AL YUSUFI DOOR

Originally designed for the office of Queen Noor of Jordan, the example shown here is the main entry door to Sofitel Sharm El Sheikh. The double door follows the pattern of classical ornamental Mamluki doors found in Cairo, and most closely follows the design of the 14th-century external door of Al Yusufi Mosque.

A border of trefoil crenelations surrounds the entire central design. Another rectangular crenelated border with a quarter-circle vegetal ornament also with trefoil crenels at each corner (zawaya), encompasses a large twelve-sided openwork star medallion with trefoils at each point flanked by two cast octagonal geometrical door handles of Moroccan style. The medallion is formed of the same elaborate foliate design as in the original prototype, with a polished disk at the center of the medallion surrounded by trefoil crenels and touching an outer polished circle. The medallion is split down the middle of the double door.

Two etched and incised calligraphic panels surrounded by trefoil crenelated borders are placed above and below the central rectangle.