Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

CAIRO — Qalawoon is a massive complex divided into two separated places in Al-Moez Le-Din Allah street which is located at the north end of the goldsmith’s section in the Azhar. The first place includes a dome, a school, and a hospital, which was owned by Sultan Mansour Qalawoon, while the second place is named after Al-Nasser Mohammed Ibn Qalwoon, son of Sultan Mansour Qalawoon, comprises a school and a mausoleum.



The Qalawoons were part of the Marina Mamlouks, and Mansour, a Turk kipchak, ranked seventh among them. He became part of the Mamluk after one of Sultan Al-Kam’s household members bought him for 1,000 Dinars of gold.



Mansour, who was also known as Al-Alfi, was an Emir under Sultan Baibars. He first established a hospital for mental illness, however, after 1915 the hospital is known for treating eye diseases. According to an Arabic daily,  Qalawoon hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in Egypt, and today Mansour had built it to atone for his sins because he had  killed a large number of Egyptians in three days.



A worker at the school said that the Sultan opened the school because he wanted all four religion principals to be taught to pupils. Bedrooms were also constructed for foreign student, which are closed now. “Although students studied in separate room in the school, they met at one place for prayers,” the worker adding that the second floor of the mosque is closed now.



Sultan Al-Malik Al-adel Zyn Aldain kitbuga ordered the construction of Sultan Al-Naser school.



Al-Nasser Mohammed Ibn Qaloown was the ninth Sultan and the only son of Sultan Mansour Qalawoon. He ruled Egypt thrice between 1293 and 1294 AD, 1298 and 1309, and finally once again between 1309 and 1340. The architecture of all the places boast of exemplary craftsmen ship and unique designs.