No,5_The Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan in Cairo city. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The portal itself is offset, from the center of the facade and at an angle from the rest of the wall of about thirty degrees. It is dominated by a cascade of dripping stalactites surmounted by a fluted half dome. The tremendous height of the portal is emphasized by the spiral cut pilasters, as well as by the vertical panels on each side of the porch. The architecture of the portal has sometimes been compared to the Gok madrasa in Anatolia build during the rule of Saljaq, because of the medallions flanking the stalactite vault, the carved bands framing it and the panels filled with geometric patterns. It would have been even more similar under its original plan to have two minarets built at the portal. Doubtless, either the craftsman who designed the facility were of Anatolian origin, or had at least visited the mosques in Anatolia. According to Maqrizi, craftsmen from all over the world worked on the mosque of Sultan Hassan. _________________________ The carved bands adorning the portal are not continued above, and the stages of work can thus be seen. The carvings below are completed and the patterns above them are incised but not carved out, showing that work began on the lower part and moved upwards. The uppermost part of the portal is devoid of decoration and seems to be lacking its facing. Interestingly, the design of these panels presents Chinese flower motifs such as chrysanthemums and Chinese lotus flowers. While these patterns are common on 14th century Mamluk minor-art objects, this is the only known example in architecture. Note that this does not imply that Chinese craftsmen worked on the mosque, but only that the craftsmen were familiar with Chinese art motifs. The 14th century was a period of considerable trade between the Islamic world and the Far East, promoted by the opening of land routes between the Mediterranean and China. Chinese porcelains and silks, very sought after in Egypt, surely inspired artists in Cairo to expand their decorative repertoire with these exotic designs. ________________________ There is a narrow, very curious carved panel with architectural designs such as a Gothic portal and a domed structure with gabled roof of Western, probably Byzantine origin, to the right of the entrance. It may even represent a type of craftsmans signature. The huge door of the main portal is not its original one, which was taken by Al Muayyad to use in his own mosque near Bab Zuwelia. One must, as at all mosques, leave their shoes behind. Inside, the grounds of the mosque were very clean Indeed, this was the first mosque in Egypt I have ever seen where men were cleaning with an vacuum. However, before passing through into this sanctuary, one should gaze upward and and note the stalactites over the entrance, making one feel like one has entered a magical cave, passing through to an otherworldly experience to be continued..
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 19:25:50 +0000
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