Mosque of Amr Ibn el-As, Cairo

The Mosque of Amr Ibn el-As is the first Mosque in Egypt and the African continent. It was built by the Arab general who conquered Egypt on the site where he pitched his tent. At the time, it was at the center of the Capital of Egypt called Fustat.

The Mosque of Amr Ibn el-As was constructed first in 642 AD. The tomb of his son, 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As is located at one corner of the building. Successive rulers and governors of Egypt expanded and rebuilt the Mosque and very little of the original structure remains today. The architraves on the southern wall are the only remaining parts of the building constructed by General Amr Ibn el-As. In 1875 Muhammad Ali rebuilt the mosque and it was further expanded in the 20th century by Abbas Helmi II.

The Mosque of Amr Ibn el-As today, has an architectural style that incorporates Greek and Roman design. It has 150 marble columns and three minarets. It has an open courtyard surrounded by four Riwaqs or colonnades. The largest Riwaq is the Quibla Riwaq. The Mosque is an active place of worship and tourists are allowed to view the building when prayer is not in session.