Bab al-Futuh

Cairo, Egypt

One of three surviving gates of the Fatimid walls of Cairo, built by Armenian military commander Badr al-Jamali. A masterpiece of pre-modern Islamic military architecture.

Historical Context

After a period of crisis and famine, the powerful Armenian vizier Badr al-Jamali rebuilt Cairo's walls and gates in stone, replacing the earlier mud-brick fortifications. The new walls were designed to withstand the siege warfare techniques of the Crusader and Seljuk armies.