Cairo - Stronghold and Mosque of Mohammed-Ali (Alabaster mosque)

I really know that the archaeologists don’t like to hear my suggestion; but in my opinion it would be great to restore the pyramids, so that they get back their old look. Of course they should use the stones, which have been dismantled, after the order of the Pharaoh, in the chalk-pits. And that’s exactly where the problem is: The Egypt took many of these old stones in former times, when the crusades took place on in the Middle Ages, to build monuments in Cairo, which are listed in our days as well. And that’s correct, I think.

Most of them are in the citadel. It has never been needed to defend the city. When the crusaders came to the orient nobody could know that they couldn’t manage to cross the swamps in the delta of the Nil. But because of this it offers the visitors quite a good view over the older quarters of Cairo with their numerous mosques, e.g. the mosque of Ahmed el-Katchoda ( which is located a little distance under the Alabaster-mosque ).


	Over a swung way with palms and small lawns we come to the Mohammed Ali Mosque. Because of the eleven meters high lining of alabaster, it is also called "Alabaster Mosque". Although the mosque is a must-see and there are many tourists, you have to wear suitable clothes. At least for the women. While I just had to take off my sandals, once again Annette had to put on a "nice" garb. The accumulating heat under it wasn't my problem at all, though.



	When we arrived the open yard, we focused a clock tower which seemed to be some kind of unfitting. King Louis Philipp gave it to Mohammed Ali in 1846 as a gift in return for the Luxor Obelisk in Paris. While the obelisk is still the centre of the "Place de la Concorde", the clock tower never functioned to the annoyance of the Egyptians.


	Even more impressive is the 52 metre tall dome of the mosque. Numerous lamps are attached to several wreatship and tint the interior in a golden light. The visitors are sitting in small groups to listen the mosque’s history with its French baroque elements and the elaborated acoustic and (as a matter of course) to learn about the pillars of the Islam.


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