Al-Muizz Al-Deen Allah Street

Al-Muizz Street history

In 969 AD, the Fatimids were the main rulers of Egypt that time, they controlled everything and made Fustat city their own capital. Then they built the main street across the Fatimids grand city. This street is called “Al-Muizz Al-Deen Street” based on the name of the first Fatimid Caliph in Egypt.

This Fatimids city was destroyed later on when subsequent Sunni Caliphates regained their control over Egypt but Al-Muizz Street survived with all its treasures. After the Fatimids ruling eprod ended, many different rulers came to Egypt like the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman, all of them added their own distinctive buildings along Al-Moez Street.

Today, Al-Muizz Street is considered an open museum that displays huge Islamic monuments from different eras. You will never find such a place in the whole world.

Al-Muizz Street Landmarks

Al Aqmar Mosque

Al Aqmar Mosque is the first place we can talk about from Al-Muizz Street monuments, it’s one of the oldest and smallest buildings of old Islamic Cairo. This Mosque is very unique as it was built by the rulers of Egypt at that time, the Fatimids that ruled Egypt from 969 until 1171.

Al-Aqmar Mosque has another name called “Moonlight Mosque”, it’s very unique and has several amazing architectural features. The mosque was built with an offset façade that allows the facade to be in the square shape and the rest of the building sits in an angle. Also the qibla (Prayer Direction) of the Mosque located in the direction of Mecca.

Bayt Al Suhaymi

To visit Bayt Al Suhaymi you will have to come across Al-Muizz Street and search for The Darb Al-Asfar (the Yellow Way) where you will find Bayt Al-Suhaymi. This place is very close to Al-Muizz Street, only a few meters.

In the 17th century, Bayt Al-Suhaymi was originally built and became one of the greatest homes in Cairo. After many years this building fell down and they had to restore it again after the 20th century. This charming house is standing now very near to Al-Muizz Street and became a great example of the finest non-monumental architecture from the old Cairo.

Qalawun Mosque

Sultan Al Mansur Qalawun built a very interesting complex in 1284 inside the famous street of the old Cairo, el-Muizz street.

Inside this complex you can find a Mosque, Medersa, and a Mausoleum. There is also something called  Mauristan inside the complex but now it has been replaced with a modern hospital since the 1920s. The whole complex of Qalawun was built in the Mamluks architecture art and the exterior design for the windows was inspired by the Gothic style, which was known from the architectural style of Crusader’s church.

This impressive complex was built in the heart of Islamic Cairo in a place that used to be called Bayn Al-Qasreen which means “Between the Two Palaces”. This name came after the two Fatimid Palaces that used to stand on the same land. A place that’s a must visit.

El Ghorya

On the southern section of Al-Muizz Street you can find The Ghouriyya Complex. This amazing complex was built to be a space holding the mosque and the mausoleum plus something called “sabil” which is free water to all the people passing from this place. Inside the complex there is also a space for the administration and a covered space for the market.

Although most of the original buildings were destroyed, the Wikila Al-Ghuri is standing still until today in the east beyond the modern buildings there.

Al-Muizz Street is full of surprises and treasures everyday you can discover a new historical site full of the beautiful architecture art from all the rulers passed by Egypt especially in the islamic period. A great open museum like this should be a must visit place for you. Make sure to have Al-Muizz Street in your plans while visiting Egypt.