There are several amazing mosques in
Cairo not only for their architectural style and beauty, but for their historical role. And one of those mosques is
Masgid (Mosque) El-Rifai'i. I loved this place after my first visit in 2008. But that time I didn't know there are the resting places of several members of the Egyptian royal family.
So, one day I paid a visit to Masgid El-Rifai'i again, it was on
26th of October, 2009.
The mosque was filled with an incredible aroma of flowers. The fragrance was coming from left side of the mosque, where I noticed a big wooden gateway. I couldn't suppress my interest and went to discover what there was. The doorman said it's a big hall for kings' tombs (burial chamber). In order to see that chamber, I paid him some
baksheesh (tips) and received the permission to enter. There were the tombs of
Isma'il Pasha;
King Farouk (the Last king of
Egypt), and some other very famous and important individuals. But still, I couldn't find any flower near these tombs. Then I realized that on the left side there is another chamber. Entered and found myself in a "flower paradise". It was wonderful and incredible. The magnificently decorated room with marble holds the tomb of the last Shah of
Iran Mohamed Reza Shah Pahlavi, who died here after spending his last time in exile in
Cairo in 1980. The mosque served briefly as the resting place of Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, who died in exile in South Africa in 1944, and was returned to Iran after World War II. I didn't stay there very long that day, as it was Shah's birthday and that's why the tomb was decorated with flowers. The guy told me that a delegation shall come and I had to leave. Here are some photos taken during my following visits.
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| Sultan Hassan(L) and El Rifai'i R) mosques, view from the Citadel of Salah el-Din |
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| El Rifai'i mosque |
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| Entrance |
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| the tomb of Mohamed Reza Shah |
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| the map of Iran |
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| the blazon on the gravestone |
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| Interior of the tomb |
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| the gravestone |
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