The house of Zaynab Khatun was built in 1468, with later additions in 1713. It is situated in the old town, near the al-Azhar mosque. The Supreme Council of Antiquities restored it in 1996; renovation works included the underpinning of structural walls, the demolition of damaged structures, and waterproofing of the roof.
Noteworthy aspects of this house include the painted and gold-decorated ceiling of the qa'a, or main room. The grand reception hall on the second floor overlooking the courtyard is representative of Mamluk qa'a. Typically a qa'a is a lofty tripartite space comprising a square hall (durqa'a) lit and ventilated by a wooden lantern in its roof and flanked by two opposing iwans whose floors are elevated above that of the central hall by one or two steps. The durqa'a usually housed a fountain beneath the skylight. The two other sides of the central hall contain opposing rectangular alcoves that look like miniature iwans, and, in the case of the house of Zaynab Khatun, a mashrabiyya overlooking the courtyard and facing an alcove on the opposite side of the hall.
Wonderful capture & great atmosphere !! you've succeeded with such great lighting to create a bright mood that helps to imagine a pleasant place behind those steps !! Excellent work dear Na3ma !! welcome back :)
ne3mat allah.. how r u dear , long time no c.. hope u r doing great just as ur picture .. i really like that narrow cadre very much and u r perfect in capturing light as usual.. very well done ya gameela.
Very original capture N3ma... I like the writings on the upper part of the photo as well as the geometric composition of the photo. Excellent work my friend, Khaled.
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