Egypt reopens historic mosque after long restoration
A general view of the historical mosque of al-Zahir Baybars, that was built in 1268 by the Mamluk Sultan al-Zahir Baybars al-Bunduqdari, after completion of its renovation work in Cairo, Egypt on June 5, 2023. PHOTO | MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY | REUTERS
A 13th century mosque that fell into disrepair after being used over the years as a soap factory, a slaughterhouse and a fort reopened in Cairo on Monday after undergoing a long restoration.
The mosque of Al-Zhahir Baybars, built under Mamluk rule in 1268, spans an area of three acres just north of central Cairo, making it Egypt's third-largest mosque.
"The mosque underwent mechanical and chemical restoration to bring it back to its original condition,"Â said Tarek Mohamed El-Behairy, who supervised the restoration.
For 225 years, the mosque was either closed, abandoned or had operated for non-religious purposes that contributed to its disrepair.
During Napoleon's campaign in Egypt it was used as a military fort, then under Ottoman rule in the 19th century as a soap factory. Later, when the British invaded Egypt in 1882, it was used as a slaughterhouse.
Al-Zahir Baybars was a prominent figure in Egypt's history credited with cementing Mamluk rule in Egypt which spanned three centuries up to 1517.