Mosque Day! - Spending time in Old Cairo

Yesterday we had a full day of touring. We didn’t get back until 11 pm! We started out by going to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, which is the oldest mosque in its original form in Cairo. We learned in our architecture class that it was made in Riwaq style or with hypostyle columns. It had a large open courtyard with a dome in the middle. It was built when the Abbasids were in power. 


After that, we went to the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan. This mosque has massive archways which incense hangs from. It was beautiful. We then went to the bustling market of Khan el-Khalili where we got dinner and bought souvenirs. After that we attended a Sufi dance. Being completely honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. It was amazing though. The dancers got up on stage with drums and instruments and moved into a spinning dance. It was something I will always treasure. This was our last tour with our guide Amani who we said goodbye to!

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