This domed cistern, built by Ya'qub Shah, the chief of protocol, in 1495-6, is a memorial structure dedicated by its inscription to the glory of Sultan Qaytbay. The inscription runs along the whole facade, commemorating the victory of Mamluk troops over the Ottomans in the battle of Adana in 1486.
Sources:
Behrens-Abouseif, Doris. Islamic Architecture in Cairo. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1989.
Jarrar, Sabri, András Riedlmayer, and Jeffrey B. Spurr. Resources for the Study of Islamic Architecture. Cambridge, MA: Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, 1994.
Lyster, William. The Citadel of Cairo: A History and Guide. Cairo: The Palm Press, 1993.
Rogers, J. M. "The Inscription of the Cistern of Ya'qub Shah al-Mihmandar in Cairo." In Fifth International Congress of Turkish Art. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1978.