Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque

Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi came from Murcia in Andalusia, settled in Alexandria in the thirteenth century and became the head of the Shadhili Sufi order, and his tomb has been a site of veneration ever since. The building over it is modern: an Italian architect designed the present mosque and it was completed in 1945, in a cream stone Andalusian-Mamluk revival style with an octagonal plan, four domes, high arched windows and a minaret of seventy-three metres. Inside, the space is bright and open, with Italian marble columns and geometric ceilings, and four Sufi tombs including the saint's. It stands in Anfoushi, the old fishermen's quarter on the harbour spit, and the square outside is one of the busiest in the city.

What you actually see

• The octagonal prayer hall - bright, high and open on marble columns.
• A seventy-three-metre minaret - the tallest feature of the harbour skyline.
• The saint's tomb - the Shadhili shrine the mosque was built around.
• Anfoushi square outside - the old fishing quarter at the mosque door.

When to go

April to November, outside prayer times. Friday midday is very busy and not the moment for a visit. Evenings when the mosque is lit are striking from the square. One hour.

Honest expectations

The building is twentieth century in a historical style, so it is not the medieval monument some expect. Access for non-Muslims varies with who is on the door and may be refused. Modest dress and shoes off. The square outside is chaotic with traffic and hawkers.

Nearby

The Qaitbay fort is at the end of the spit; the fish market is a short walk.