Aqsunqur Mosque

Construction under Mamluks The mosque was completed in 1347 on the orders of the emir Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur during the reign of the Mamluk sultan, al-Muzaffar Hajji. Medieval Muslim historian al-Maqrizi noted Aqsunqur supervised the entire project and also participated in its actual construction. Being the former governor of Tripoli, he had the mosque built in a Syrian architectural style. It was built around the late sultan al-Ashraf Kujuk's mausoleum which had been constructed previously in 1341. The mausoleum's incorporation within the mosque accounts for the irregularity of the building's structure. Aqsunqur's grave is also located in the mosque complex along with those of his sons. were crafted in the Iznik style with floral motifs such as cypress trees and vases holding tulips. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in conjunction with the World Monuments Fund began a restoration project of the mosque in 2009. ==Architecture==

Exterior The general layout of the mosque consists of a large open sahn enclosed by four riwaqs. It consists of three stories, the first being circular and plain and the second circular and ribbed while the top story is a bulb resting on a pavilion supported by eight slender stone columns. Its circular shaft is rare among Mamluk minarets. Prior to its 20th-century restoration, the minaret had four stories. The third story was octagonal and removed during the restoration, depriving the Aqsunqur Mosque a unique feature it shared with another mosque in Cairo, the Sultan al-Ghuri Complex which has four stories. The Aqsunqur Mosque minaret was featured in several 19th-century illustrations. == See also ==