The architectural structures and urban development projects that shaped the urban fabric of Cairo during the Mamluk period

Abstract This study examines the causes of the significant urban transformations that Cairo underwent during the Mamluk period—an era representing one of the richest phases in the city’s urban and architectural development. Spanning more than two centuries, this period gave rise to superimposed urban layers and imposing architectural monuments. The study posits that a primary factor shaping the urban and architectural fabric of historic Cairo—in the form that has persisted to the present day—was a series of construction projects and urban expansions. These developments, which at times followed a pre-planned approach, were intertwined with complex political, social, and economic dynamics. Such major urban transformations played a fundamental role in structuring the city and defining its distinct urban character.