The Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha or Alabaster Mosque was built on the site of old Mamluk buildings in Cairo's Citadel between 1830 and 1848, completed by Said Pasha in 1857. Its white stone and tall, disproportionately slender minarets are one of Cairo's great landmarks. Muhammad Ali Pasha was buried in a tomb carved from Carrara marble, in the courtyard of the mosque. An impressive building. the interior is out standing and from the back you can have a magnificent view of Cairo. Some places need good maintenance like carpets, lighting, etc. At the time of visiting the mosque women need to cover their heads; arms and legs and all visitors will need to leave their shoes prior to entering the mosque.

As part of multi-day tour of Egypt, including tours of Cairo, then flight to Luxor, and cruise on the Nile, our group visited the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, also referred to as the "Alabaster Mosque". This Mosque resembles the great Mosque in Constantinople (we have not visited that one) and is built using Alabaster which is unusual and quite beautiful, although it has a "patina" at present time (due to smog, dust, etc.). Inside, you can see the beauty of Alabaster as the main supporting columns inside the Mosque are made of this material and are really exceptional. From the hilltop location, you can look out over Cairo and on a clear day may even see the pyramids. If you ever visit Cairo, this is a "Must See". Part of this tour winds through part of what is referred to as the "Citadel", the former fortress of Salah al-Din who ruled over most of the Islamic world at the time of the Crusades.

Domes upon domes, this Ottoman style mosque reminds of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The interior will remind you of the Hagia Sofia.
To show respect, you should remove your shoes, dress modestly and cover your head with a scarf.