Islamic Architecture
sahn
An open courtyard in a mosque
central-plan mosque
Arranged around a center rather than an axial plan
muqarna
Islamic vault treatment that fragments the surface into many concave segments. Muqarnas ma be built in masonry or suspended as elements from an overhead structure
haram
Literally, "private" or "sacred". Used to describe the sanctuary in a mosque and the family living quarters in an Islamic home.
Muslim
"one who has submitted to God's will"
Islam
"submission to God's will" c. 570 CE Birth of Muhammad in Mecca 610 CE First Revelation 622 CE Flight to Medina 630 CE Return to Mecca 632 CE Death of Muhammad
Shah Mosque (Masjid-i-shah) Isfahan, Iran 1611-1630 CE
-4 Iwan
Great Mosque "Mezquita" Cordoba, Spain 785 and 833-988 (late 8th and 9-10th centuries CE)
-After 1236: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Selimiye Mosque Edirne, Turkey 1568-1575 CE
-Architect: *Sinan* -Central Plan -Ottoman Empire
Dome of the Rock Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel 687-691 CE (late 7th century CE)
-Central Plan -Roman and Byzantine precedents -*circumambulation*
4) What is the architectural form of the Dome of the Rock? What are some architectural precedents that are related to this form? What is culturally significant about the choice of this type of building?
-Central Plan Mosque -Santa Costanza, Orthodox Baptistery -ambulatory-circumambulation, mosaics
Friday Mosque Ishafan, Iran 8th -17th centuries CE
-Four Iwan Plan Mosque -Quibla Iwan -Pointed Arch -*Muqarnas* (stacked niches) -Minarets
Great Mosque Courtyard
-Great Mosque Mosaics -Depict paradise -Vegetal motifs, architectures, no human or animal forms
Great Mosque Damascus, Syria 706-715 CE (early 8th century CE)
-Hypostyle Plan -Previous site of Roman temple to Jupiter and 4th c. church of John the Baptist -Christian Basilica -*minarets* -courtyard (*sahn*) -prayer hall (*haram*) -Dome marks location of *mihrab* -Shrine to John the Baptist inside
12) What are "muqarnas" both in architectural and decorative terms?
-Lessen the weight -Pretty
Dome of the Rock Interior
-Original Mosaics -Geometric and floral motifs (*arabesques*) -Calligraphy from the Koran -Kufic Brickwork
2) What is "circumambulation" and what role does it play in religious rituals of Islam (or of other religious traditions we have studied, such as Buddhism and Hinduism)?
-Prayer around Ka'ba in Mecca (Pilgrimage) -Praying in a circle-act of worship
Great Mosque Plan
-Quibla wall faces Mecca (top of diagram)
Great Mosque "Mezquita" Prayer Hall
-Reused Roman and Visgoth columns
3) Where is the Dome of the Rock? Why is that location so significant for three major religions (Islam, Christianity, Judaism)?
-Temple Mount -Location of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac, location of first and second Jewish Temple (Solomon's temple) -Location where Muhammad supposedly ascended to Heaven and came back.
mihrab
A niche in the qibla wall indicating the direction of Mecca.
Great Mosque "Mezquita" Mihrab and Maqsura
-lobed and interlaced arches
1) What are the "Five Pillars of Islam" How do these religious obligations manifested in religious architecture?
1. Declaring One God and Muhammad is His Messenger-Calligraphy, Kufic 2. Prayer 5 Times a Day-Minaret, masjid 3. Giving 2.5% of ones savings to poor 4. Fasting During Ramadan 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca- Mihrab, quibla wall
bazaar
A covered market in Islamic cities.
masjid
A district or neighborhood mosque, a place for daily prayer
Hypostyle mosque
A large hall composed of many columns placed close together to support the roof.
Kufic
Characters employed in stonework and tile inscriptions in Islamic Architecture
madrasa
Islamic college for theological, legal, and literary studies
Iwan mosque
Each wall of the courtyard is punctuated with a monumental vaulted hall, the Iwan -four Iwan
minaret
In Islamic architecture, the tower associated with a mosque from which the faithful are called to prayer.
minbar
In a mosque the pulpit from which the imam leads prayers.
maqsura
In early mosques, an area in front of the Mihrab reserves for officials and sometimes given extra ornamentation (unusual vaulting or a dome) or special screening for security
Great Mosque "Mezquita" Entrance
Interlaced arches, lobed arches, horseshoe arches
Koran (Qur'an)
Muslim holy book
aniconic
Ornamentation that is symbolically suggestive rather than literally representative.
iwan
Roofed or vaulted chamber open on one side, often facing the courtyard of a mosque. -Chamber with arched opening
qibla (qibla wall)
The direction of Mecca, indicated in a mosque by the mihrab; by extension, the wall in which the mihrab is placed.
horseshoe arch
Usually associated with Islamic styles, such arches are horseshoe (Semicircular narrowing towards the base below the springing-line, on straight piers)
