Egypt unveils renovation of 14th-century Maridani mosque

Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities recently held a ceremony to mark the completion of multi-year renovations to the grand 14th-century mosque of Altunbugha al-Maridani in Historic Cairo. Al-Maridani, chief of police and married to a daughter of the powerful Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Mohamed, built the mosque in 1338-40 A.D. on al-Darb al-Ahmar street, a thoroughfare connecting Cairo’s Citadel to the walled city’s southern gate. The mosque’s main entrance is decorated in ornate inscriptions and fine marble. Its columns were salvaged at the time of construction from older buildings. The mosque’s exterior and minaret were renovated in a first phase which began in 2018 and was completed in 2021, while the later 18-month second phase focused on the interior. The European Union and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) helped fund the project.