Places of worshipThe Islamic centuries

The Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi and the Mosques Square

A mosque in the Andalusian style over the tomb of Sheikh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, on a square over the Eastern Harbour that also holds the El Bousiri and Yaqut el-Arsh mosques.

Around it on the map

The façade of the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi: the Andalusian gateway with its lattice screens between two carved domes, the words “Remember God” above it, palms and street lamps in front

Image credits

The story

What sets it apart

Andalusian domes and carving on a square over the Eastern Harbour.

1The mosque’s façade and its Andalusian domes
2The El Bousiri mosque and the Burda poem
3The Yaqut el-Arsh mosque and its court
4The mawlid of al-Mursi Abu al-Abbas in July

The page “Tourist sights in El Gomrok District” on the governorate portal says the Mosques Square looks over the Eastern Harbour and holds many shrines, and that the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi was built in the Andalusian style.

Sheikh Shihab al-Din Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, born in al-Andalus according to Arabic Wikipedia, lived most of his life in Alexandria. The same page says the El Bousiri mosque faces Abu al-Abbas, with the poem al-Burda carved on its inner wall, and that the Yaqut el-Arsh mosque faces it too, its court the setting for religious rites and celebrations.

In July 2026 Youm7 reported the square and the work on its mosques and shrines largely finished, part of a 271 million pound project overseen by the antiquities authorities and the Awqaf ministry; the mawlid of al-Mursi Abu al-Abbas is held every July.

The Yaqut el-Arsh mosque with its carved domes and two minarets on the open Mosques Square, with apartment blocks around it

The Islamic centuries7th century – 1800

Its place in time

The hill of Kom El Nadura goes back to the Fatimid period; Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi lived in Alexandria in the 13th century; Sultan Qaitbay built his citadel over the Lighthouse’s ruins between 1477 and 1479; and Hajj Ibrahim Terbana built his mosque in 1685.

Before itKom El NaduraThe Fatimid period; its observatory from Mohamed Ali’s time
This landmarkThe Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi and the Mosques SquareThe sheikh of the 13th century; the square renewed in 2026
After itQaitbay Citadel1477 to 1479 (882 to 884 AH)

On the timeline of all the landmarks

Memories of the place

Every memory is taken from a published, documented source, named under it.

The 13th centurySources differ on this date
Sheikh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, born in al-Andalus, lived most of his life in Alexandria: forty years according to the district’s page, forty-three according to Arabic Wikipedia.
Source: Arabic Wikipedia: «جامع أبو العباس المرسي»

The other memories 3

As the district’s page describes it (2009)
The Mosques Square looks over the Eastern Harbour and holds many shrines; the Abu al-Abbas mosque is in the Andalusian style, facing the El Bousiri mosque, with the Burda poem on its wall, and the Yaqut el-Arsh mosque.
Source: Alexandria Governorate, El Gomrok District: «المزارات السياحية بحي الجمرك» (2009; archived 29 Dec 2013)
February 2026
The Governor of Alexandria toured the project to renew the Mosques Square.
Source: Youm7: the governor follows the Mosques Square project (18 Feb 2026)

The other memories1

July 2026
Before the yearly mawlid, the Awqaf ministry had largely finished the square and the work on the mosques and shrines, part of a 271 million pound project overseen by the antiquities authorities and the Awqaf ministry.
Source: Youm7: the mawlid of al-Mursi Abu al-Abbas and the Mosques Square works (4 Jul 2026)

Around it

This landmark
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Nearby landmarks

Distances are as the crow flies, and approximate.

Emergency and hotline numbers
National government complaints line	16528
Alexandria Governorate operations room (from a landline)	114
Child helpline	16000
Police	122
Ambulance	123
Fire service	180
Gas emergency	129
Electricity faults	121