January 2016 – April 2021; funded by the US Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Preservation, with additional funding from the US Embassy in Cairo; the Barakat Trust-UK; the Embassy of the Netherlands in Cairo; Prince Claus Fund; and ALIPH Foundation.

Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i is the founder of one of the four rites of Sunni Islam. The mausoleum, which dates to 1211 AD with later additions from the 14th to the 19th centuries, is a palimpsest of Islamic decorative styles. The first phase of conservation activities included:

• Conservation of dome exterior, including stucco, lead cladding and metal boat finial.
• Masonry repair including crack repair, grouting, stone exchange, and repointing.
• Conservation of wooden elements and mosaic floor.
• Repair and insulation of roofs.
• Excavation and repair of subsidence problems.
• Conservation of marble cladding.

The second phase focused on the following:

• Conservation works in the entrance and the corridor to the mosque.
  • Masonry works.
  • Conservation of painted wooden ceilings.
• Conservation of the dome interior.
  • Conservation of carved stucco windows.
  • Conservation of painted wood decoration on the interior surface of the dome.
  • Conservation of the wooden doors and windows.
• Site presentation and lighting.

Both phases included comprehensive graphic and photographic documentation of the building’s architecture and details, and of all the finds and the work done. The project also included site promotion activities and events, most notably storytelling walks and a mural-based self-guided tour.  The opening of the conservation project took place in April 2021. Work on the onsite visitors’ center  started in  mid 2021.