Home - Moaaz Lafi

about me

Hello!

I’m Moaaz Lafi, a researcher in Islamic architecture and urban history, with a special focus on the Mamluk period. My current work explores how architecture was represented in historical narratives and legal documents, particularly in late fifteenth-century Cairo during the reign of Sultan Qaytbay. I am currently pursuing my graduate studies at the American University in Cairo. Along the way, I have been fortunate to receive research support from the Egypt Exploration Society and the Barakat Trust, which have both contributed meaningfully to the development of my academic work. This website serves as a space where I share my research projects, reflections, and academic publications related to the history of art, architecture, and the urban history in the Islamic world.

research Interests

Mamluk Urban and Architectural History

My primary research focuses on the urban and architectural history of Cairo during the Mamluk period (1250–1517). I am particularly interested in how architecture intersected with power, law, and public space during the reign of Sultan Qaitbay. My work draws on historical chronicles, waqf documents, and architectural surveys to better understand the relationship between built form and political culture.

Islamic Art and Orientalism

I explore how Islamic architecture has been represented in the writings and visual materials of 19th-century European travelers and Orientalists. This includes analyzing sketches, paintings, and texts that shaped modern perceptions of Islamic heritage, especially in Egypt and the Levant.

Comparative Islamic Architecture

I maintain a strong interest in the architectural traditions of Al-Andalus, the Seljuks, and the Safavids. Through comparative studies, I seek to identify broader patterns in Islamic urbanism and aesthetics across regions, while remaining attentive to local specificities and historical contexts.

Moaaz Lafi

Historian of Mamluk Architecture and Urbanism