Al-Rifa'i Mosque
مسجد الرفاعي
The royal mosque opposite Sultan Hassan Mosque, where Egypt's last king, Farouk, and Iran's last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, are buried.
Al-Rifa'i Mosque was commissioned in 1869 by the mother of Khedive Ismail and completed in 1912. Its exterior was deliberately modelled on the Sultan Hassan Mosque opposite, forming a pair of 'twins', while the interior is far more ornate, with gilded ceilings and marble columns. It is the royal mausoleum of the Muhammad Ali dynasty, housing Khedive Ismail, King Fuad I and the last king, Farouk. In a smaller chamber on the other side lies Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, who died in 1980. It is usually visited together with Sultan Hassan Mosque on a combined ticket, and it is open roughly 08:00–17:00. The dress requirements are the same as for Sultan Hassan Mosque, and it is closed to visitors during prayer times.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan
- Citadel of Saladin
- Gayer-Anderson Museum
- Mosque of Ibn Tulun
- Bab Zuweila
- Al-Azhar Park
- Abdeen Palace
- Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo