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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 21 - 27 September 2000 Issue No. 500 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 21 - 27 September 2000 Issue No. 500
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Elections Development Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Special Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A new face for Baybars
By Nevine El-Aref
Launching work on Al-Zahir Baybars mosque, which is to be restored to its original condition as described in historical documents, Farouk Hosni, the minister of culture, and Gaballa Ali Gaballa, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), toured the mosque and described the ambitious restoration plan. Involving over 200 Egyptian workers, engineers and antiquities experts, the project is being implemented by the 10 Ramadan Company (TRC).
The mosque of Al-Zahir Baybars as it survives today, the outer walls testifying to the grandness of the original design and structure; some of the surviving marble columns originally imported from Syria; an entrance to the mosque
photos: Sherif Sonbol
The lofty landmark features four raised prayer halls that look out on the main courtyard of the mosque through arcades. The mosque was built by the Mameluke Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars El-Bunduqdari, but over time it suffered extensive damage.
In 1995, a restoration project was inaugurated, focused on cleaning the mosque, removing small shops that encroached on the external enclosure, and raising the height of the wall to prevent any future incursions into the perimeter.
The original wall was also restored, with damaged blocks being replaced by similar ones. To prevent the leakage of outside water into the mosque, all the entrances were raised above street level.
While restoring the northern riwaq or prayer hall, said Gaballa, restorers noted that many cracks were evident.
The SCA blamed the TRC, which was also in charge of this phase of the work, alleging that the cracks had resulted from an error in the work and demanding that the TRC pay the extra restoration expenses. The TRC, for its part, replied that the cracks were a normal effect of the mosque's critical condition.
The project screeched to a halt, and the SCA took the TRC to court. Now, four years later, the dispute has been resolved and the TRC has started work again.
"The new restoration plan is a continuation of what was carried out four years ago by the TRC," said Gaballa. This phase of the project, he added, will also put an end to the leakage of subterranean water into the mosque.
The TRC will continue the restoration work as outlined in the contract signed with the SCA four years ago. The columns of the northern hall will also be restored. Damaged and fragile pillars that cannot be restored will be replaced by similar ones found in the SCA's store-rooms. A back tunnel connected to the area's main drainage system will be built in order to prevent the leakage of subterranean and drainage water.
"This latter will be the first part of the work," said Gaballa. The second and final part will be undertaken after a bid to choose the most suitable contractor.
Abdallah El-Attar, head of the SCA's Department of Islamic and Coptic Monuments, said that the second phase of the project will be more holistic in scope. The floor of the open courtyard will be paved with tiles similar to those used in the original design, while the four halls around the open court will be covered in a manner consistent with the mosque's architectural style, to protect the edifice from accumulated rain water. A new lighting system will be also installed.
