Fodor's Expert Review Mosque, Madrasa, and Khanqah of Sultan Barquq

The first of the Circassian Mamluk sultans, Barquq (whose name means "the plum") rescued the country from the ravages of the Black Death and related famine and political unrest. His complex, established between 1384–1386, includes a school where all four sects of Islam were embraced, a mosque, a Sufi khanqah (shrine), and a mausoleum where his father and a number of his wives and sons are buried. It also houses secondary school classrooms, Sufi classrooms, and sleeping quarters with various amenities for the students.

The domed minaret that adorns the entrance facade sets the complex apart. Capitals in the columns attached to the facade's wall feature a stylized ram's head. Inside, the school’s four iwans (halls), marble mihrab (niche), wooden pulpit, and Qur’an chair are all impressive. Cursive text on the walls depict Qur’an verses, the name of the founder, and the date of construction. The cruciform interior is spacious and austere, and the qibla (the direction of Mecca) wall is decorated in marble dado.