The Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo was completed in 1013 and named for Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.
Construction began in 990 under Caliph al-Aziz Billah, but the mosque was completed during the reign of his son, al-Hakim. It stands near Bab al-Futuh, one of Cairo’s historic northern gates, and formed part of the Fatimid capital’s monumental urban landscape.
The mosque is notable for its unusual minarets, which are enclosed by distinctive rectangular outer structures. Its broad courtyard and hypostyle prayer hall reflect important features of early Fatimid religious architecture.
Al-Hakim Mosque is sometimes confused with other major Cairo mosques. Al-Azhar is the famous Fatimid mosque associated with the historic Islamic institution of learning, while Al-Aqmar Mosque is a smaller Fatimid monument known for its richly carved stone façade. Al-Hakim Mosque is specifically identified with the caliph who ruled from 996 to 1021.