6 - Late Fatimid Period (1074-1171)
The defenses of Cairo: Rebuilt between 1087
and 1092 by Badr al-Jamali with stronger brick walls and monumental stone
gates. This may have been carried out by Syrian builders, for at least
three gates -- Bab al-Nasr (Victory Gate) and Bab al-Futuh
(Conquest Gate) in the north and Bab Zuwayla (Gate of Zuwayla) in
the south -- are said to have been built by three Armenian brothers from
al-Ruha (Edessa), and stylistically they do resemble contemporary north
Syrian architecture.
Badr al-Jamali: A general who
brought his army from Syria in 1074 in response to a plea by the caliph al-Mustansir
to restore order in Egypt. He soon consolidated his control over the entire country
and became the vizier as well as army commander(amir al-juyush), leaving the caliph
as a mere religious figurehead.
The Mashhad al-Juyyushi:
Built by Badr in 1085 and identified as a mashhad, though its real function
is puzzling. The current interpretation is that Badr built it as a memorial
to commemorate his victories and rise to power.
Al-Aqmar Mosque: A small mosque
built in 1125 north of the Eastern palace and celebrated for its unusual decorated
façade and its plan which accommodate both the qibla
orientation and the streets pattern.
The Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya:
(1133) A memorial for Ruqayya, a popular saint and descendant of `Ali.
The Mausoleum of Yahya al-Shabih:
(ca. 1150) A mausoleum built around the cenotaph of Yahaya, called al-shabih
(the look-alike) because he resembled the Prophet, and other descendants of
`Ali, all buried there in the 870s-80s.
Al-Salih Tala'i` Mosque: Built
south of the walls of al-Qahira in 1160 by
the vizier al-Salih Tala'i` and intended as a mashhad for the head of Husayn,
the son of `Ali and most venerated martyr in ShiÔism. It was turned into
a mosque when the caliph decided that the head of Husayn should be buried inside
his palace.
Architectural terms:
Qubba: Literally "dome", but
the word often signified the mausoleum of an amir or a pious man, which was usually,
but not always, a cubical structure covered with a dome.
Mashhad: A complex term that
means either a memorial for a shahid (witness of the greatness of God, but later
exclusively meaning martyr) or a memorial for a true vision, which mostly involves
the Prophet or members of his family.
Muqarnas: One of the most
distinctive architectural elements, called usually the stalacite pendentives
or honeycomb vaults. Muqarnas units appear in domes' transitional zones, in
cornices and friezes, in conches above entrances, and on friezes supporting
balconies of minarets. The origin and date
of first appearance of muqarnas are not clear. It is used for decorative purposes
and several symbolic meanings have been proposed for it.