Ibn Tulun Mosque

Cairo, Egypt

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The Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt, stands as the oldest intact mosque in the city, constructed between 876 and 879 CE by Ahmad ibn Tulun, the semi-independent Abbasid governor who founded the short-lived Tulunid dynasty and built it as the grand congregational mosque for his new capital, al-Qata'i.

Spanning over 6 acres with a vast open courtyard ringed by arcades supported by sturdy piers instead of columns, it draws inspiration from the Great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq, featuring minimalist Abbasid-style red brickwork, stucco decoration with Kufic inscriptions, pointed arches that foreshadowed Gothic design, and a distinctive spiral minaret ascended via an external ramp. 

Remarkably preserved through restorations despite earthquakes and fires, it remains an active place of worship surrounded by its original ziyadah enclosure, offering visitors a serene glimpse into 9th-century Islamic architecture amid Cairo's historic core.