Abstract

Mamluk Architecture was renowned for its grandeur. It had characteristic features that distinguished it from other styles and added to its unquestioned beauty. Cairo saw a revival of the Mamluk style in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century at the hands of renowned European architects such as Antoine Lasciac and Mario Rossi, in addition to European-educated Egyptian architectures, most notably Mustafa Fahmi. During the reign of Khedive Ismaâ il, Egypt witnessed a strong wave of European-influenced buildings, at the same time that the Mamluk style was being revived. The revived style was used in many buildings, not only religious ones. Domestic buildings were erected in that style for both foreign and Egyptian clients. The historical context in which the revival phase took place is a very important factor because it enables us to posit the reasons behind its revival. The aim of this thesis is to argue that the neo-Mamluk style was the chosen style of Egyptian nationalism. Out of the many architectural styles that led up to it, it became prominent and persistent even in cases where more than one of these styles were fused. To support this argument I will try to answer previously raised questions concerning this revival and address earlier scholarly arguments concerning this period. The second part of the thesis will deal with evolving examples from the late 19th century to our present day to support the hypothesis that the Mamluk style was the chosen style of Egyptian nationalism.

Department

Arab & Islamic Civilizations Department

Degree Name

MA in Arabic Studies

Graduation Date

2-1-2012

Submission Date

January 2013

First Advisor

O'Kane, Bernard

Committee Member 1

Kenney, Ellen

Committee Member 2

Bacharach, Jere

Extent

136 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

Architecture, Mameluke -- Egypt.

Library of Congress Subject Heading 2

Islamic architecture -- Egypt.

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Approval has been obtained for this item

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