Al Khankah

Al Khankah is an administrative center, known in Egypt as a markaz, in Qalyubia Governorate within the Greater Cairo Region of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The seat of the center is the city of Khanka, and the center also includes the city of Khusus. The source describes Khanka as one of the oldest Egyptian cities, and says its name comes from the khanqah that Al-Nasir Muhammad bin Qalawun established on the site of the present city, a khanqah being a type of Islamic building where Sufis could stay for long periods for worship, lodging and religious teaching. Landmarks it lists include the Abu Murtad Mosque, the Al-Ashraf Al-Mahkama Mosque and a mental hospital. The center is divided into village local units such as Abu Zaabal, Al-Qalq and Kafr Hamza.