Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan

Last updated on November 6th, 2026 at 04:42 pm

The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan is a huge 14th-century mosque and religious school at the foot of the Cairo Citadel. Many historians see it as the finest building of the Mamluk era, and it’s one of the most impressive sights in Islamic Cairo. You will also see the mosque spelled Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hasan.

Quick facts: tickets cost EGP 220 for adults and EGP 110 for students, and the same visit usually includes the Al-Rifa’i Mosque across the street. It’s open every day from 9:00 am, with last entry at 4:00 pm (3:00 pm in Ramadan). Plan about 1 to 1.5 hours.

In 25 years of planning trips and guiding travellers in Egypt, I’ve seen this place surprise people more than almost any other. Visitors who come for the pyramids step into its open courtyard and stop talking. Here is what you need to plan your visit.

Sultan al-Nasir Hasan, a son of the powerful Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad, ordered the building in 1356. Work went on until about 1363. It was one of the most expensive projects of its time, paid for partly with property left behind by victims of the Black Death.

Hassan never saw it finished. He was killed in 1361, and his body was never found, so the domed mausoleum he built for himself holds two of his sons instead. In the same year one of the minarets collapsed and killed many people, which Cairenes took as a bad omen.

The building was both a congregational mosque and a madrasa, a school of Islamic law. It sat so close to the Citadel that rebels later used its roof to fire on the fortress, and it was closed or partly blocked several times over the centuries.

• Built: 1356 to about 1363, under the Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Hasan.
• Four schools: each of the four great halls (iwans) around the courtyard was used to teach one of the four Sunni schools of law: Shafi’i, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali.
• Size: it is one of the largest medieval mosques in the world, and its main minaret is among the tallest in Cairo.
• The mausoleum: it sits behind the qibla wall, so the sultan’s tomb faces Mecca along with those at prayer.
• UNESCO: it is part of Historic Cairo, a World Heritage Site since 1979.

The mosque stands on Salah al-Din Square (Midan al-Qal’a), right below the Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque. The Al-Rifa’i Mosque faces it across a narrow street.

It isn’t next to Khan El Khalili: the bazaar and Al-Muizz Street are about 2 km to the north, a 10-minute taxi ride. The Ibn Tulun Mosque is about 1 km to the west.

Yes. The scale is what people remember: a tall, narrow entrance passage opens into a vast courtyard surrounded by four high arched halls. It’s one of the most powerful spaces in Cairo, and it’s usually calm and quiet.

It’s also easy to combine. In one morning you can see Sultan Hassan, the Al-Rifa’i Mosque and the Citadel, because they all stand within a few minutes’ walk of each other.

• The portal: the entrance is about 38 m high, with carved stalactite decoration (muqarnas) at the top.
• The courtyard: open to the sky, with a domed ablution fountain in the centre.
• The qibla iwan: the largest hall, with its marble mihrab, stone minbar and a long band of Kufic inscription. Look up for the chains that once held hundreds of glass lamps.
• The mausoleum: through a door beside the mihrab, under the great dome, with carved wood and painted decoration.
• The madrasas: four small schools in the corners of the courtyard, each with student rooms stacked on several floors.

Come in the morning, close to 9:00, when the courtyard is quiet and the light is soft. Late morning gets busier with tour groups.

On Fridays avoid the midday prayer, when the mosque closes to visitors. October to April is the most comfortable season. In summer, go early, because the square outside gets very hot.

The easiest way is a taxi or Uber to “Sultan Hassan Mosque” or “Salah al-Din Square”. From Downtown Cairo it takes about 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic. There’s no metro station close by, so a car is the practical choice.

Most visitors come as part of a day in Islamic Cairo with the Citadel. If you’d like a guide and transport sorted for you, see the tour below.

Cover your shoulders and knees, and choose loose clothes. Women need to cover their hair inside, so bring a scarf. You’ll take your shoes off before entering the prayer areas, so slip-on shoes help. Socks are a good idea on hot or dusty floors.

Yes, it’s safe and well guarded, and it’s a quiet site compared with the busy bazaars. Keep an eye on your bag in the square outside, and politely say no to anyone who offers unofficial “guiding” for a tip. Staff at the door may offer to show you around; agree on any tip first, or just say “la, shukran” (no, thank you).

• Bring small notes for the shoe keeper and the caretakers; EGP 10–20 is fine.
• Photos are allowed. Be respectful, and don’t photograph people praying.
• Keep your voice low; it’s a working mosque.
• Visit the Citadel on the same morning. It’s right above the square.
• Look back from the entrance passage as you leave. The view of the courtyard through the dark corridor is one of the best photos here.

Al-Rifa’i Mosque: directly opposite Sultan Hassan, finished in 1912 in a style that echoes it. It holds the tombs of members of Egypt’s royal family, including Khedive Ismail and King Farouk, as well as the last Shah of Iran.
Nearby: the Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque are up the hill, the Ibn Tulun Mosque is a short taxi ride west, and Al-Azhar Park is a good place to rest afterwards with views over Islamic Cairo. For the art of the same period, visit the Museum of Islamic Art.

See it with a guide if you can. There are almost no signs inside, and a guide brings the building to life: why the four halls exist, what the inscriptions say and how the sultan’s story ended.

Our Christian and Islamic Cairo day tour includes Sultan Hassan, the Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque, and Khan El Khalili.

Plan about 1 to 1.5 hours for Sultan Hassan and the Al-Rifa’i Mosque together. If you’re short of time, 45 minutes is enough for the courtyard, the main hall and the mausoleum.

Tickets cost EGP 220 for adults and EGP 110 for students with a valid card, according to the official Egymonuments booking site. You can buy them at the ticket office by the entrance. The visit usually includes the Al-Rifa’i Mosque, but ask at the office. Prices change, so check before you go.

Open every day.

• Summer and winter: 9:00 am, last entry 4:00 pm.
• Ramadan: 9:00 am, last entry 3:00 pm.

Visitors can’t go in during prayer times, especially the Friday midday prayer.

If you visit only one medieval mosque in Cairo, make it this one. The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan is huge, quiet and beautifully built, and it sits right next to the Citadel and the Al-Rifa’i Mosque, so it fits easily into a morning in Islamic Cairo.

How much is a Sultan Hassan Mosque ticket?
EGP 220 for adults and EGP 110 for students. The visit usually includes the Al-Rifa’i Mosque across the street, but ask at the ticket office.

What are the opening hours?
Every day from 9:00 am, with last entry at 4:00 pm (3:00 pm in Ramadan). The mosque closes to visitors during prayer times, especially the Friday midday prayer.

What should I wear?
Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should cover their hair inside, so bring a scarf. You take your shoes off before the prayer areas.

How long do I need?
About 1 to 1.5 hours for Sultan Hassan and the Al-Rifa’i Mosque together.

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Pyramids of Giza | Ibn Tulun Mosque | Mosque Madrassa of Sultan Hassan | Prince Mohamed Ali Palace (Al Manial Palace) | The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization | Mosque of Mohamed Ali | Nile River in Egypt |  Sharia Al Muizz Li Din Allah | Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo | The Egyptian Museum in Cairo | Khan Al Khalili | Al Azhar Mosque | Grand Egyptian Museum | Cairo Tower | Al azhar park | Downtown | Zamalek Island