When
the Arab entered
the city ,they
bought with them
wealth, talent
and the Spirit
of a newly emerging
nation ,Soon,
new wave of Buildings
started to spread
all over the place
.
In addition to
the religious
historic sites
that already existed
in the city itself
, some eighty
four mosques and
fifty six schools
were built at
different times.
Some of the famous
schools ( madrasat
) are: Madrasat
Al-Jurahia buiult
by Al-Malik al-Adel
, Madrasat Al-Salahia,
Madrasat Al-Khanthaniya
and Madrasat Al-Maumunia,
all built during
Saladien reign
( Salah Addin
Al Ayoubi ).
Al
Hanbali gives
a long list of
sixty six Jerusalem
schools existing
in his days.
When Salah Addin
Al Ayoubi entered
Al Quds after
liberating it
from the Crusaders
, he set out to
rebuild and renovate
what the foreign
invaders have
destroyed .
The first thing
he done was to
regain the Islamic
sites . He started
with Al Aqsa Mosque
. It soon regained
its destinctive
atmosphere of
beauty , then
he set about to
rebuild the wall
, towers and gates
surrounding the
city . He also
dug a tench from
Al Amaid gate
to Al Khalil Gate
.
Near
the Al
Aqsa , he built
three Souks (
open market )
still present
today , Souk Al
Attarin ( pharmacies
) , Souk Al Lahamin
( butchers ) ,
Souk Al Seigh
( jewelers ) .
Some of the important
schools built
during the Ayoubid
era are : Almadrasa
Al Maymonia :
200 m south east
Bab Assahira inside
the wall ( 1197
AD ) .
Al Madrasa Annasria
: In a town in
the middle of
the easter Al
Haram Wall, set
between Bab ArRahaman
and Bab Al Toba
. The two gates
were closed a
long time ago
. The school is
also known as
( Al Ghazalia
). King
Aisa Bin Ahmad
in Ayoub renovated
the school in
1214 . It became
specialized in
teaching Arabic
and literature
.
In addition
to Al ( Maktaba
Al Khalidia )
( Al Khalidia
Library ) 1246
AD at the time
of King Husam
AdDin Brka Khan
.
And the Compounds
built by King
Aisa Ibn Al Malik
Al Adel , Salaadian
brother . In 1207
AD , he built
the AlQuba AnNahawia
( the Grammar
Dome ) to teach
Arabic Literature
, a beautiful
building set south
west ( The Dome
of the Rock )
. In 1204 he built
the tower . The
minaret of the
Castle's mosque
is set on this
tower . The mosque
is built south
west of the Castle
where Bab Al Khalil
lies .
In 1217 AD , he
built a ( Madrasa
for the Hanafia
) a religious
school known as
Al Madrasa Al
Mathamia, northern
entrance of the
mosque .
After
the Ayoubid ,
came the Mamluki
era ( 1253-1383
) . They continued
to add elegant
touching to the
Holy City . First
, the schools
built during this
era are : Al Madrasa
AdDwadaria , today
it is known as
( Girls Islamic
School ) , 1295
A.D outside Al
Haram , to the
right from Bab
Sharaf Al Anbiau
( gate ) . Built
by Amir ( Arab
Prince ) Alam
AdDin Abou Mosa
Sanjer Abdellah
AdDwaden . Al
Madrasa Assalamia
, next to Al Madrasa
AdDwadaria to
the north near
Bab Al Malik Faisal
( King Faisal
Gate ) . Al
Madrasa Akarimia
, near Bab Hata
to the east ,
1319 AD.
Al Madrasa
Ajalolya, known
as ( National
Knowledge College
) set to the north
west of Haram
Assharif Square
1315 A.D , built
by Amir Alam AdDin
Sanjer Ajaloly
.
Al Madrasa Atankazya
, built next to
the main gate
of the Haram (
Bab Asalsala )
,1328 A.D. A large
well-built school
by Amir Tankaz
AnNasri vice mayor
of Al Cham ( Damascus
) AlMadrasa AlAmynia
, west on the
road that leads
to the Haram's
Bab Sharaf Al
Anbiau 1329 A.D.Built
by Amin AdDin
Abdellah .
AlMadrasa
AlMalakia , north
of the Haram ,
1340 A.D.Built
by AlHaj AlMalek
AlJokndra.
AlMadrasa AlFarisia
( Persian ) also
north of the Haram
near Bab Sharaf
AlAnbiau 1354
A.D. Built by
Amir Faris AdDin
AlBaki son of
Amir Katlo Malek.
AlMadrasa AlArgonia
, near Bab AlHadid
( Iron Gate )
1358 .Built by
Amir Argon Akamli
, vice mayor of
AlCham , who also
renovated Bab
AlHadid ( Iron
Gate )
AlMadrasa AlTashtamrya
, by Bab AnNazer
near AlMadrasa
AlHasnia, 1357.
Built by Amir
Tashtamar.
AlMadrasa
AlManjakya, near
the west entrance
of AlHaram , by
a gate known as
Bab AnNazer .
The place was
accommodated by
the administrations
of the High Council
of Islam . Built
by Amir Manjak
vice mayor of
AlCham , 1361.
AlMadrasa AlTazya
, north of Bab
Assala, on the
road to ( Khalidia
Library ) 1362
A.D.Built by Amir
Saif AdDin Taz
Bin Katfaj.
AlMadrasa
AlShaykonia, near
AlMadrasa Assalhia
and Bab Hata ,
1359 .Built by
Prince Seif AdDin
Katbashan.
AlMadrasa AllMahdathia,
west of AlMadrasa
AlJawlya, near
Bab AlGoanma .Built
by Iz AdDin Abou
Muhamad Abdel-Aziz
AlAjami AlArdabili,
1360A.D.
AlMadrasa AlAsardia,
north of the Haram
, east Almadrasa
Aljawlya. Built
by Majid AdDin
Abdel Gani Bin
Seif AdDin Abi
Baker Yousef AlAsardi,
1358. AlMadrasa
AlLoulouya , built
by Amir Loulou
Gazi 1380.
AlMadrasa AlBaldia,
north of Bab Assakina
, also known as
Bab assalam Gate
of Peace which
is north of Bab
Assala . Built
by Amir Mankali
Bagha AlAhmadi,
1380, vice mayor
of Alippo .
AlMadrasa AlKatonia
, west of the
Haram , north
of Bab AlKatanian
. The Indian leader
, Molana Muhamad
Ali is buried
there . Also ,
Mosa Kazem AlHussaini
, Head of the
Arab Executive
Commission and
his son , Abdel
Qader AlHussaini
,leader of AlKastal
Battle , where
he was killed
8/4/1948 . Built
by Aogal Katoon
the daughter of
Shams AdDin Muhamad
Bin Seif AdDin
AlKaanya AlBagdadia
1354. It was later
completed by Asfahan
Shah, daaughter
of Amir Kazar
Shah 1380 .
AlMadrasa AlTashtmrya
, south of Bab
Assala , west
of AlKhalidia
Library . Today
it is known as
Dar AlImam (Center
) built by Amir
Seif AdDin Tashtmer
AlAlaly 1382 ,specially
for the princes
AlMadrasa AlBarodia
, near Bab AlNazer
and AlMadrasa
AlTashtmrya . AlMadrasa
AlJaherkasia,
built by Amir
Jaherkis AlKhalili,
1388.
Also , during
that period a
number of other
historic sites
were built among
them :
AlOmari Mosque,
known as Omar
Mosque 1193 A.D.
Built by king
Nour AdDin Abou
AlHassan Ali Bin
Salah AdDin when
he was the governor
of Damascus .
It stands south
west of the Holy
Sepulcher .
The Dome of Sulieman
: Inside the Haram
Square , west
of Bab Sharaf
AlAnbiau also
known as ( King
Feisal Gate )
. The Dome is
set on an octagonal
building . Inside
it is an ancient.
Majer AdDin AlHanbli
believes that
the building was
completed during
the Umayyad era.
Whereas most architects
believe that the
style of the building
goes back to the
13th century. -Sites
built during AlMamulik
AlBarjia era (1382-1516
A.D.) :
-Khan
AlSultan , a kind
of hostel for
passers by , north
on the road to
Bab AlSala. Built
by AlMalik AlZaher
Abou Saied Barkouk
1386 A.D. During
his era , the
minaret inside
the Dome of the
Rock was completed
. And in 1399
he built the pool
that lies west
of the Old City,
and which is known
today as ( Barket
AlSultan ) ( The
pool of the Sultan
) .
- Manbar Burhan
AdDin ( the niche
built by Burhan
AdDin ) built
with blocks of
white marble at
the top of the
west door of the
Dome of the Rock
1388 .
- AlMadrasa AlSalibia,
north of the Haram
Squqre , west
of AlMadrasa AlSaurdia
, used today as
a religious court
. Built
by Amir Alau AdDin
Ali Bin Nasser
AdDin Muhamad
1406 .
- AlMadrasa AlKamalia,
west of Bab Hata
,1413.
- AlMadrasa AlBasatia
, north of the
Haram , near Bab
Sharaf AlAnbiau
.The first to
plan the building
was Sheik AlIslam
Shams AdDin Muhamad
AlHarawi and was
later completed
in 1431 .
- AlMadrasa AlTolonia,
inside the square
of Masjid AlAqsa
1400.
- AlMadrasa AlGadria
, north of the
Haram square between
Bab Sharaf AlAnbiau
and the minaret
of Bab AlAsbat.
- AlMadrasa AlHasnia,
1433, west of
AlMadrasa AlManjakia
.
- AlMadrasa AlOthmania,
known today as
(Dar AlFalyani
) Built by Asfahan
Shah Khatoun,
1437.
- AlMadrasa AlJoharia,
north of Bab AlHadid
, known today
as ( Dar AlKhatib
) 1440.
- AlMadrasa AlAzharia
, near Bab AlHadid
, built by Abou
Baker Bin Mozher
AlAnsari AlShafaui
1480.
- AlMadrasa Ashrafia
,near Bab AlSalsala.
A very elaborate
building by king
Ashraf Seif AdDin
Aba AlNaser Kaytbay
1480.
The
following shows
that a large number
of schools were
built between the
thirteen and fifteen
century. As we have
seen different Arab
rulers from different
successive ages
have shown great
interest in AlQuds
. The Fatimid academic
contributions to
AlQuds was the famous
Dar Al Ilm ( House
of Science ) . The
Mamluk rulers of
Egypt who followed
the Ayyubids left
a long chain of
buildings all over
Palestine and AlQuds
in particular including
many mosques , palaces,
schools, mausolea
, souks ( Markets
) and fortifications.
Not less than 98
houses were built
in AlQuds done during
their tenure of
office. The palace
of Sitt Tanshuq
AlMazzafferia is
one of the Mamluk
buildings still
in existence in
the city , so are
the schools of alTashtumuria
, alTankizia and
alMuzzamia in Bab
alSilsila Street
. Mamluk buildings
were characterized
by elegant portal
entrances leading
into open courts
and by various colors
of masonry on different
levels of the many
colored walls. One
of Sultan Qaitbay's
additions to the
city was Madrasat
alAshrafia built
in 1475. AlHanbali
gives his description
of this school saying
( It is next only
to the Aqsa Mosque
and the Dome of
the Rock in
its
splendor ) He goes
on to describe the
schools and buildings
of AlQuds saying
( The schools of
AlQuds were paved
with marble slabs
of many colors ,
supported on lefty
marble columns and
provided with promenades
lined with marble
walls . There were
lamps of exquisite
beauty, woodwork
covered with gold
leaf, glass panels
and arches resting
on marble pillars
. The buildings
are extremely sound
and well executed.
Done with white
chiseled stones
and vaulted ceilings.
There is neither
brick in the walls
nor wood in the
ceilings. Travelers
have said that they
could find no buildings
better built on
finer in appearance
in the whole kingdom
than the buildings
of AlQuds . The
houses of the town
of Khalil ( pbuh
) come near to them
but the Quds buildings
are the most perfect
and sound . The
buildings of Nablus
are second best.
Sites
built during the
Ottoman era (
1517-1917 A.D.)
The most
outstanding participation
of the Ottomans
to the city of
AlQuds is the
rebuilding of
the wall that
surrounds the
old city, upon
orders by Sultan
Suleiman , the
son of Sultan
Saliem .
The Ottomans have
also contributed
in the building
of AlKaymari Mosque
, 16th century
, west of Bab
AlJadid . The
Dome of AlAroah
, north on the
roof of the Dome
of the Rock ,
16th century .
The Dome of AlKhader,
northwest the
Dome of the Rock,
16th century.
The Path of the
Sultan, near Bab
AlSbat , 16th
century .
The Tomb of Nabi
Daoud (Prophet
David) 150m south
of the Bab AlNabi
Daoud ( The Gate
of David ) 1524.
Te minaret of
the castle, near
Bab AlKhalil ,
south west of
the castle 1531.
AlMadrasa AlBasasia
, 1540.
Takia ( inn )
Khaski Sultan
, turned today
into a house for
orphans ,and still
feed the needed
.
The Moloya Mosque
, 150 m south
west Bab AlAmoud
, 1586 and many
others.
This
article was published
in previous issue
no. 16
