Dictionary of islamic architecture

See also:
Char Minar, Deccan, India
Further reading:
A.Bakshian and G.D.Schad, ‘Hyderabad: shadow of
empire’, 
History Today
39: 19–28, Jan. 1989.
hypostyle
A flat-roofed structure supported by columns.
See also:
appadana
hunkar mahfil

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113
Ibn Tulun Mosque
One of the oldest mosques in Egypt to have survived
relatively intact. It was built by Ahmad ibn Tulun the
semi-independent ruler of Egypt in 870.
The mosque formed part of the new suburb of al-
Qata
ic which ibn Tulun added on to the two towns
of Fustat and al-
Askar which were later incorporated
into the city of Cairo. Ahmad ibn Tulun was born in
Iraq and brought up at the caliph’s court in Samarra
and the new city of al-Qata
ic bore some resemblance
to Samarra.
The mosque was begun in 876 and completed in
879. The building consists of a large rectangular
enclosure with a central courtyard measuring 92 m
square. Arcades two-aisles deep are ranged around
three sides of the courtyard whilst on the qibla side
(south-east) there are five rows of arcades. The
central building is enclosed by an outer enclosure,
or ziyada, on the three sides adjoining the qibla.
Almost directly opposite the central mihrab is a
minaret consisting of a square tower with a spiral
section on the top. Access to the top of minaret is by
an external staircase. At the top there is a two-storey
octagonal kiosk. Whilst the octagonal kiosk and the
windows on the side of the square shape appear to
be of a later (thirteenth century) date there is some
debate about whether the minaret is an original
ninth-century structure or a later copy.
Due to its good state of preservation the Ibn
Tulun Mosque provides an excellent example of
ninth-century decoration and structural techniques.
The most notable feature of the outer walls is the
decorative openwork crenellations which resemble
paper cut-outs. The courtyard façades consist of
slightly pointed arches resting on rectangular piers
with engaged colonettes, which is an unusual
arrangement for Cairo where marble columns were
usually used. Between the arches are rectangular
arched niches also with engaged colonettes. Either
side of each niche is a sunken rosette divided into
eight lobes. A band of similar rosettes forms a
cornice running around the four faces of the
courtyard. Probably the most remarkable feature
of the decoration is the carved stucco work which
deco-rates the interior of the mosque. The best
examples are in the soffits of the arches of the
sanctuary where geometric interlace patterns are
filled with stylized leaf ornament similar to Samarra
stucco style B. The edges of the arches and the
capitals are decorated with stucco resembling
Samarra style A.
Many elements of the Ibn Tulun Mosque recall
the architecture of Samarra, in particular the ziyadas,
the rectangular piers and the stucco work. The
minaret recalls the spiral minarets of the Great
Mosque and the Abu Dulaf Mosque both because of
the spiral shapes used and the positioning of the
ziyada opposite the mihrab.