Madrasa Amir Inal al-Yusufi
Cairo, Egypt
Built by the amir in 1392-1393/794 AH, it is one of the earliest examples of the attenuated Cairene madrasa, with the qibla and the opposing iwan extended in width and the side iwans reduced to niches. The general arrangement of the facade is very similar to that of al-Kurdi except that the placements of the dome and minaret, the main exterior elements, have been transposed. This reflects the fact that although there are four main schools of Islamic Law, the great majority of Egyptians adhere to only two: the Shafi'i (in Lower Egypt) and the Maliki (in Upper Egypt.) this type of plan combines well both madrasa and mosque functions: it offers a place of instruction and a place for prayer. Much of the interior decoration has disappeared, but the stained glass windows are very lovely. In 1377, Inal was appointed amir silah (armorer) and his blazon, the sword, appears in the windows, which may, however, be later restorations.

The dome is of stone, but its decoration of molded ribs continues that of earlier brick and stucco domes. At the southern corner of the facade is a sabil-kuttab, notable for its wooden screen.

Sources:

Jarrar, Sabri, András Riedlmayer, and Jeffrey B. Spurr. Resources for the Study of Islamic Architecture. Cambridge, MA: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, 1994. http://archnet.org/publications/2704.

Meinecke, Michael. Die Mamlukische Architektur in Ägypten und Syrien (648/1250 bis 923/1517). Glückstadt: Verlag J. J. Augustin, 1992.

Mostafa, Saleh L. Madrasa, Hanqah und Mausoleum des Barquq in Kairo. Glückstadt: Augustin, 1982.

Williams, Caroline. Islamic Monuments in Cairo:The Practical Guide, 99. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2002.
Location
Shari' al-Khiyamiyya, Cairo, Egypt
Images & Videos
Associated Names
Events
1392-1393/795 AH
Style Periods
1250-1517
Variant Names
Amir Inal al-Yusufi School
Variant
Madrasat Amir Inal al-Yusufi
Variant
Building Usages
religious
educational