Who was Amir Taz?
Amir Sayf al-Din Taz was a member of the Mamluk court and held important posts, including dawadar (secretary of state) and governor of Aleppo. He built his palace on Suyufiyya Street in 753 AH, in an area that in the Mamluk period became home to leading amirs and the ruling class.
The palace keeps a large courtyard, a loggia (maq'ad) and decorated halls, and is one of the best surviving examples for understanding the aristocratic Mamluk house away from the al-Muizz Street axis.
How did they shape Cairo?
Taz Palace extends the map of Mamluk Cairo towards Saliba and Suyufiyya. The area shows that fine architecture was not concentrated in Bayn al-Qasrayn alone, but spread along routes linking Ibn Tulun, the Citadel and Darb al-Ahmar.
The palace also shows that amirs' palaces were major projects, able to shape the street around them just as religious buildings did.
Monuments linked to Amir Taz
Where to see their legacy today
From Taz Palace you can follow Saliba Street to the mosque and khanqah of Shaykhu and on to the Mosque of Ahmad ibn Tulun – a strong walk for understanding the south of historic Cairo.