Cairo - El-Azhar Mosque

The main entrance is the Babel-Muzayyini or "Gate of the Barbers", on the northwest side of the building, adjoining the neo Arab facade built by Abbas II. This leads into a small forecourt, on the right of which is the El-Taibarsiya Medrese, with a fine mihrab (prayer niche) of 1309, and on the left the 14th century.

El-Aqbughawiya Medrese, now a library (60,000 volumes, 15,000 manuscripts). Then through a handsome doorway into the Main Court (Sahn), with five minarets rearing above it. Round the court runs an arcade (restored by Taufiq) with keeled arches of Persian type, decorated with shallow niches and medallions and crowned by crenelations. The liwans on the northeast and southwest sides of the court are used as sleeping and working apartments for students (riwak), distributed according to the countries or provinces from which they come. Adjoining the north liwan is the Court of Ablutions.

The Main Liwan or Sanctuary on the southeast side of the court, with 140 marble columns (100 of them antique) and an area of almost 3,600 sq. yd/3,000 sq. m, is the principal lecture hall. The lower front half, with four much restored rows of arcading, is part of the original building; the higher rear part, with two prayer niches, was added by Abd el-Rahman.