Mosque of Ibn Tulun

One of the oldest mosques in Egypt to survive in its original form, this ninth-century congregational mosque was built for the Tulunid ruler Ahmad ibn Tulun. Its vast open courtyard is framed by pointed arcades of brick faced in carved stucco, and a distinctive spiral minaret with an external staircase rises at one corner. Visitors can climb the minaret for a sweeping view over the surrounding rooftops toward the Citadel. The scale and austerity of the design reflect early Abbasid influences from Samarra rather than later Cairene ornament.