Archnet is a community-powered resource that provides ready access to visual and textual material to facilitate teaching, scholarship, and professional work of high quality.&nbsp;This unparalleled resource continues to grow with both the addition of historic archives and documentation on contemporary trends shaping the built environment today.&nbsp;To better serve you, our user, in the study of art and architecture of Muslim societies, we continue to build our vast collection of sites, publications, images, and videos. To ensure a high level of scholarly content and accuracy in the information provided, we appreciate your expert feedback and, more importantly, your contributions..&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Please send comments, corrections, commendations, and other feedback to <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>If you find sites on Archnet to which you can contribute in compelling and meaningful ways, your generosity is most welcome. If you would be interested in contributing research, publications or other media to Archnet, please contact us using <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>We invite contributions of relevant, previously published, Open Access or copyrighted material for which you are able to grant Archnet a non-exclusive license. Please contact us using <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>We invite the contribution of syllabi, lesson plans, recorded lectures, or other material for our pedagogy project. Please contact us using <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>We welcome the donation of select archives based on our current editorial policies and priorities.&nbsp;If you have a collection you would like to bring to the attention of Archnet's editors, please send an email to: <a href="http://mailto: archnet-submission@mit.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet-submission@mit.edu</a>.</li><li>Occasionally, Archnet editors issue calls for contributions on specific themes or of particular types of material. Follow those on the <a href="https://libraries.mit.edu/akdc/category/contributors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">website of AKDC@MIT </a>or <a href="https://mailchi.mp/17fc345bbd94/archnetakdc-updates" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to our mailing list</a>.</li></ul> The breadth, depth, and quality of Archnet is oachieved through the generosity of numerous institutions and individuals listed on the respective pages throughout the site.&nbsp;We thank you for your generosity!

Contribute

Archnet is an Open Access resource, provided to the public to facilitate cultural understanding and excellence in both scholarship and practice. Content from Archnet.org may not be published, displayed, or appropriated for commercial use without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder. Unless otherwise noted, Archnet material is available for instructional, nonprofit use, and personal use on the terms of a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International</a> (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. Please contact Archnet to request permission to use the Archnet.org website and its contents beyond the scope outlined above. High-resolution images may be available by contacting us using <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>. The content available on Archnet, including but not limited to information, text, graphics, logos, and multimedia related to the the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/1903" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Trust for Culture’</a>s programmes, such as the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/54" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Historic Cities Programme</a>, the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/848" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Award for Architecture</a> and the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/132" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Music Programme</a>, may be protected by copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights and laws, whether owned by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, its affiliates, or third parties. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or display of this content is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the respective copyright or trademark holder. Violation of this prohibition may result in legal penalties.

Terms of use

<h2>ARCHNET FAQ</h2>1. Will ARCHNET work on my device?Archnet works well on the most recent version of any major browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), either on a mobile device or computer. It may work on older or less common browsers as well. If Archnet fails to work properly on your machine, please let us know about your experience by clicking the blue feedback button at bottom right!2. Will my URLs from earlier versions of Archnet still work?Yes, if they are from the version launched in January 2013. As of October 12, 2021, all URLs from the old Archnet have been redirected to ARCHNET.&nbsp;&nbsp;3. How do I download a/n:&nbsp;<ul><li>image - Select the image you want to download from search results, a site or an authority. The image will open in your browser.&nbsp;Right click to download.&nbsp;For larger, high-resolution copies, see contact us using archnet@mit.edu.&nbsp;</li><li>publication - Open the page for the publication in your browser and click the download button. Reprinting Archnet publications is permissible only for personal use.&nbsp;Please contact us for any other requests.&nbsp;</li><li>site descriptions and metadata - Site descriptions and metadata can be used for any nonprofit or educational organization with appropriate attribution to the authors and Archnet.&nbsp;</li><li>video - Currently video downloads are not possible. If you'd like to use an Archnet video, please contact <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>See our <a href="https://www.archnet.org/pages/terms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Terms of Use</a> for information on how you can use Archnnet material.4. Can I contribute material to Archnet?&nbsp;Yes!&nbsp;See our <a href="https://www.archnet.org/pages/contribute" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Contribute</a> page for more information.&nbsp;Calls for specific contributions are also also shared in our social media and on the <a href="https://libraries.mit.edu/akdc/category/contributors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">web site of the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;5. What happened to the Archnet Timeline?&nbsp;Timeline has migrated into the ARCHNET NEXT Collections page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/collection_type/3/1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">as a category</a>. These collections provide short introductions for each period, often offering lists of additional resources at the end of the entry. Only the timeline graphic listing the periods along a chronological axis has not migrated.6. My question isn't here.&nbsp;How can I get help?&nbsp;If your issue is with using Archnet, use the blue Feedback button to alert us to your issue. This will allow you to include a screenshot or recording. Please, also, feel free to contact us at <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>We are currently developing the help section of ARCHNET NEXT. In the meantime, please use the blue Feedback button in ARCHNET NEXT to send us feedback or other questions. Contact us at <a href="mailto:archnet@mit.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">archnet@mit.edu</a>.&nbsp;

Need help?

Welcome to ARCHNET, an open access, interdisciplinary, intellectual resource focused on the built environment of Muslim societies.Focused on the built environment of Islamic civilizations past and present, we seek to:<ul><li>Facilitate excellence in scholarship and professional work by&nbsp;providing reliable information and ready access&nbsp;to vetted, high-quality textual and multimedia resources&nbsp;focused on architecture, urbanism, environmental and landscape design,&nbsp;heritage&nbsp;conservation, economic and environmental sustainability, community development and resilience in the face of rapid change, and related topics.</li><li>Enable teaching and learning in these domains by providing educators with reliable, effective pedagogical material and teaching aids.&nbsp;</li><li>Serve as a platform through which scholars, practitioners, and institutions can bring their work to new global audiences.&nbsp;</li><li>Promote intercultural understanding and dialogue through reliable, high-quality, peer-reviewed material on the diversity of and pluralism within Muslim societies and the interaction between Islamic and other religious, cultural, and philosophical traditions as it relates to architecture and urbanism.</li><li>Enable easy access to a wide variety of resources via a custom-built, web-based, mobile-friendly platform optimized to minimize financial, infrastructural, linguistic, and other barriers to access.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>Launched in 2002 after several years of development, ARCHNET is a pioneering digital resource that has proven a reliable authority on the built environment of Muslim societies, past and present.&nbsp;ARCHNET is a partnership between the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/1342" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Documentation Center, MIT Libraries</a> (AKDC@MIT) and the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/1903" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Trust for Culture</a> (AKTC), with support from the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/50" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture</a> at Harvard and MIT.&nbsp;ARCHNET is developed and maintained by <a href="https://www.performantsoftware.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Performant Software Solutions</a>.

About

 Cairo

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/0ec430e1-8f12-447c-911a-161e9e990e18/content

digital graphic

IAA705851

place

military

tower

Egypt

Import

Sir Keppel Archibald Cameron Creswell

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/4f7aa300-826d-44ef-97e0-32dd715b48f3/content

black-and-white print

ICR0621

Burj al-Zafar

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/3155f1a5-e458-42b0-a9d1-899c7fc1f9aa/content

ICR0622

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/17dfe874-b117-4007-8b0c-5d56f544ff6e/content

ICR0623

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/ef9627ed-8048-4b74-a490-00c44e153473/content

ICR0624

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/d530fb00-d538-4669-9508-1c4b883d556e/content

ICR0625

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/9870087c-7fd4-4e3d-8137-9ee0af90a09c/content

ICR0626

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/825b0ed4-df9a-471e-bfc4-fc168de0b39d/content

ICR0627

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/7324c624-f67a-49e7-852a-6d0ebc6282fa/content

ICR0628

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/26464431-0494-4847-a068-a9387aa281d5/content

ICR0629

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/fd82bb3c-0f5b-4b57-9ae2-b53927d0097b/content

ICR0630

The city walls of Saladin were built under the supervision of Baha' al-Din Qaraqaush (1176-1200). The Citadel of Saladin (northern enclosure), known as Qal'at al-Jabal, and the spiral well (outside the northern enclosure), a masterpiece of medieval engineering, were also built under the supervision of Qaraqush (1176-82). The Bab al-Mudarraj, built in 1183-4, is one of the two original gates of the Citadel. The greatest tower in these ramparts is Burj al-Zafar, probably built between 1176 and 1192. The Burj al-Ramla and Burj al-Haddad belong to a group of towers built along the ramparts of the northern enclosure of the Citadel in 1207 under the reign of al-'Adil and during the viceroyship of al-Kamil. These stone fortifications provide an excellent example of Muslim military architecture from the age of the Crusades. Sources: 'Abd al-Wahhab, Hasan. 1940. Al-'Asr al-Ayyubi. Majallat al'Imara 2, 7-8:392-407. Abu-Lughod, Janet. 1971. Cairo: 1001 Years of the City Victorious. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Creswell, K.A.C. 1959. The Muslim Architecture of Egypt, vol. II. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Reprinted by Hacker Art Books, New York, 1978. Jarrar, Sabri, András Riedlmayer, and Jeffrey B. Spurr. 1994. <a href="https://www.archnet.org/publications/2704" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Resources for the Study of Islamic Architecture</a>. Cambridge, MA: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture. Lyster, William 1993. The Citadel of Cairo: A History and Guide. Cairo: The Palm Press. MacKenzie, Neil. 1992. Ayyubid Cairo: A Topographical Study. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press. Rabbat, Nasser. 1991. The Citadel of Cairo, 1176-1341: Reconstructing Architecture from Texts. Ph.D diss., MIT, Cambridge, MA

Aswar al-Qahirah

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/download

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/iiif

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/info

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/inline

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/preview

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/thumbnail

https://archnet-3-staging-iiif-cloud-52e731ed1e62.herokuapp.com/public/resources/6c19f335-ffe9-45f9-8c4d-26202786c0a9/content

ICR0671

Burg al-Zafar

Variant

See<a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/2355" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Timeline: Ayyubid</a> ﻿Medieval dynasty which ruled Syria, Palestine, Iraq. Egypt and Yemen during the 12th-13th c./5th-6th c. AH &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The founder of the dynasty was Shirukh, a Kurdish retainer of the Zengid prince <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/7171" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nur al-Din</a>. First Shirukh secured the governorship of <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/3497" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aleppo</a> and later was appointed vizier to the <a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/2358" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fatimid</a> ruler of Egypt. Shirukh was succeeded by his nephew <a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/2683" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Salah al-Din</a> who rapidly extended his position and became ruler of Egypt, Syria and northern Iraq whilst he appointed his brother ruler of Yemen. Salah al-Din's greatest accomplishment was the defeat of the Crusaders and the reconquest of<a href="https://www.archnet.org/authorities/6579" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Jerusalem</a>. Salah al-Din died in 1189/584 AH and his empire fragmented under his successors who ruled various parts of the empire until the mid-13thc./6th c. AH.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayyubid architecture was dominated by the need to combat two enemies: the Crusaders in Palestine and the rising threat of Shi'ism and religious dissension. To combat the Crusaders a network of fortresses was built which rivalled those of the Crusaders both in size and technical sophistication. Amongst the best examples of Ayyubid military architecture are <a href="https://www.archnet.org/sites/22465" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Qal'at Rabad</a> at Ajlun in Jordan and <a href="https://www.archnet.org/sites/22466" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Qal'at Nimrud </a>at Banyas in Syria. In addition the fortification of citadels was improved and the famous <a href="https://www.archnet.org/sites/16775" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">gateway of the Aleppo Citadel </a>dates from this period. Some of the techniques of fortification were learned from the Crusaders (curtain walls following the natural topography), although many were inherited from the Fatimids (machicolations and round towers) and some were developed simultaneously (concentric planning). Shi'ism was an equally dangerous threat to the Ayyubids who built a large number of madrassas in both Syria and Egypt. In Egypt the Ayyubids had to reintroduce religious orthodoxy after two centuries of government-imposed Shi'ism. In Syria there was a so a growing threat of Shi'ism in the form of the Assassins who had benefited from the confusion of the Crusader conflict. The Ayyubids tried to promote Sufism as an orthodox alternative and began to build khanqas and Sufi shrines to provide a focus for these activities. Petersen, Andrew.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.archnet.org/collections/126" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dictionary of Islamic Architecture</a>.&nbsp;London and New York: Routledge, 1999.

Burj al-Zafar
Cairo, Egypt

Location

Associated Names

Part of Site

Events

Style Periods

Additional Names

Site Types

Burj al-Zafar
Cairo, Egypt

Location

Images & Videos

Associated Names

Part of Site

Events

Style Periods

Additional Names

Site Types

Burj al-ZafarCairo, Egypt

Location

Images & Videos

Associated Names

Part of Site

Events

Style Periods

Additional Names

Site Types

Burj al-Zafar
Cairo, Egypt