Amr ibn al-As Mosque Mosque

Address: Amr ibn al-As Mosque (Mosque of Amr), Old Cairo / Fustat, Cairo, Egypt

Admission: Free (active mosque)

The Amr ibn al-As Mosque is the original mosque of Fustat (Old Cairo) and was founded in the mid-7th century CE by the Arab commander Amr ibn al-As after the Islamic conquest of Egypt.

The site has been rebuilt and expanded repeatedly over the centuries; the mosque visible today reflects multiple phases of construction and restoration rather than a single surviving 7th-century fabric. Visitors encounter a complex that illustrates successive architectural layers from early Islamic to later Ottoman and modern interventions.

Historically the mosque served as a religious, administrative and community centre for Fustat and for early Islamic Egypt, and it remained an important urban landmark through medieval and modern periods. Its repeated rebuilding reflects earthquakes, fires and urban change across more than a millennium.

Situated in the area known as Old Cairo or Fustat, the mosque lies south of central Cairo and close to other early Islamic and Coptic sites that together form a dense historic district.

• First mosque in Egypt: Founded in 642 CE by the Arab commander Amr ibn al-As, it is widely recognised as the first mosque established in Egypt and in Africa.

The Mosque of Amr ibn al‑As stands in historic Fustat (Old Cairo). It is reached from central Cairo by taxi or local bus services; most visitors travel to the Old Cairo area (the Babylon/Fustat district) by road and then walk a short distance to the mosque from the local stops. If using Cairo Metro, take it to a central station (for example Attaba/Downtown) and continue by short taxi or microbus to the Old Cairo/Fustat district where the mosque is located.

• Visit the Amr ibn al‑As Mosque in Old Cairo outside of major prayer times to view its historic elements more easily-the mosque sits in the Fustat area and is best combined with nearby archaeological sites.
• Bear in mind this is a functioning mosque: dress and behave respectfully, and expect areas to be closed during congregational prayers or Islamic holidays.
• Hire a local guide or join a small guided walk through Old Cairo to understand the mosque's layered history (early Islamic origins and later reconstructions) and to access lesser-known nearby ruins.