Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan Mosque

Address: Located on al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street, medieval Cairo, Egypt

Hours: Typically open daytime hours; mosques in Cairo often follow prayer schedules - visit outside of prayer times to explore freely

Admission: Free to enter courtyard; mosque access may require modest dress and local rules; guided tours at times

The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan is a 14th-century Mamluk mosque and madrasa complex in historic Cairo, built in the mid 1300s and notable for its monumental scale and architecture.

The complex is notable for its massive entrance portal, a large rectangular courtyard and a vaulted prayer hall set on an axial plan. The site contains four madrasa halls arranged around the courtyard, one for each Sunni legal school, and a prominent mausoleum chamber behind the prayer area.

The exterior silhouette is defined by high walls and minarets visible across nearby streets, and the interior offers large-scale stone vaulting, monumental arches and finely worked stone and stucco details typical of high Mamluk architecture.

Commissioned and built under Sultan an-Nasir Hasan, the complex was constructed in the mid 14th century and functioned as a mosque, an educational center (madrasa) and a royal mausoleum. Over time it has remained a major example of Mamluk architecture and has undergone restorations to preserve its structural and decorative elements.

The complex sits in historic central Cairo within the traditional urban fabric of medieval Cairo; it is located on the eastern side of the old city and is accessible from major Cairo districts and landmarks in the historic core.

• Construction period: Construction took place in the mid 14th century, commonly dated to 1356-1363 CE, making it one of the largest Mamluk-era religious complexes in Cairo.
• Four madrasas: The complex contains four separate madrasas, one for each Sunni school of law, which is central to its original educational function.

What to See#

• Prayer hall and madrasas: The complex includes a large vaulted prayer hall with a raised mausoleum chamber at the rear and four dedicated madrasa halls for the four Sunni legal schools, all arranged around the central courtyard.
• Mausoleum: The mausoleum contains the tomb of Sultan an-Nasir Hasan and is integrated into the main axis of the complex, directly behind the prayer area.
• Entrance portal and courtyard: A monumental entrance portal leads into a rectangular courtyard ringed by iwans and subsidiary chambers; the portal and courtyard are primary elements of the complex’s street-facing elevation.
• Minarets and roofline: Two minarets rise above the roofline and mark the mosque’s exterior silhouette; they form part of the complex’s vertical emphasis on the city skyline.

The complex is in historic Islamic Cairo on al-Muizz Street (Muizz li-Din Allah), within walking distance of Khan el-Khalili market. It is accessed by Cairo’s taxi network or by metro to El-Fishawy/Khalifa al-Ma’mun areas and a short walk.

• Dress conservatively (long sleeves and long trousers or skirts); women should have a headscarf available if required by staff.
• Visit early morning to catch the quiet before tour groups and the mid-day heat of Cairo.
• Look for the main exterior inscriptions and the massive mausoleum you might miss if only passing through the courtyard.