Al-Sayyida Nafesa Mosque

The copper dome and the pair of towering, slender minarets identify the Al-Sayyida Nafesa Mosque. It houses the shrine of Nafesa bint Al-Hassan, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad who moved to Cairo in the ninth century. She gained a reputation for deep scholarship and piety, drawing crowds of people who sought her blessing and advice. When she died, she was buried in the house where she lived, which eventually became this intricate complex of marble, wood carvings, and shimmering tile work.