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)