AL-GASHANKIR
(706-709 A .H./1306-1310 A .DD)
Sultan Rukn al-Din baybars al-Gashankir ordered the foundation of the Khanqah in 706 A .H./1306 A.D, on part of the Fatimids great ministry house which was founded by al-'Afdal Shahinshah ibn Badr al-Gamali, where the Khanqah is located on Gamaliya street
The plan relied on the prototype design of ma-drasas which is composed of two opposite iwans; one was for the poor Shafeyite sufis and the other was for the Hanafite.
It also contained two opposite gathering halls perpendicular to the iwans, each containing a group of solitaries for the Arabs and Persian sufis. The building also contains a mausoleum for baybars which occupies the larger part of the façade overlooking the street, preceded by a riwaq allocated for students of the (Hadith).
The total area of the Khanqah is 1650 m2 containing a courtyard, without fountains, with an area of 315 m2 making the ratio between its area and that of the Khanqah is 1:5, which is less than the ratio followed in other former buildings (Plate 1/32)
The qibla iwan, which is in the southeast, is considered the larger of the two Khanqah iwans.
It consists of a rectangular area covered by a pointed vault, (Photo 1/32), and on both sides are two recesses overlooking it through a pointed arch, also in both the southeast and northeast sides are recesses with an open ceiling used as a wind catcher .
The mihrab is located in the center of the front wall of the iwan.
It is on the form of a semi-circular niche topped by a pointed arched hood preceded by a pointed arched shallow recess. The mihrab is free from decorations, whereas the arches of the hood and the recesses are enclosed by projected decorative profile .
On the right side of the mihrab ther is a recent wooden minbar (photo 2/32) .
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