In the time of the Mamluk Empire, it was Sultan al-Ashraf Abu al-Nasr Qaytbay who had this beautiful wikala built in 1481 in Cairo, Egypt. It now stands on a site next to Bab al-Nasr, a 11th-century fortified gate in Cairo's Fatimid-era walls. This location was strategically significant as a commercial hub. While the Mamluk Empire was nearing its decline, Qaytbay oversaw a period of relative stability and prosperity, and commerce was still vigorous. Many similar wikalas were built during the Mamluk Empire, including Qaytbay's earlier Sabil-kuttab-wikala and Sultan al-Ghuri's wikala.
The wikala of Qaytbay was not only intended for shops and merchants, but also for a rab - a residential complex with rented units. It has suffered in modern times as a result of being used as a tenement and has lost some of its original elements. However, it is currently under restoration by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. The wikala still stands here today as a testament to a bygone era, unifying the past and the present.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Mutabor
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