Mosque of Ibn Tulun is the oldest mosque in Cairo and in Egypt. The mosque was commissioned under the rule of Ahmad ibn Tulun, the Abbassid governor of Egypt from 868–884. The Mosque itself is quite large and sits in the middle of a large square with prayer nooks. The Mosque is pretty basic, unlike many churches and cathedrals that have lots paintings, statues, gold gilding, etc.. Along with all the tourist, there were numerous people praying. Cost: Free Weather: The weather in February was perfect – not hot, but no jacket required. Toilets: toilets are available – expect to tip EGP 10.00 (about 63 cents USD) at any public toilet in Egypt. Caution: none NOTE: Street vendors all accept U.S. Dollars. Be sure to haggle the price down before buying anything.

The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt is the second oldest mosque in Egypt and Africa surviving in its full original form, and is the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area. The Mosque of Ibn Tulun was constructed by Ahmed Ibn Tulun between AD 876 and 879 and modeled on the Kaaba in Makkha (Saudi Arabia). Since Ibn Tulun is an open space, it brings in a lot of sun and shadows. Its decorations being created from carved stucco and wood. On the mosque's northern side is the 40-meter-high minaret with a fine horseshoe arch over the entrance and a spiral staircase swirling through the interior.The mosque is an active place of worship. At the time of visiting the mosque women need to cover their heads; arms and legs and all visitors will need to leave their shoes or have shoe covers put over shoes prior to entering the mosque.

If one has time to visit only one Islamic monument in Cairo, it should be this one. Its simplicity and grandeur of scale make it the most moving of the great mosques. Built between 876 and 879 AD, it is the oldest mosque in Cairo that remains essentially as it was built. Its inspiration is almost exclusively Mesopotamian as Ahmad ibn Tulun, the ruler of Egypt at the time, came from Bagdad as a representative of the Abbasid caliph. Ibn Tulun razed the Christian and Jewish cemetery to build the mosque in their place, on top of the hill. The legend says that Noah’s ark had landed here after the flood. The crenellation above the walls is amazing: it bears a resemblance of human figures with linked arms. It's weird but they seem designed by Keith Haring! Another interesting feature is the minaret, with a spiral staircase on the outside, inspired by the ziggurats of ancient Babylon. Climbing the stairs to the top of minaret worth the efforts as the panoramic views are exceptional.