Al Qasr ruins at Dakhla oasis date back of early Islamic age

Al Qasr (The palace) is a rare model of an Islamic city at Al Dakhla oasis. It was one of the first Islamic cities to receive Muslim tribes coming to the oasis in 50 hijira year.

The city, however, was so called at the beginning of the llth Hijira century because the buildings were constructed following the style of a Roman building called Al Qasr.

Al Qasr remained the capital of Al Dakhla oasis until the end of the Ottoman age.

It is the only area so far preserving its old Islamic style of architecture.

Al Qasr embraces the ruins of a mosque that belongs to the early Islamic age in addition to a minaret that follows the Ayubbid style, although it belongs to the Ottoman age.

The sun-dried brick minaret bears all aesthetic elements of Islamic architecture.

The area also includes several historic mansions, mills and oil presses.

Above the doors of all houses and entrances of domes are wooden thresholds made of acacia trees with engraved or relief writings in different Arabic handwritings.

Made with such accuracy and beauty, the thresholds are fixed with iron nails.

Their main purpose was to identify the owner of the house, state the year in which the house was built and mention some Quranic verses and prayers, and sometimes words of welcome to visitors.

The oldest of these thresholds found in the city bears the date of 924 Hijira i.e the end of the Mamluk age and the beginning of the Ottoman rule.