Attarine Mosque - Alexandria, Egypt
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Torgut
N 31° 11.705 E 029° 53.932
35R E 776233 N 3454844
Attarine Mosque can be found in the historical center of Alexandria. It's relatively small but beautiful.
Waymark Code: WM19KV2
Location: Egypt
Date Posted: 03/15/2024
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member saopaulo1
Views: 0

This mosque can be found in the historical center of Alexandria, a bit off the seaside, in a busy location. It is also known as also known as the Al-Juyushi Mosque and it's considered a historic mosque.

From Wikipedia:
(visit link)

"The Attarine Mosque, also known as the Al-Juyushi Mosque is a historic mosque located in Alexandria, Egypt. It was built on the site of a former church dedicated to Athanasius of Alexandria which was later dedicated to Saint Sabbas. The present structure of the mosque dates back to the early 20th century, and much of its original foundation has been lost, save for an inscription on a stone which commemorates Badr al-Jamali, one of the renovators of the mosque.

History
In 370 AD, the Church of St. Athanasius was built on the site of a Mithraic temple in the northern part of the Canopic street. In the 7th century, monks began building cells around an ancient church, laying the foundation for a monastery in the area. This initial monastery was destroyed by an earthquake, and was later rebuilt by a wealthy man, who dedicated it to Saint Sabbas the Sanctified.

On November 8, 641 AD, Alexandria fell into Muslim control by the Rashidun Caliph, Umar after a 14-month siege under the leadership of Amr ibn al-As when the Byzantine Empire surrendered the city to the Muslims. The church was converted into a mosque. Over time, the mosque was abandoned and became ruined. During the Fatimid era, the mosque was fully restored under the guidance of the Fatimid vizier Badr al-Jamali who funded the restoration using taxes imposed on the people of Alexandria. During the reign of Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad, the mosque was used as a congregational mosque, and the Friday prayers were performed there. But after his death, the mosque became neglected until the rule of Khedive Abbas II of Egypt who ordered his men to plan a restoration. The mosque was fully rebuilt from the ground up, and such a structure remains until this day.

The plan of the Attarine Mosque is rectangular in shape. The mosque has two floors, the one on ground level is for men. In the middle of the courtyard are four stone pillars, which are united with two columns made of marble. The mosque has a skylight with four plaster window openings on each side. Below the ceiling of the middle part is inscribed calligraphy of several verses from Surah al-Fatihah. The southern part of the mosque has several shops incorporated into it, and proceeds from the shops are used to fund the mosque's repairs. The mosque has a single minaret made from brick.

In the eastern part of the mosque, accessible from the eastern entrance, is a small mausoleum dedicated to a local patron saint, Muhammad ibn Sulayman, who is the grandson of the famed military commander, Khalid ibn al-Walid. The construction of the mausoleum dates back to the reign of Khedive Abbas II.

Archeological finds
During the Napoleonic rule of Egypt, a stone sarcophagus was found in the courtyard of the mosque. It was later discovered that the sarcophagus was that of Nectanebo II, the last native Egyptian Pharaoh. He is not buried inside there as he had already fled from the Persians before their conquest of Egypt. During Islamic rule, it was used as a water basin for ablution, and twelve holes were drilled into it which functioned as draining holes. It now resides in the British Museum, where it has been since 1802"
Type: Current mosque

Address:
3-33, Al Atarin Mosque, Al Attarin Gharb, Al Attarin, Alexandria Governorate 5372004, Egypt


Website reference (required if no minaret or 2nd photo): [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:

Posting a photo of your visit is strongly encouraged but not required. There is NO requirement that you enter inside the mosque as some mosques may not allow this. Please refrain from taking pictures inside the mosque if it is not permitted by the management and generally have respect for the reliqious nature of the site.
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