Upon entering the outer wall of the Ahmed Ibn Toulon Mosque, on the left, one could see the northern wall of al-Kiridli (originally from Crete) family’s medieval house in 1834. It was actually two medieval houses joined together, restored, and furnished by Major Gayer-Anderson, an Englishman who lived in them from 1935 to 1942.The house on the east, built in 1631 AD with an Ottoman portal has two grilled windows on its southwest corner, which mark a
sabil, or free water dispensary belonged to ‘Abd al-Qadar al Haddad. The one on the west, built in 1540 AD with a Mamluk portal and two benches belonged to Amna Binti Salim al-Gazzar.
After spending around one and half hour exploring the mind & soul of Ahmad Ibn Toulon Mosque, we decided to pay the visit to this medieval house –
Bayt al-Kritliya aka Gayer Anderson Museum. Just out of curiosity though, we went through the scanning door, located in the narrow alley, under the air-bridge, which linked the two houses. As the buildings now are under the Islamic section of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, it cost us EGP 170 to explore the house.
The tour begins in the house on the east, the seventeenth-century
haramlik. Immediately after the
qa’a or ‘reception’ room, we entered the courtyard, a mini-museum in itself. It contains a good explanation of a working fountain, as well as a nice salsabil, the inclined slab marble over which the water ran.
From the courtyard, we went to the maq’ad or the open summer sitting room, indoors into the winter reception room. The furniture, antiques, collections, photos, certificates, old instruments, etc., which are well preserved in its original form could be easily appreciated in the various small rooms up to the roof terrace, where in different sections the men and women could take the air.
Mohamed, the very helpful and informative guide, informed us that the museum has 22 numbers of rooms. And, it is in this room, one could see an 8 meters well, which I think is still supplying water. A little bit skeptical about the quality of the water though!
M Aiman and Aiqah curiously looking inside the well. This is the first room after the
qa'a, the summer room perhaps.
The winter room, located at the first floor. One could see, a solid marble tray and table, some solid wood tables and shelves. And, on the right of the photo, a fire extinguisher, a safety precaution, which is not definitely belong to Gayer Anderson.
Some of Gayer Anderson's collections. I saw two sets of these wall hanger for their 'weapons'.
We were amazed by the ceilings' designs and finishing. It was manually done 300 years ago by very skillfull and determined craftsman.
A balcony facing the qa'a at the second floor. Normally used during summer.
Again, the magnificent ceiling and collections of lamps, still in its original form. Splendid!
One of the room at the third floor with the full original set of collections of the Ottoman portal. Gayer Anderson named most of the rooms by his great collections of artifacts and furniture from all over the world, like; Persian, Byzantine, Chinese, Pharaonic, Turkey, so on and so forth. The most complete one is the Damascus room; its ceiling and walls are covered in intricate low-relief patterns of lacquer and gold.
On the roof terrace, one could see collections of the Ottoman marble sinks and carved backs, shadowed by the
masharabiya screens come with variety of motifs and designs.After about 10 minutes breathing stop on the roof terrace, we walked towards the house on the west, the sixteenth- century salamlik, through the ‘air-bridge’.
Amid the cool and charming ambience, an uninvited guest, perched on the
masharabiya screen entertained us with her cutie-pitchy song.
The staircase form the 'air-bridge' to the second floor of the
salamlik.
The Mamluk influence. The ceiling is made of solid wood. The window protrude out the wall, thus makes it like hanging from outside.
According to Mohamed, this room was used to accomodate the newly-wed couple during their wedding ceremony or farah.
In this house, the highlight is the large
qa’a on the ground floor, which is perhaps the most magnificent sixteenth-century example of such a room in Cairo. With its marvelous polychrome central fountain, richly decorated ceiling beams, kilim-covered pillows, and alcoves, as well as the bank of
masharabiya windows in the upper gallery from which women looked down on the entertainments below.
Upon entering the
qa’a, on your right, there is a small room according to Mohamed, was used by Gayer Anderson as a labor room. He has a unique chair-like facilities for a pregnant women to deliver her baby. And, It comes in various sizes and designs.
After the qa'a, we passed the large exit of the salamlik, prior to the narrow alley of the two houses. phew...what an amzing one hour adventure. What did we learn?
These historic houses, with their amazing architecture, occupy a special place among the artistic and aesthetic monuments of Cairo.
Upon entering the outer wall of the Ahmed Ibn Toulon Mosque, on the left, one could see the northern wall of al-Kiridli (originally from Crete) family’s medieval house in 1834. It was actually two medieval houses joined together, restored, and furnished by Major Gayer-Anderson, an Englishman who lived in them from 1935 to 1942.The house on the east, built in 1631 AD with an Ottoman portal has two grilled windows on its southwest corner, which mark a sabil, or free water dispensary belonged to ‘Abd al-Qadar al Haddad. The one on the west, built in 1540 AD with a Mamluk portal and two benches belonged to Amna Binti Salim al-Gazzar.
After spending around one and half hour exploring the mind & soul of Ahmad Ibn Toulon Mosque, we decided to pay the visit to this medieval house – Bayt al-Kritliya aka Gayer Anderson Museum. Just out of curiosity though, we went through the scanning door, located in the narrow alley, under the air-bridge, which linked the two houses. As the buildings now are under the Islamic section of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, it cost us EGP 170 to explore the house.
The tour begins in the house on the east, the seventeenth-century haramlik. Immediately after the qa’a or ‘reception’ room, we entered the courtyard, a mini-museum in itself. It contains a good explanation of a working fountain, as well as a nice salsabil, the inclined slab marble over which the water ran.
From the courtyard, we went to the maq’ad or the open summer sitting room, indoors into the winter reception room. The furniture, antiques, collections, photos, certificates, old instruments, etc., which are well preserved in its original form could be easily appreciated in the various small rooms up to the roof terrace, where in different sections the men and women could take the air.
Mohamed, the very helpful and informative guide, informed us that the museum has 22 numbers of rooms. And, it is in this room, one could see an 8 meters well, which I think is still supplying water. A little bit skeptical about the quality of the water though!
M Aiman and Aiqah curiously looking inside the well. This is the first room after the qa'a, the summer room perhaps.
The winter room, located at the first floor. One could see, a solid marble tray and table, some solid wood tables and shelves. And, on the right of the photo, a fire extinguisher, a safety precaution, which is not definitely belong to Gayer Anderson.
Some of Gayer Anderson's collections. I saw two sets of these wall hanger for their 'weapons'.
We were amazed by the ceilings' designs and finishing. It was manually done 300 years ago by very skillfull and determined craftsman.
A balcony facing the qa'a at the second floor. Normally used during summer.
Again, the magnificent ceiling and collections of lamps, still in its original form. Splendid!
One of the room at the third floor with the full original set of collections of the Ottoman portal. Gayer Anderson named most of the rooms by his great collections of artifacts and furniture from all over the world, like; Persian, Byzantine, Chinese, Pharaonic, Turkey, so on and so forth. The most complete one is the Damascus room; its ceiling and walls are covered in intricate low-relief patterns of lacquer and gold.
On the roof terrace, one could see collections of the Ottoman marble sinks and carved backs, shadowed by the masharabiya screens come with variety of motifs and designs.After about 10 minutes breathing stop on the roof terrace, we walked towards the house on the west, the sixteenth- century salamlik, through the ‘air-bridge’.
Amid the cool and charming ambience, an uninvited guest, perched on the masharabiya screen entertained us with her cutie-pitchy song.
The staircase form the 'air-bridge' to the second floor of the salamlik.
The Mamluk influence. The ceiling is made of solid wood. The window protrude out the wall, thus makes it like hanging from outside.
According to Mohamed, this room was used to accomodate the newly-wed couple during their wedding ceremony or farah.
In this house, the highlight is the large qa’a on the ground floor, which is perhaps the most magnificent sixteenth-century example of such a room in Cairo. With its marvelous polychrome central fountain, richly decorated ceiling beams, kilim-covered pillows, and alcoves, as well as the bank of masharabiya windows in the upper gallery from which women looked down on the entertainments below.
Upon entering the qa’a, on your right, there is a small room according to Mohamed, was used by Gayer Anderson as a labor room. He has a unique chair-like facilities for a pregnant women to deliver her baby. And, It comes in various sizes and designs.
After the qa'a, we passed the large exit of the salamlik, prior to the narrow alley of the two houses. phew...what an amzing one hour adventure. What did we learn?
These historic houses, with their amazing architecture, occupy a special place among the artistic and aesthetic monuments of Cairo.
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