ait Bey, perfection seemed almost to have been reached.
This is particularly true of the tomb mosques, situated in the mausolea
on the east side of the city, and known as the Tombs of the Khalifs.
That of Barkuk is noticeable, on account of its two superb domes, its
two minarets, and a carved pulpit, the latter erected by Kait Bey. The
Mosque of Kait Bey is, however, the finest of the group; it has a lofty
dome, adorned with bands of sculpture, minarets with galleries, and
bronze doors. There are beautiful ivory carvings over the tomb, while
the edifice is lighted by fifty colored glass windows. Near by, the
smaller modern tomb mosque of the Khedive Tewfik (the father of the
present Khedive), which is resplendent with a wealth of interior
decorations, suffers in comparison.

The defeat of the Mamelukes, and the Ottoman occupation of Kahira in
1517, caused no cessation of mosque building; but there was a departure
from the Saracenic models, and also a still more marked return to the
congregational form than had been witnessed in the days of the great
builders just noted. This is evident in the last great mosque of the
modern period, that of Mohammed Ali (the independent monarch), begun by
that ruler, but not completed until 1857. It is situated in the citadel
and has an immense court, surrounded by arcades; but, unlike the
original type, it is covered with an immense dome, producing an
impressive effect. The exterior has also four smaller domes (one on each
side) and two very tall minarets, with shorter ones on each corner. The
mosque is likewise called the Alabaster Mosque, as the columns are built
of yellow alabaster and the walls encrusted with it; its location in the
citadel gives it a commanding position, and, being modern, it has
escaped the ravages of time.

[Illustration: _Openwork dagobas_]

Only a few representative mosques have here been outlined
architecturally (several others were visited), but an attempt has been
made to give these their political and social significance and
setting. Of the artistic side of the picture, it is claimed, on high
authority, that there have been manifested, in the construction of these
mosques, great architectural skill, perfection of ornament in wood,
plaster, and stone, and a careful adherence to Saracenic principles.

The most conspicuous point in Cairo is the citadel, erected by Saladin
in 1166, and constituting a fitting monument of his reign. From its
position and its