In Cairo, they revealed a reconstructed rare medieval mosque

Cairo - After three years of renovation work, restorers have unveiled a medieval mosque in Egypt's Cairo. The complete renovation of the more than 600-year-old building is part of an effort to revive the faded old part of the Egyptian metropolis, the AP agency reports today.
The mosque was built from 1344 to 1345 by the prominent noble Aslám Baháí, who held the position of sword-bearer, known as silahdara, at the court of the Mamluk Sultan Násir Muhammad. It was also named after its builder.
Richly decorated with traditional Muslim ornaments, the mosque stands in the dusty Cairo district of Darb al-Ahmar, where many of its nearly 100,000 residents live on dollar-a-day incomes (about 18 crowns) in winding narrow streets.
According to Luis Monreal from the foundation involved in the reconstruction, the area rivals Italian Rome in terms of the number of landmarks. Muslim architectural gems, from 11th-century monuments to contemporary buildings, can be found almost every 20 meters around the mosque. However, the Egyptian government reportedly did not make much effort to promote tourism in the area until recently. Most foreign visitors overlook this historically rich Cairo district on their way to the ancient pyramids in Giza, and many mausoleums, mosques, and Muslim schools have been decaying for decades.
The Mamluk sultans did not form dynasties. They were rulers of unprivileged origin who rose to power. Originally, they were warriors purchased in Southwest Asia and sold in the markets of Egypt and Syria. There they were employed in the army, where they advanced in rank. The first Mamluk became sultan in the mid-13th century. Their despotic rule lasted for 300 years.
The renovation of Aslám Silahdar Mosque was supported by the Aga Khan Development Network, a foundation founded by the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, Karim Aga Khan. The United States also contributed through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The project cost 1.4 million dollars (about 25 million crowns).
According to representatives of the Muslim foundation, which is revitalizing other buildings in the district, Darb al-Ahmar has the potential to become one of Cairo's main attractions.