatimid soldiers from this tribe were lodged in this area when the gate was first created in 969 during the Fatimid founding of Cairo. In Coptic tradition the name was associated with Biblical Zebulun (Coptic: ⲍⲉⲃⲩⲗⲱⲛ).

The gate later acquired the popular name Bab al-Mitwali or Bawabbat al-Mitwali. According to art historian Caroline Williams, this name dates from the Ottoman period, while according to Nairy Hampikian the name dates from the 15th century around the time of the construction of the nearby al-Muayyad Mosque, by which time the original association with the Zuwayla tribe in the Fatimid period had faded. The name Mitwali comes from Mitwali al-Qutub, a Muslim saint (wali), possibly fictional, who became associated with the area of the gate.

Cairo was founded in 969 to serve as the new capital of the Fatimids right after their successful conquest of Egypt. The original walls of the city and their gates were built in mudbrick. The southern gate was called Bab Zuwayla, also known as Bab al-Qus, and it was originally located at a site about 100 metres (330 ft) north of the current gate, close to the present-day mosque of Sam Ibn Nuh.

  In 1092, the Fatimid vizier Badr al-Jamali refortified the city with slightly expanded city walls. The southern gate was rebuilt in stone at its current location and today's structure dates from this time.

 The upper gate was accessed via an L-shaped staircase on its northeast side.

Prince Taz Palace old Cairo

Amir Taz palace is located on al-Suyufiyya Street in the al-Khalifah neighborhood. It was commissioned by Prince “Saif al-Din Taz”, Dawadar of Sultan al-Saleh Ibn al-Nasir Mohammad Ibn Qalawun and deputy of Aleppo, in 753 AH / 1352 AD.

In recent years, a monumental restoration project breathed new life into the palace. With a vision to restore the building in a manner befitting its noble founder, the project sought to create a centre for culture and learning, seamlessly blending traditional arts with modern technology. The structure was stabilised, and damage inflicted by inappropriate additions and long-term misuse was meticulously stripped down.

Prince Taz Palace is one of the finest and most beautiful examples of Bahari Mamluk palace architecture. It is also the largest in area. Its most important characteristic is the maq’ad or the seat which overlooking the large inner courtyard and its beautifully decorated halls.

The ceilings of El Amir Taz Palace are decorated with geometric and plant motifs, while the walls bear bands that record the titles of the prince and his emblem, the cup which indicates to his job as sultan’s  cupbearer. 

One of the halls that annexed to the maq’ad is decorated with an inscription band consisting Persian calligraphy from passages from Imam al-Busiri’s Burda (poem in praise of Prophet Muhammad, God bless him and grant him peace), executed in white.

The Amir Taz Palace lies on Seyoufia Street off Saliba Street, Khalifa District roughly between the Sultan Hassan and the Ibn Tulun mosques.

Rawda Island Nilometer

Nilometers, as their name suggests, were used to measure flood levels so that dykes and canals could be prepared accordingly. Flood levels affected agricultural productivity, so another major purpose of Nilometers was to set taxation levels.

Built on the order of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakkil in 247 AH/861 AD, the Nilometer on Rawda Island is one of the oldest in Egypt. It is also the oldest structure built after the Arab conquest (20 AH/640 AD) that survives in its original form. The annual seven-day celebration of the Nile flood, which took place from the medieval period down to the end of the nineteenth century, was attended by the sultan himself along with his senior officials.

The Rawda Island Nilometer consists of a marble octagonal column 19 cubits in length in the middle of a stone-lined well that is rectangular at the top, and circular at the bottom. Qur’anic texts relating to water, vegetation, and prosperity are carved on the walls of the well, as are measuring marks on the column, which were used to determine the height of the flood as the water rose through the well. A stairway spirals down to the bottom.

Egypt, the gift of the Nile Egypt would not exist without the river and its periodical flooding which regulated life, work in the fields, religious and civil feastdays. 

The banks flooded by the river when it was in spate were transformed into arable lands. Before the great modern dams were built, the average width of these banks varied between 100 m in Sudanese Nubia and 1000 m in Egypt. The floods were devastating when a certain limit was exceeded, when they were very late or when the floods did not reach the minimum required level. It is nearly always towards the 10th June that the Nile starts to rise, rolling its "green waters" full of the decomposed grasses from the great equatorial lakes. But the river rises almost imperceptibly and its waters are unhealthy. It is in the middle of July that the rise in water level becomes evident due to the "red waters" from the disaggregation of the rocks from the torrents of Ethiopia which are driven towards the Nile by the violent summer storms. At the end of August the river is in full spate and maintains its highest point until about 7th October. 

The level then goes down gradually without any abrupt oscillations.As in all alluvium valleys, the Nile's banks are higher than the plains which stretch from each side of its bed and which dip towards the mountain chains along the desert. The river's overflowing water would thus rush towards the low terraces and transform them into immense lakes (Gaston Migeon, Cairo, 1909). Thanks to this cycle of flooding, the Nile regulated life and determined the calendar. 

The nilometre according to StraboStrabo (about 58 BC-21/25 AD) gave the following definition of a nilometre: "the nilometre is a well built of squarred stones in which are marks indicating the flooding of the Nile, because the water in the well rose and fell in line with the water of the river. That is why there are marks on the wall which are examined by inspectors and their observations are passed on to the rest of the population. Indeed, they know well in advance, from these signs, when the next flooding is going to take place. 

This information is useful to the farmers and for regulating the distribution of public revenue, as the revenues are higher the greater the flood". (Geography, XVII, 1). · Historical background The nilometres of ancient Egypt were still used for at least half-a-century after the Arab conquest of the country by Amr Ibn Al As who repaired some of them, such as those in Aswan, Dendera and especially in Halwan (25 km from Cairo, above Memphis on the right bank of the Nile). Some historians attribute the construction of the well to him, while others, on the contrary, attributed it to Abdelmalek Ibn Marwan, the Ommayad Caliph of Damascus in 699 AD. 

The nilometre of Halwan, restored or built entirely in 699, was shortlived as already in 714, 17 years after its presumed construction, it was in such a bad state that the Caliph of Damascus, Al Walid Ibn Abdelmalik, decided to have it replaced by a new one and ordered the governor of Egypt to see to it near Fostat. The work was done extremely quickly and the new well was completed in 715 under the reign of Soliman who had just succeeded Al Walid. This is the Ar-Raoudha nilometre whose site was judiciously chosen on the tip of the island which still bears his name today. ·

Chronology: 714-715: first works overseen by Oussama Ibn Zayd at-Tannoughi, the tax official (kharadj). 814: renovation under the Abbasid Caliph al-Ma'moun. 847 and 86 : great works undertaken twice more under the Abbasid Caliph al-Moutawakil and the last works were supervised by the engineer Ahmed Ibn Mohamed al-hassib.Abdallah ar-Raddad from Basra in Iraq was responsible for its management as the designated official for the "miqiyas" and this job remained in his family for centuries. 

1092 : last great works by the Fatimid al-Mustansir who added the nearby mosque. After the end of the XIth century under the Seljukides and the Mamelukes, no works of great importance were undertaken, except perhaps under Baybars and Qaitbey. It was not until the reign of the Ottomans, Selim I, Soliman the Magnificent and Selim II that restoration work was carried out again. Recorded work was done in 1756, then during the French expedition (1798-1801). In 1887 the Ministry of Public Works restored the monument and added a pyramidal cupola in 1925. Recent exhaustive work restored the monument to its former splendour. This permanent attention paid to the monument during thirteen centuries of its existence at least bears witness to the importance it had for the governments throughout the different periods of time. · 

The Monument There are two basic parts: - the 3-storey well and in its axis the graduated marble pilaster, the instrument for measuring the flood. - Tunnels which communicate with the Nile through three openings, each opening is on a storey and turned towards a direction different from the other. The well is in a deep square hole dug to at least a depth of 13 m and 10 m wide, necessitating the removal of at least 1300 m² of earth and hard clay. The construction was raised on a foundation made of thick tree trunks, which stabilized the construction and stopped it from sinking into the clay. 

On this socle are the stone foundations which are circular in shape on the first storey, where there is the first connection with the Nile through a first tunnel with a barrel vault oriented towards El Fostat (south-east). Then there is the second, square shaped storey, much larger than the one below and connected to the Nile through a tunnel oriented this time towards the east. Finally an even bigger third storey communicating with the Nile through a tunnel. 

The whole construction is built of finely cut stone. Stairs close to the walls surround the circular space at the bottom and around the square shaped two storeys, and in the central axis rises a marble octagonal pillar graduated in cubits and in digits to gauge the water level. The following conclusions can be drawn from this description proving the exceptional importance of the monument: 1°) the engineer, doubtlessly heir to the well-established and remote Egyptian tradition of hydraulic constructions, (the previous description is reminiscent of that of Strabo in the 1st century BC) and especially that of nilometres, knew how to find the most appropriate solution to solve the thorny problem of pressure exerted on the walls of the structure; external pressure due to the movements of the Nile and internal pressure due to the rising water. 2°) This monument from the Arab period, the oldest in Egypt after the 'Amr Mosque in Cairo, has epigraphic texts, the oldest of which is the double frieze on the northern and eastern sides, inside the cage with the name of the person who supervised the works in 861, Ahmed In Mohamed al-Hassib. 

This is indeed the first inscription on a monument in Egypt from the Moslem period which is still intact. 3°) The pointed arches with two angles which crown the four depressions in the four walls of the upper storey and the bases of the bell-shaped corner columns, are the oldest we have in Egypt. 4°) The construction of this masterpiece of Moslem architecture which reflects one of its first Egyptian manifestations, was a real technical feat as it had to be built extremely rapidly within six months which separate the period when the Nile is at its lowest and the period when the Nile starts rising and overflows. The builders presumably therefore must have had the necessary expertise and experience.

Description of Leo Africanus (end of XVth century beginning of XVIth century)In the middle of the Nile facing the old city of Al-Fostat, is an islet called the "al-Miqiyas islet" because it contains the instrument for measuring the levels of the Nile. This island is highly populated and has a big mosque, most pleasant as it faces the bank of the river. Beside it is an isolated and closed structure from the middle of which arises a pillar marked with 18 cubits. At the bottom of this deep well are underground canals which communicate with the river. When the Nile starts rising the water penetrates the canals and starts rising, two digits in one day, three digits another day. 

Experts come every day to read the water level indicated on the pillar"."The Nile rises for forty days and then starts sinking for another forty days. During that period there is a reduction in foodstuffs which everyone starts selling secretly at any price they want until the prices are fixed officially. 

This happened once a year and the officials had to make a distinction between well watered areas, those less well watered and those which were overflooded, depending on the nature of the terrain in which the farm was situated. The price of bread was fixed in accordance with this data".It was a fact that the year would be a good one if the pillar recorded 15 cubits and a bad one if it recorded between 12 and 15 cubits. When the level was between 10 and 12 cubits, the price of wheat cost ten mithquals and one kil. When the level exceeded 18 cubits the shops, boutiques, houses and fields were faced with the risk of flooding. The children, with yellow turbans, then started running in the streets to alert the population. 

The Ar-Raoudha nilometre, the most important of all those built by the Arabs on the Nile, lasted the longest, has come down to us in a perfect state of preservation and is also the best documented. 1°) It was minutely described by the travellers who visited it as well as by the geographers and historians who often recorded the repairs and restoration work carried out. The scientific mission which accompanied the French expedition from 1798 to 1801, made a good and exhaustive study of it (its history, architecture, mode of functioning, rises in water level, economic aspects etc.) within the framework of a voluminous book on the description of Egypt. 

"I can say, wrote in 1800, one of the members of the French mission, that this monument is the most important of all those ever built in Egypt by the Caliphs, not only because of the numerous inscriptions and their good state of preservation, but above all because of the role it played and the links it always had with the price of foodstuffs and State revenue".

 This "thermometer" made it indeed possible not only, for at least thirteen centuries, to gauge the changing and capricious moods of the greatest river in the world, but also the hazards in the life of the people, starting with the leaders at the top right down to the humblest social categories. The Raoudha nilometre is thus an eminent example of a type of construction, a technology, architecture and art illustrating a significant period in the history of Egypt and the Moslem world. It is perfectly preserved and is the last one in Egypt of a great line of nilometres whose history is intimately linked to that of Egypt. It is of great symbolic and sentimental value linked to the Nile, for the people of Egypt.

according to Unesco World Heritage Convention

Another type of nilometer, like the one that can be seen on Elephantine Island in Aswan, had evenly spaced steps that lead straight down to the Nile, and indicator markings on the walls at different levels for each step. This one was often the first to indicate what conditions to expect, being located near Egypt’s southern border. The third kind, an example of which can be seen at Temple of Kom Ombo, a little further north, brought the water away from the Nile by way of a canal that deposited it into a cistern. And again, the indicating markers were carved into the wall, accessible by staircases for the priests and rulers who predicted the fate of the Egyptian crop.

The National Museum of Suez

The National Museum of Suez

The idea for the National Museum of Suez was conceived after the collapse of the older museum during the war in 1967. Its collection was moved to the storage rooms of the Egyptian Museum, on Tahrir Square. The Suez National Museum was established to serve as a cultural beacon and a touristic landmark shedding light on the history of the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The museum gives an account of the history of the city of Suez and its antiquities from prehistory to the modern era.

The National Museum of Suez was opened on a trial basis in January 2012, but was not officially opened to the public due to the security conditions at that time. It was officially opened to receive visitors on September 29, 2014.

The National Museum of Suez consists of two floors separated by an open exhibition hall that displays different styles of Greek, Roman and Islamic archaeological columns.

The National Museum of Suez sheds light on the digging of the Suez Canal as well as other canals and their role in sea trade, such as the "Canal of the Pharaohs" dug by Nekau II. It also highlights the spheres of mining and shipbuilding, Egypt’s commercial relationships, and the important part that Suez plays in the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). 

In addition to this is the mummification hall is one of the most important halls of the museum, as it simulates the cemetery from the inside and contains a complete depiction of the mummification process, including mummification tools, votive plaques, offering tables, and a group of colored coffins, in addition to a mummy of a priest with a magic spell.

One of the most prominent objects is a statue of King Senwosret III dating to the Middle Kingdom (Twelfth Dynasty). The museum also includes a stela of the Persian king Darius I, one of four that he set up along the canal connecting the Nile with the Red Sea in commemoration of its excavation.

National Museum of Suez also includes a library and an activities centre where different educational programs and events are held. The museum’s garden contains a modern replica of a ship from the reign of Hatshepsut (The New Kingdom,18th Dynasty​​) of the type that she used to send on trading expeditions to faraway lands.

The Suez National Museum is a captivating destination that offers a deep dive into Egypt’s rich maritime history and cultural heritage. Situated in the vibrant city of Suez, this museum stands as a testament to the importance of the Suez Canal and the region's pivotal role in connecting global trade routes. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a lover of archaeology, or simply curious about Egypt’s fascinating past, the Suez National Museum is a must-visit destination.

What Makes the Suez National Museum Unique? 

The Suez National Museum isn’t just a collection of artifacts; it’s a journey through time. With over 2,500 items, the museum traces Egypt’s history from prehistoric times to the modern era. Each exhibit tells a story, showcasing the evolution of maritime trade, ancient Egyptian naval prowess, and the monumental impact of the Suez Canal on global commerce.

The museum’s architecture is equally impressive. Designed to reflect the Red Sea’s maritime culture, the building itself is a masterpiece, blending modern design with cultural symbolism. Located near the Suez Canal, the museum also provides visitors with stunning views of this engineering marvel, further enhancing the experience.

Why Visit the Suez National Museum? 

The museum offers a unique opportunity to understand the intersection of history, geography, and innovation that has shaped Egypt’s identity. Unlike other museums focused solely on ancient artifacts, the Suez National Museum bridges the gap between the past and the present, making it an ideal destination for families, students, and researchers alike.

A Glimpse into Egypt’s Legacy 

The Suez National Museum is more than a collection of artifacts—it’s a gateway to understanding the legacy of Egypt as a maritime nation. From the grandeur of ancient expeditions to the engineering marvel of the Suez Canal, this museum offers an immersive experience that connects the past with the present. Whether you're a history buff, a traveler seeking unique experiences, or someone passionate about maritime culture, the Suez National Museum promises an unforgettable journey.

Valley of the Kings in Egypt Secrets KV55 tomb

KV55 tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt

In 1907, a tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings during excavations by Edward Ayrton on behalf of the wealthy American lawyer Theodore M. Davis. This uninscribed tomb was subsequently numbered KV55 and is one of Egyptology’s biggest enigmas, as its contents and occupant have stimulated much debate and confusion over the last century. 

Given the style of the objects found inside, it seems that the tomb was a result of caching several different funerary items from the Amarna Period that were reused for the burial of a single individual, whose identity remains uncertain to this day. 

Official seal impressions from the tomb’s entrance bore the seal of the necropolis (a crouching jackal above nine captives) in addition to seal impressions with the name of Tutankhamun. This strongly suggests that the cache was created some time during his reign, likely on the orders of the king to transfer the remaining royal burial(s) at Amarna south to the Valley of the Kings for safekeeping.

The coffin found within KV55 was originally created for a female member of the royal family during the Amarna Period, but was subsequently altered for the burial of a royal male instead. This is obvious from the altered hieroglyphic inscriptions throughout the lid and trough, some that still have a feminine “t” ending or the female pronoun of a seated woman from the original inscriptions. 

There is much debate as to whom the coffin was originally intended for: earlier scholarship suggested Queen Tiye, Meryetaten, or (erroneously) Akhenaten himself; there is even the possibility that the coffin was created for Nefertiti when she was ruling as Akhenaten’s queen. Today, however, most Egyptologists would agree that the coffin was created for Kiya, a secondary wife of Akhenaten. 

Based on the spelling of the Aten’s name from this coffin, as well as Kiya’s canopic jars that were also found in KV55 (such as: Met 07.226.1), her funerary equipment was started sometime before Year 9 of Akhenaten’s reign. Yet, for unknown reasons Kiya disappears from official records sometime after Year 12, and her monuments were usurped by other women of the royal family and her funerary equipment was reused for the KV55 burial.

The entrance to KV55 was uncovered by Ayrton on 6 January 1907. Its discovery was brought to Davis's attention on the following day. The tomb was first entered on 9 January by Ayrton, Davis, Joseph Lindon Smith and (as the representative of the antiquities service) Arthur Weigall. On 11 January 1907, the finds were photographed.[6] Ayrton then began clearance of the tomb. On 25 January 1907, the coffin and mummy were investigated in situ.

According to a letter from Davis to Gaston Maspero, some of the objects found in KV55 were still in place in January 1908, and their study and attempts at conservation were still ongoing at that later date.

In 1921, while excavating south of the tomb, Howard Carter discovered several items that seem to have originated in KV55. These include a jasper burnisher and some fragments of copper rosettes from a funerary pall.

After its excavation, the tomb's entrance was initially fitted with a steel door, which was later removed and replaced by stone blocking. By 1944, this blocking had collapsed and filled the tomb's entrance with debris. In 1993, the tomb was cleared again by Lyla Pinch Brock. In 1996, she undertook conservation work on the stairs and the plastering inside the burial chamber through a grant from the American Research Centre in Egypt

Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan - Egypt

The Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan is one of the largest and architecturally exquisite mosques in all of Egypt. It was commissioned by the Mamluk sultan Hasan ibn al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun sometime between 757 AH/1356 AD and 764 AH/1362 AD, and is located at the end of Muhammad Ali Street, opposite its nineteenth century neighbor al-Rifa’i mosque in Salah al-Din Square.

The mosque consists of an open courtyard with fountain in its centre. The courtyard is surrounded by four iwans (a rectangular space that is open on one side). Doorways at the four corners of the courtyard allow access into four madrasas, educational institutions, where the four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence were taught. Each consists of a court and iwan, in addition to the rooms of the students and annexed service units. The mosque has two minarets built in the Mamluk style.

Its proximity to the citadel ultimately resulted in its use as a fort by enemies several times throughout its history, as it was used as a platform to launch attacks on the citadel.

Like most Islamic monuments in Cairo, this one has also undergone several phases of reconstruction, up until the twentieth century. The mosque and madrasa are distinguished with the ornate domes, stone and plaster carved decorations, as well as the marble works of the mihrab.​

Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan construction 

View of Sultan Hasan's mosque and of Rumayla Square in 1880. The mosque's construction is considered all the more remarkable as it coincided with the devastation wrought by the Black Plague, which struck Cairo repeatedly from the mid-14th century onwards.

Its construction began in 1356 CE (757 AH) and work proceeded for three years "without even a single day of idleness".

In fact, work appears to have continued even up to 1363, even after Sultan Hasan's death, before eventually ceasing.

An inscription on the mosque notes the name of amir Muhammad ibn Biylik al-Muhsini as the supervisor of the construction of the mosque. Unusually, his name was placed near Sultan Hasan's in the inscription, which demonstrates how important the undertaking of the project must have been.

The amir's high standing otherwise was another indication of this prestige, as he was appointed governor of Cairo in 1330 and oversaw other construction projects including the renovation of the hippodrome established by al-Zahir Baybars near the Citadel.

The most substantial available source concerning the mosque's construction is al-Maqrizi, writing six decades afterwards, as he had access to administrative documents that are unavailable to historians today. The manual labour needed for construction must have been partly depleted by the ongoing ravages of the plague, yet this does not appear to have been the main challenge. Maqrizi mentions that the construction of the mosque cost 30,000 dirham every day.

The total construction costs amounted to over one million dinars, making it the most expensive mosque in medieval Cairo.

Even the Sultan is said to have become discouraged at times by the cost of the project. Financing for the mosque was made possible by a few factors: first, the austerity measures implemented by Manjaq, one of the amirs in charge of state affairs before Sultan Hasan reached maturity; secondly, the influx of wealth to the state caused by the plague-related deaths of many Mamluk amirs whose properties were subsequently transferred to the state treasury, including the enormous wealth of amir Shaykhu; and thirdly, through extortion of the sultan's subjects during his reign.

The importance and scale of the building project also attracted craftsmen from all over the Mamluk empire, including the far-away provinces of Anatolia, which may explain the diversity and innovativeness of the mosque's design and decoration.[1] It is also believed that limestone from the Pyramids of Giza was quarried for use in the mosque's construction.

Who built the Sultan Hassan mosque?

Muhammad ibn Bailick al-Muhseini, the chief architectural designer of his day, supervised construction of the building. He placed his name after that of the sultan on the inscription band inside the Hanafi Madrasa.

Where is Sultan Hassan buried?

After his assassination in 1361, Sultan Hasan's body was never found; the mausoleum never served its purpose.

How much did the Hassan mosque cost?

Maqrizi mentions that the construction of the mosque cost 30,000 dirham every day. The total construction costs amounted to over one million dinars, making it the most expensive mosque in medieval Cairo.