XIII. The Mosque of Zênab, the daughter of 'Ali, and the granddaughter of Muḥammad the Prophet, dates from the end of the eighteenth century, and contains the name of the "lady Zênab"; it was finished early in the nineteenth century, and has since been restored.

The traveller who is interested in the Mosques of Cairo will find a brief description of the special features of Muḥammadan Architecture as illustrated by them, with outline illustrations, in the chapter printed at the end of the portion of this Guide that deals with Cairo. A series of remarks on Arab Art and the principal handicrafts and on Manuscripts is also added. (See p. 221 ff.)

6. The Quarters of Cairo.

The city of Cairo is divided for administrative purposes into 13 Quarters (Ķism); their names and populations are: ‘Abdîn (72,394), Bâb ash-Shâria (65,103), Bûlâk (111,543), Darb alAḥmar (69,079), Ezbakîyah (56,402), Gamalîyah (62,329), Khalifah (59,802), Mûski (23,659), Fustât (34,968), Sayyidah Zênab (76,606), Shûbrah (80,554), Wailî (78,509). To the north of Cairo, in the neighbourhood of the village of Shubrah, about three miles from Cairo, Muḥammad 'Ali built a palace, and caused M. Barillet, an eminent Parisian landscape gardener, to lay out gardens on the bank of the Nile. The drive is a pleasant one, and the shade of the luxuriantly-growing trees on each side of the road is agreeable. To the north-east of Cairo is the quarter of 'Abbâsîyah, which is called after the Khedive 'Abbâs I, and part of which was built at his suggestion. In the Barracks a number of British soldiers are quartered. To the west of Cairo is Bûlâk, the old port of Cairo, which still does a considerable business in connection with river-borne produce. Here is situated the Viceregal Printing Press, from which large numbers of editions of important Arabic works have issued. It is easily reached by electric tram, and on the nights of popular festivals the streets present an interesting and animated appearance. Opposite is the Island of Bûlâk (Gazirat Bûlâk) commonly known as Gazîrah, where Ismâîl Pâshâ built a magnificent palace, since turned into an hotel, and laid out a racecourse. Here many gymkhânas are held, and both Europeans and natives are eager to enjoy the races and other entertainments which are provided by the Khedivial Sporting Club. In the afternoons the main road of Gazîrah presents a very

animated scene, and is filled with carriages and motors in which the well-to-do folks of Cairo drive out to take the air. In the residential parts of Gazîrah are numerous fine houses and beautiful gardens. The island is connected with the east bank of the Nile by means of a fine iron bridge, commonly known among Europeans as Kaṣr an-Nil Bridge, and among natives as Al-Kubrî; the bridge is 1,250 feet long, and at each end are two massive pillars, surmounted by bronze lions. This bridge is opened at the east end for one and a half or two hours each afternoon in order to permit sailing boats to pass up and down the river; to the left, at the west end of it, are the offices for the collection of the octroi, or city tax, now abolished. From 6.30 to 9 a.m. the bridge is crowded with market gardeners and others bringing in their wares to the markets in the city by innumerable camels, donkeys, etc., and the sight is an interesting one. In former years, when there was no other bridge over the Nile, and insufficient connection existed between the Cairo terminus of the lines from Alexandria, Port Sa'îd, and Suez with the line for Upper Egypt, travellers booked for the south crossed this bridge, and made their way to Bûlâk Ad-Dakrûr Station. Since the building of the Imbâbah Bridge, a little to the north of Gazîrah, trains for the south leave from the new railway station in Cairo. The Imbâbah Bridge is provided with a carriage road and footpaths for passengers. To the east of the Bûlâk Quarter is the Ismâ'îlîyah Quarter, which was founded by and named after the Khedive Ismâ'îl; in this quarter are the Ezbakîyah (Azbakîyah) Gardens, which are named after Kâ'it Bey's Amîr Azbakî (1468–96) and were laid out by Barillet.

The site was occupied by a lake in the Middle Ages, and the reclamation of the land has added about 18 faḍḍans, or acres, to the area of the city. In this quarter also the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities is situated.

7. The Citadel.

The Citadel was built by Salâh ad-Dîn (Saladin), and was intended by him to be the strongest part of the fortifications with which he girdled Cairo; it stands on a spur of the Mukaṭṭam hills, and although in these days, since it can be commanded by cannon placed on those heights, it is practically useless, it was, when built, practically impregnable. The work was begun in 1176-7 under the direction of the Amîr Karakûsh,

and was finished in 1207-8. An inscription above the Gate of Steps states that "the building of this splendid castle— "hard by Cairo the Guarded, on the terrace which joins use to 'beauty, and space to strength, for those who seek the shelter "of his power-was ordered by our master the King, Strongto-aid, Saladin, Conquest-laden, Yûsuf, son of Ayyub, "Restorer of the Empire of the Caliph; with the direction of "his brother and heir the Just King, Seyf ed-dîn Abu Bekr Mohammad, friend of the Commander of the Faithful; and "under the management of the Emir of his Kingdom and "Support of his Empire Karakûsh, son of 'Abdallah, the slave of el-Melik en-Nâsir in the year 579 "* (1183-4). The stone for the Citadel was taken from the Pyramids, and Ibn Jubêr, who visited Cairo in 1183, says that the men who were employed in the building of it were European prisoners whom Saladin had captured in his wars, and he adds that the Muslims who laboured did so without pay. In other words, Saladin made use of the corvée. In the Citadel are:-(1) The Mosque of An-Nâṣir, which was built by the Sulțân Nâşir in 1317-18, and is also known as the Mosque of Ibn Kalâûn ; and (2) the Mosque of Sulêmân Pâshâ, or Sultan Salîm, built in 1526. The Hall of Yûsuf, which was thought to be Saladin's is, in Mr. Poole's opinion, part of a Mamluk palace. The Mosque of Muḥammad 'Ali, which is also in the Citadel, was begun by Muhammad 'Ali, and finished by Sa'îd Pâshâ in 1857. The yellow marble columns and slabs came from the quarries of Bani Suwêf. The tomb of Muḥammad 'Ali is seen on the right on entering. The clock in the tower was presented by Louis Philippe of France. In the narrow way, through the Bâb al-'Azab, with a high wall on each side, which was formerly the most direct and most used road to the Citadel, the massacre of the Mamlûks took place on March 1st, 1811. All the Mamlûks of any position or power were, under one pretence or another, decoyed into the Citadel, the excuse being that they were to assist at the investiture of Tusûn, Muḥammad 'Ali's son, with a pelisse and the command of the army. Shahîn Bey and all the other chiefs of the Mamluks save one went to the Citadel with their followers, and were graciously received by Muḥammad 'Ali. Having drunk coffee, they formed a procession, and with the Pâshâ's troops in front and behind them they marched down this narrow way, but as soon as they had arrived at the gate it was suddenly closed

* Lane-Poole, Cairo, p. 176.

before them. The troops who had marched out immediately before the gate was shut were Albanians, and these at once marched back by another road to places where they could command the Mamlûks who were shut in between the walls in the narrow road; as soon as they had arrived where they themselves could not be injured, they opened fire on the Mamlûks, the Pâshâ's troops who were behind them doing the same. In a very short time the Mamlûks were either shot down or, if they tried to escape, cut down with the sword; 470 Mamluks entered the Citadel, and it is said that only one escaped. This he is supposed to have done by making his horse leap through an opening in the wall down into the moat; the poor horse is said to have been killed, and the man to have escaped.

Joseph's Well. The well in the Citadel which is commonly known by this name is a very ancient one, and it existed before Saladin built the Citadel. The architect Karakûsh found it to be filled with sand, and having cleared it out, and perhaps deepened and enlarged it, he called it after the first name of his master, the Well of Yûsuf, or Joseph. Popular Jewish opinion assumed that the Joseph referred to was their patriarch, the son of Jacob, and the erroneous idea that the well was the work of the Israelite who was sold into Egypt spread abroad. The well is 289 feet deep, and is in two sections; at the top of the first was a water-wheel, by which the water was regularly raised for the use of the garrison until the year 1865, when other means of supply became available.

8. The Mûski and Bâzârs of Cairo.

66

has been

To the places in Cairo where goods are sold or exchanged and to markets in general the name bâzâr commonly given by Europeans, but among the Egyptians the word employed is "Sûk," and this originally indicated a portion of a street, or a whole street, which consisted chiefly, or solely, of houses with shops appropriated to one particular trade. Thus the market of the coppersmiths and workers in brass is called "Sûk An-Naḥhâsîn," the market of the jeweller is "Sûk Al-Gawharîgin," etc. Wholesale dealers usually congregate in a building called a “Wakkâlah"; † the word signifies a

* From the Turkish and Persian, bāzār.

,wakkalah, وكالة sometimes, وكالة +