Built in 1344–45 by Baha’ al-Din Aslam al-Silahdar, the
sultan’s sword-bearer, this mosque was constructed during an architectural golden age and bears witness to Cairo’s importance as a magnet for skilled artisans from across the Islamic world. Its most distinctive feature is the decorative tile work on its dome, the work of craftsmen from Tabriz, in Iran, who came to Cairo for a brief period to work on Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad’s own buildings, and were commissioned by courtiers such as Aslam as well. A second notable feature is the magnificent marble-work panel above the main entrance, similar to the elaborate textiles that have been made in Cairo for at least a millennium, and are still hand stitched today in the nearby tentmaker’s market. The mosque interior is an uncommon combination of two usually distinct typologies in Cairene architecture: the first comprising rows of arcades and the second consisting of four vaults around a central courtyard. Reused Roman columns are a reminder that Cairene builders were as resourceful as they were ambitious. Like other Mamluk buildings, this one was built in phases, reflecting the patron’s evolving career: the mausoleum was constructed first, followed by the mosque and minaret (although the current minaret is a replacement from the
Ottoman period). What is remarkable about this building is its continued use as a community mosque for eight hundred years, due to its location at the intersection of several thoroughfares in the heart of a closely-knit residential neighbourhood.

The mosque was untouched by significant conservation work since a campaign by the Comité de Conservation des Monuments de l’Art Arabe in the early 1900s, the Trust identified that the mosque was in urgent need of repair, and launched a comprehensive conservation scheme in 2006. The preparatory work began with thorough architectural and photographic documentation of the building, followed by detailed analysis and research into its condition and state of preservation. The scheme addressed both the structural issues and the conservation and restoration of all the decorative features, revealing their outstanding aesthetic qualities hidden for years under layers of dust. A number of highly skilled conservators, craftsmen,
architects, engineers and workers were involved in the project, and others trained during the process. The scheme restored the architectural integrity of a fine Mamluk building that had suffered from insufficient funds for repair and a history of small-scale periodic patching up that had detracted from the unified spirit of the imposing edifice.