Qalawun complex
architectural structure
The Qalawun complex (Arabic: مجمع قلاوون), also known as the Funerary complex of Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun, is a historic religious complex located at Bayn al-Qasrayn on al-Mu'izz street, in Islamic Cairo, Egypt. Built by Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun between 1284 and 1285, the complex is like many other pious complexes and includes a hospital (bimaristan), a madrasa, mausoleum, and mosque.
Despite controversy surrounding its construction, the complex is widely regarded as one of the major monuments of Islamic Cairo and of Mamluk architecture, notable for the size and scope of its contributions to legal scholarship, its charitable operations, and for the richness of its architecture.
History
Historical context and background
The Qalawun complex was built over the ruins of the Fatimid Western Palace, with several halls in the palace. Unlike most later Mamluk sultans, Qalawun did not begin construction on his funerary complex right after coming to power but did so many years later, after he consolidated his rule and fought off the Mongols in Syria. The structure is situated in the heart of Cairo, on the prestigious Bayn al-Qasrayn street, and has been a center for important Islamic religious and court ceremonies and rituals for centuries, stretching from the Mamluk dynasty through the Ottoman Empire.
This complex is one of many Mamluk buildings that made Cairo a flourishing metropolis in the 13th through 16th centuries. It is one of many pious complexes (fully-integrated multifunctional complexes often centered around the tomb of religious figures or patrons that included turbas or funerary complexes, khanqahs, and other buildings) that served many purposes including exalting the patron through displays of their wealth, piety, and legitimacy.
Construction and controversy
The funerary complex of Sultan al-Mansur Sayf al-Din Qalawun, including both madrasa and mausoleum reportedly took 13 months to build, and was under construction from 1284 to August 1285. This fact is remarkable considering the size and scope of the complex.
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