Yesterday evening wooden elements of Al-Emari mosque in Esna were subject to damage after a fire occurred in its backyard due to an electrical issue.

According to Mostafa Amin, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities the blast did not affect the mosque's walls but it had a minor impact on its wooden elements such as the mashrabeya windows, the pulpit and arcades.

Today antiquities minister Mamdouh El-Damaty appointed an archaeological and architectural committee to inspect the damage and provides solutions to repair and restore it.

Al-Emari mosque is one of Egypt's oldest mosques. It has very distinguished Islamic architecture and one of the oldest and most important Fatimid minarets that survives until today. The mosque was built in 474 AH during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Montaser Bi-Alla Al-Fatimi and was named Al-Azhar Al-Saeed by the public.

Mohamed Ahmed, head of the Islamic monument in Esna explains that the minaret, is attributed to Fakhr Al-Mulk Saad Al-Dawla Sar Takin, a high-ranking Fatimid official. It is very important minaret because it sheds light on our understanding of the nature and the wealth of official patronage in the Fatimid period.