The Sultan Hassan Mosque is considered one of the largest Mosques in the entire Islamic world. 150 meters long and 36 meters high, this building has astounded visitors and guests since its construction in 1363. Featuring superior craftsmanship and design the Sultan Hassan Mosque is one of the must-sees of Cairo. The dome of the Sultan Hassan Mosque is not the original one; that one being of wood. Many claim that the newer dome does not suit the structure and others go as far as to claim that it is a misconception of the style. Despite this stylistic flaw, this Mosque is an impressive display of Old World architecture.
As interesting as the Mosque’s design and style is its rather dark history. Sultan Hassan collected money from the estates of those who had died during the Black Death which swept through Cairo in the 1340’s. A minaret collapsed in the 1360’s that killed over 300 hundred people and signaled a bad omen among the workers. Sultan Hassan never saw the Mosque to completion and was murdered by a rival.