Ablaq Palace, Cairo Travel Guide

The Ablaq Palace, or Qasr al-Ablaq, was a celebrated palace inside the Citadel of Cairo, constructed in the early 1300s by the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad. Its name, meaning 'Striped Palace' in Arabic, came from the red and black ablaq masonry that adorned its exterior. The palace may have been inspired by a similarly named palace in Damascus built by Sultan Baybars.Al-Nasir Muhammad commissioned the palace in 1313. Historical texts suggest the palace was used for state affairs, daily audiences, special occasions and regular receptions. The palace complex was known for its lavish decorations, featuring marble floors, mosaics with mother-of-pearl, colorful glass windows from Cyprus, and gilded ceilings painted in lapis lazuli blue. The interior was designed with two iwans (vaulted chambers) facing each other across a large courtyard, with a central dome. The larger northern iwan provided views of the city, the Nile, and the imperial stables, while the southeastern iwan connected to the Great Iwan, serving as the throne room.In the early 19th century, Muhammad Ali, sought to erase the Mamluk legacy and demolished many structures within the Citadel, including the Ablaq Palace, in 1825 to make way for the Muhammad Ali Mosque. Today, the exact location of the palace remains unconfirmed, though archaeological finds suggest it stretched from the Citadel's outer wall to the Gawhara Palace entrance. Recent excavations have unearthed parts of the palace and its granite columns.