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[Page 52]

The Mosque of Mahommed Aly, situated in the centre of the Citadel, was commenced in 1824, in the reign of Mahommed Aly and was completed during the reign of Said Pasha, in 1857.

It was designed by a Greek architect after the style of the famous church of St. Sophia of Constantinople I'm told that the architects eyes were afterwards put out to prevent his designing a duplicate of the building elsewhere. The interior of this Mosque, known either as Mahommed Aly Mosque or the Alabaster Mosque, is simply gorgeous, so richly decorated.

In one angle of the Mosque is the tomb of Mahommed Aly, surrounded by a beautiful railing. The Columns and walls are of pure Alabaster hence the name of Alabaster Mosque, by which it is generally known.

One of the Mosques, known as the Ibn Kaloun, dates from 1317 A.D a large enclosed court at the Alabaster Mosque is paved with pure Alabaster: you can just imagine how fine it is. About the centre of the court is aWell, known as the "Well of Joseph", which is not named after the biblical Joseph but in compliment to Saladin's first name which was "Yussuf", or "Joseph".

This well, sunk by the ancient Egyptians is about 300 feet deep and is sunk to the level of the Nile.

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