Manzil Sitt Wasila
Cairo, Egypt
This courtyard house adjoins the house of Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi on the west, and is named for its last owner. Alexandre Lezine (1972) notes an inscription in the courtyard dating the house to 1637/1046 AH, though other sources note an inscription around the maq'ad attributing the house to the Hajj Abd al-Haq and his brother in 1664/1074 AH. Excavations in the courtyard have uncovered the presence of a Fatimid-era fountain, suggesting a period of earlier domestic use as well. 

There is a maq'ad and a large qa'a on the first floor. The glory of the house is in its frescoes, especially in the maq'ad and qa'a. It also has a beautiful bath complex and latrine facilities off of major rooms.

The house was restored by the Historic Cairo Restoration Project from 2002-2005. Before that point, it had lost 60 percent of its structural and architectural elements.

Sources:

Warner, Nicholas. The monuments of historic Cairo: a map and descriptive catalogue, 156. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2005.

Williams, Caroline. Islamic monuments in Cairo : the practical guide, 174-175. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2008.

Location
Cairo, Egypt
Images & Videos
Associated Names
Events
alternately dated 1664/1074 AH
1637/1046 AH
Style Periods
1299-1922
Variant Names
Bayt el Sitt Wasila
Variant
Beit Sitt Wasila
Variant
Building Usages
Materials/Techniques
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