Development of the Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque

The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun, also known as the Tulunid Mosque, is one of Cairo’s most renowned archaeological landmarks. It was commissioned by Ahmad Ibn Tulun, founder of the Tulunid state, in 263 AH (877 AD) in his newly established capital, Al-Qata’i. It became the third mosque to be built in Egypt’s Islamic capital after the Mosque of Amr Ibn al-As in Fustat and the Mosque of the Military in Al-Askar. While the Mosque of Amr Ibn al-As still stands, it has undergone numerous renovations that have altered its original form. In contrast, the Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun is considered the oldest mosque in Egypt to have preserved its original state, maintaining its historical integrity for over eleven centuries.