Fodor's Expert Review Al-Rifa'i Mosque
Although it appears neo-Mamluk in style, this mosque was not commissioned until 1869 by the mother of Khedive Isma'il, Princess Hoshiyar. It was completed in 1912 but, from the outside, seems more timeworn and less modern than the 14th-century Mosque of Sultan Hassan beside it. True to the extravagant khedivial tastes, the inside is markedly different from that of its neighboring mosque as well. While the latter is relatively unadorned, al-Rifa'i is lavishly decorated. The mausoleum here contains the bodies of Sufi holy men of the Rifa'i order (hence the establishment's name), as well as the remains of many royals.