Dar Ibn Luqman (Mansoura National Museum)

Historical background

The house (Dar) was built as the residence of the judge Fakhr El-Din Ibn Luqman during the reigns of several Ayyubid and Mamluk rulers. It became a landmark after King Louis IX was imprisoned here in 1250, following his defeat by the Egyptians in the Seventh Crusade.

Foundation of the National Museum of Mansoura

The house has an entrance hall, a courtyard and two rooms on the ground floor, and a hall on the first floor. President Gamal Abd El Nasser opened it as a museum to celebrate Egypt’s victory. The displays include Crusader swords, a collection of maps, large paintings of the Battle of Mansoura and sculptures of the captive King Louis IX with his guards.

Highlights

The house is small, and its interest lies in the story it tells. In 1249 the army of the Seventh Crusade, led by Louis IX of France, captured Damietta and marched south towards Cairo. It was stopped near Mansoura in 1250, and the king was taken prisoner and later released for a large ransom.

• The rooms of the house itself, traditionally identified as the place where Louis IX was held
• The painted scenes of the Battle of Mansoura, which make the events easy to follow
• The Crusader-era swords and the maps of the campaign

Visiting tips

Half an hour to an hour is enough. Mansoura lies on the Damietta branch of the Nile, and a walk along the river makes a pleasant addition to the visit.

The museum is a good stop if you are travelling through the Delta between Cairo and the coast, or combining it with a visit to Damietta, where the crusaders landed.