Ribat of Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun

Ribat of Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun
رباط السلطان المنصور قلاوون
Former names	Habs al-Ribat
Alternative names	Al-Ribat al-Mansuri Al-Mansuriyya
General information
Type	Mamluk Ribat
Architectural style	Egyptian Mamluk architecture
Location	southern end of the eastern side of Bab al-Nazir Road, one of the gates of the Noble Sanctuary, Jerusalem
Town or city	Jerusalem
Country	Palestine Israel

The Ribat of Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun (Egyptian Arabic: رباط السلطان المنصور قلاوون, Hebrew: ריבאט של הסולטן אלמנסור קלאוון), or simply al-Ribat al-Mansuri (الرباط المنصوري) or al-Mansuriyya. It is a ribat (refuge for the poor of Sufis) that was given by (Waqf) the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt Al-Mansur Qalawun to the poor and visitors of Jerusalem in the year 681 AH / 1282 AD, as can be seen from an inscription above the door of the ribat. Alaa al-Din Al-Basir supervised its construction. It is one of the few royal institutions built outside Al-Aqsa Mosque. A number of sheikhs supervised it.

Description

The ribat consists of an open courtyard surrounded by a number of rooms and cells. A mosque has been attached to it. It is reached through an arched entrance leading to its doors, which have a cross-vaulted ceiling. The porch, in turn, leads to the open courtyard, rooms, cells, and the mosque. In the late Ottoman era and early 20th century, this ribat was transformed into a prison, and it was called Habs al-Ribat "Ribat Prison." Afro-Palestinians residents began to reside in the ribat due to its proximity to Al-Aqsa Mosque, where they took over guarding and caring for it and providing services to its visitors. Over time, the ribat became attached to the African community, which established a community association there. Then it was used in the late Ottoman era as a residence, and it remains so until now. Several families of Takarta Sudanese live there, as does Ribat al-Basir. A number of rooms have recently been added to it inside the open courtyard.