Midan Hussein and Sayyidna al-Hussein Mosque

About Midan Hussein and Sayyidna al-Hussein Mosque

Mosque in Egypt

The al-Hussein Mosque is one of the most sacred Islamic sites in Egypt, standing in Old Cairo in the quarter named after it, next to Khan el-Khalili and across from Al-Azhar Mosque. It contains the shrine in which the head of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is believed to be buried after being brought to Cairo in the Fatimid period; the original shrine was built in 1154, and the mosque and mausoleum were rebuilt in their present form in 1874 under Khedive Ismail, with a slender minaret and a green dome. The mosque holds a special place in the hearts of Egyptians, and its courtyard and arcades fill with worshippers and visitors, especially on Ramadan nights, on Fridays and during the annual mawlid of Imam Hussein celebrated in the surrounding streets. The mosque also keeps a room of relics attributed to the Prophet. Midan Hussein, the square in front of the mosque, is the beating heart of the quarter and the most convenient entrance to Khan el-Khalili, ringed by cafes, popular restaurants and souvenir shops and busy until late at night. Together with Al-Azhar and Khan el-Khalili it is the part of Historic Cairo that, for many visitors, sums up the city.

Where:

Cairo, Egypt