Tankiz Mosque
جامع تنكز
A 14th-century Mamluk mosque built by Damascus governor Sayf al-Din Tankiz al-Nasiri, known for its distinctive striped minaret.
Tankiz Mosque was built in the first half of the 14th century by Sayf al-Din Tankiz al-Nasiri, the Mamluk sultanate's deputy governor of Damascus, who was known for his large urban development projects in the city during his relatively long tenure.
The mosque is distinguished by its square minaret decorated with alternating black-and-white stone bands in the Damascene Mamluk style known as "ablaq," along with a main entrance adorned with fine geometric ornamentation, and a prayer hall that retains its architectural simplicity and discipline despite the many centuries since its construction.
The mosque sits within the fabric of the historic markets of the Old City of Damascus, making it a landmark that many visitors pass while wandering through the Old City's markets without necessarily stopping to explore it in depth, despite its genuine architectural and historical value as one of the surviving examples of Mamluk architecture in Damascus.
Tankiz Mosque is a good example for understanding the Mamluk architectural style and distinguishing it from the later, more widespread Ottoman style seen in Damascus's other mosques.
For the visitor
Location: 33.5119, 36.2975 · Open on the map
Photos: Dosseman — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
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