Muhammad Ali Mosque Mosque

Address: Citadel of Saladin (Salah El-Din), Cairo 11511, Egypt

Website: https://egymonuments.gov.eg/en/monuments/muhammad-ali-mosque/

Hours: Daily 8:00am-5:00pm (Citadel opening hours; mosque access follows site hours)

Admission: Citadel ticket commonly around 180 EGP (~$6) for foreign visitors; lower rates for Egyptian/Arab nationals. Mosque entry is usually included with Citadel admission.

The Muhammad Ali Mosque is an Ottoman-style mosque located inside the Citadel of Cairo on Mokattam hill, built in the 19th century by Muhammad Ali Pasha and commonly known as the Alabaster Mosque. Construction began in the 1830s and the complex was largely completed by the mid-19th century.

The mosque is notable for its large central dome flanked by smaller domes and twin minarets, a broad marble courtyard, and an elevated terrace that provides wide views over Cairo. Visitors commonly see the prayer hall and the exterior alabaster cladding; the complex also contains the founder’s mausoleum and clerical spaces.

Commissioned by Muhammad Ali in the decades after he consolidated power in Egypt, the mosque was intended as a visible, modern Ottoman-style monument and has dominated the Citadel skyline since completion. Its architecture deliberately references classical Ottoman prototypes.

Situated on the Citadel’s summit in central Cairo, the mosque overlooks the city and is adjacent to other Citadel buildings and defensive works on Mokattam hill.

• Panoramic view: Perched within the Citadel on Mokattam hill, the terrace offers broad panoramic views over central Cairo and the River Nile.
• Nickname: Often called the Alabaster Mosque because of extensive alabaster facing on interior and exterior surfaces.

What to See#

• Mosque complex: The mosque complex includes the main prayer hall, a large open courtyard ringed by arcades, and a marble mausoleum where Muhammad Ali Pasha is interred.

The mosque sits within the Citadel of Saladin on the Mokattam hill in eastern Cairo. From downtown (Tahrir Square) it’s a 20-30 minute taxi ride; insist on the meter or agree a fare. Public buses run to the Citadel area, but taxis from mid-city (or an organised tour) are the most practical. From the nearby Al-Sayeda Zeinab Metro station a short taxi ride completes the trip.

• Enter the Citadel through the Bab al-Azab gate (main entrance) to avoid queues at the visitor centre.
• Visit just before sunset for light on the mosque's alabaster-photography is best from the terraces facing the city.
• Respect prayer times: when worship is in session the interior is closed to tourists; a headscarf is recommended for women and modest dress for all.