Who was Al-Aziz bi-Allah?
Al-Aziz bi-Allah succeeded al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah at a time when Cairo was still a newly formed Fatimid capital. During his reign the city grew in its institutions and buildings, and one of his most important projects was the mosque later known as the Mosque of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.
Work on the mosque began in 380 AH but was not finished before al-Aziz died. His son al-Hakim completed it, so al-Hakim's name stuck to the building even though the project was started by his father.
How did they shape Cairo?
The story of al-Aziz and the Mosque of al-Hakim shows how royal architecture worked in Cairo: a project could span more than one reign, while the name in everyday use compresses a longer history. When it was built, the mosque stood outside Jawhar's original wall; it came inside the city only after the expansion under al-Mustansir bi-Allah and Badr al-Jamali.
Al-Aziz's story is therefore linked to the change of Cairo's northern edge from the outskirts of the city to part of its fortified heart.
Monuments linked to Al-Aziz bi-Allah
Where to see their legacy today
When you visit the Mosque of al-Hakim, remember that the project began under al-Aziz, then compare its position with the neighbouring Bab al-Futuh, which came later with the expansion of the city.