The Ministry of Antiquities announced the start of renovating Anji Hanem mosque in Alexandria on Sunday. The restoration process takes place with the help of the Ministry of Endowments.
Mohammed Metwally, general manager of Alexandria and North Coast’s monuments announced that the restoration will include the most worn down parts including the minaret of the mosque, the women’s praying area, the façade, and the roof of the mosque.
According to Metwally, these areas are the ones “in bad need for quick restoration.”
Renovating the mosque was funded by an a donor; however, it is under the full supervision of both ministries. Meanwhile, it was stated in a press release that the donor signed all of the legal documents that assure that he’s only responsible of financing the process until the mosque is fully restored.
The ministry firstly started renovating the ramshackled wooden sticks holding the mosque’s minaret which were totally destroyed due to curculionoidea, a beetle that eats wood. As for the roof, a thick layer of water resistant substance was applied over it in order to prepare the time-worn building top for the upcoming rain season.
The mosque, located in Moharam Bek district in Alexandria, is listed as one of the most important Islamic and Coptic monuments. It was built by Anji Hanem, the wife of Khedive Sa’eed.
