Alexandria, Egypt
Mosque in Egypt
The mosque of el-Mursi Abul-Abbas is Alexandria's most famous mosque and a symbol of the Bahari district, facing the Eastern Harbour in Anfushi. It holds the tomb of Shihab al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad al-Mursi, born in Murcia in al-Andalus in 1219, a disciple of Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili, who lived in Alexandria for forty-three years until his death in 1286. A first mosque was built over his tomb in 1307, paid for by Zain al-Din al-Qattan, the city's leading merchant, and the Mamluks rebuilt it in 1477. In the 1930s King Fouad I ordered a large square with this mosque at its centre, between the mosques of al-Busiri and Yaqut al-Arshi, giving it the form completed in the 1940s. The building, faced in artificial stone, mixes Andalusian and Mamluk styles, with ribbed domes and a slender minaret about 73 metres tall. Inside are octagonal granite columns and fine wood and marble decoration. Set on an open square, it is the finest sight in Bahari, especially when lit up in the evening.
It is a working mosque: visit outside prayer times, and above all avoid Friday midday prayers. Dress modestly and remove your shoes; women cover their hair and have their own entrance and prayer area. Photograph quietly without disturbing worshippers. The Citadel of Qaitbay is a short walk along the corniche.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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