Khanqah & Mausoleum of Sultan Beybars Al Gashankir

Cairo

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Built in 1310, this khanqah (Sufi monastery) is one of the city’s first. It’s distinguished by its stubby minaret, topped with a small ribbed dome. The multipart ‘baffled’ entrance orients the rooms away from the street. The interior is in a sorry state, in part due to the flocks of pigeons roosting here. If you're not a bird fan, it's probably best not to enter.

Mamluk sultan Beybars Al Gashankir is entombed in a room that shimmers with black-and-white marble panelling and light from stained-glass windows. His name was excised from the building facade by order of his successor.

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