Cairo Historical Medals

Admin12/15/2020

52 2 minutes read

Commemorative medals for Cairo's most famous mosques, celebrating 1050 years since their founding

The Egyptian Treasury and Mint issued a set of commemorative medals as part of the celebrations of the 1050th anniversary of the founding of the city of Cairo.

This year’s celebrations coincided with Cairo being chosen by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) as the capital of Islamic culture and civilization.

According to statement For the Egyptian Ministry of Finance, the commemorative medals for the historic city of Cairo bear images of a group of ancient Islamic monuments, including Al-Azhar Mosque, Al-Aqmar Mosque, the Dome of Imam Al-Shafi’i, Sultan Hassan Mosque, and Muhammad Ali Mosque, in addition to the “water carrier” who carried water between its neighborhoods and streets.

Cairo Historical Medals — Commemorative medal depicting the Muhammad Ali Mosque in Cairo – Egyptian Treasury and Mint

The statement quoted Mohamed Fathy, advisor to the head of the Public Treasury and Mint Authority, as saying, “Egypt’s ancient civilization, which dates back more than 7,000 years, deserves our utmost effort to showcase its cultural heritage in the best possible way.” The statement also asserted that ISESCO’s selection of Cairo as the Capital of Islamic Culture and Civilization for 2020 “affirms Egypt’s position at the heart of the Islamic world, as a meeting point of cultures throughout the ages.”.

Cairo Heritage Medals

Ahmed Kamal, the sculptor and coin designer at the Egyptian Mint, stated that the number and themes of the coins were determined in coordination with the Ministry of Antiquities. He noted that six commemorative designs were chosen, depicting five specific locations, with the last coin celebrating the figure of the water carrier. According to the sculptor, the five locations were selected because they represent different periods in history.

The Al-Aqmar and Al-Azhar mosques represent the Fatimid era, while the Sultan Hassan Mosque dates back to the Mamluk period. The fourth coin depicts the Dome of Imam Al-Shafi'i, which dates to the Ayyubid era, while the final coin celebrates the Ottoman era by portraying the Muhammad Ali Mosque in the Citadel.

One medal celebrates the figure of the "water carrier," responsible for transporting water from reservoirs or rivers to mosques, schools, and homes in Cairo for centuries. The sculptor explained that this profession represents an intangible heritage of the Egyptian capital. He added that the design of the coins took approximately two months, beginning in February and concluding in April. The coins were first sculpted on acrylic fibers and then plated with gold and silver.

Sakka Medal — A medal depicting the historical figure of the water carrier – Egyptian Treasury and Mint

Design challenges

The project managers faced design difficulties due to the lack of clear images with different dimensions and angles of the mosques that were chosen to be photographed, which prompted the designers to make field visits to the selected mosques.

Simone Medhat, one of the sculptors who participated in the project, stated that she went to the Sultan Hassan Mosque and the Al-Aqmar Mosque in the Old Cairo area to photograph them herself.

She added that “Al-Aqmar Mosque is the most time-consuming to work on, because it is located in the narrow Al-Muizz Street and is surrounded by buildings and structures that prevented taking clear pictures like others.”.