Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban, Educational complex in Darb al-Ahmar district, Cairo, Egypt
The Madrasa of Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban is an educational complex in the Darb al-Ahmar district of Cairo, designed with inner courtyards and teaching spaces arranged around a central plan. The main entrance features a nine-tiered muqarnas arch, while two mausoleums topped with distinctive domes anchor the composition.
Built between 1368 and 1369, the complex was commissioned by Sultan al-Ashraf Sha'ban to honor his mother Khawand Baraka during her pilgrimage to Mecca. This foundation reflects the Mamluk tradition of creating educational institutions as both religious and dynastic monuments.
This institution was a center for teaching two Islamic schools of law, Hanafi and Shafi'i, and included facilities for producing Quranic manuscripts. Visitors can still see spaces designed for this type of scholarly work.
The complex underwent extensive restoration through the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme in the early 2000s, carefully preserving its architectural elements for visitors today. The site is now fully stabilized and accessible to explore on foot at your own pace.
The mausoleum domes display corner niches in their transition zones, a construction technique seen in only a handful of other Mamluk buildings. This detail reveals the craftsmanship and ingenuity that builders brought to these structures.
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