Module 3: Islamic Architecture

Mihrab

(Islam) a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca

The Great Mosque (Kaba)

-Mecca, Saudi Arabia (608) -Ka'ba shrine @Mecca -1st house of worship built to Allah -black stone incorporated by Angel Gabriel -pilgrimage by ALL Muslims if able -kiswah= veil over Kaba with fabric to keep safe

Islamic world time

7CE - 17CE (600-1600AD) Location: iran, iraq, Syrian, turkey, north africa *Mecca is holiest city

Great Mosque of Damascus

@ Damascus, Syria 705-715 -earliest surviving mosque -commissioned by Caliph al-Walid I -built on site of previous temple and church *had minibar, mihrab, quibla, masquara, haram, and minarettes Architecture: asiles seprated by collums supported by large arcade and wood roof -use of marble, mosaics, spolia, and based on prayer -express power of empire through Ummayad and caliph bc building is stable and powerful *early Islamic style= ummayad

House and Mosque of the Prophet

@ Medina, Saudi Arabia (622) -public building for cummunity involvment -massive ocutyard with covered prayer halls -brick built *oriented to pray towards Mecca *early Islamic style= ummayad

Mosque of Suleyman and Shezade mosque

@Istanbul patron= sulyman the magnificant - designer= sinan -multidome plan

The Dome of the Rock

@Jerusalem in 692, Ummayad Dynasty -commissioned by caliph Abd al-Malik -earliest surving islamic monument -built on rock where Abraham sacrificed Issac *place of importance for Jews, Muslim, Christian *shrine Architecture: octogonal wall with outer ambulatory and octogonal arcade to circular arcade to surround rock -large marbel collums (spolia from rome), mosaic, marbel, flowering patterns -reuse materials for political statement -Dome with central planning * political statement bc built on historical place of importance to show power of Ummayad Dynasty and monument to Malik's power as caliph

Mosque

A Muslim place of worship

Minaret

A distinctive feature of mosque architecture, a tower from which the faithful are called to worship.

hypostyle mosque and examples

A mosque whose hall is characterized by many closely spaced columns that support its roof. **Abassid dynasty with rivals Region: middle east, N. Africa, Spain= Arabic language Great Mosque, Samarra (847) Great Mosque, Córdoba (784) Mosque of Al-Azhar, Cairo (970) *Baghdad was center of Islamic world

Sahn

An open courtyard in a mosque

Mosque of Al-Azhar,

Cair, Egypt. (970) -rival of Abbassid = Fatamid capital - hypostyle mosque plan= collumns - Haram transcept with asiles and 9 bays *similarites with Ummayad Dome of Rock (pointed arches, veinlike decor, spoliated colums)= shows legitimate claim to fame as Ummayads

Haram

Covered prayer wall ... area in front of qibla wall

Selimiye Mosque,

Edirne, Turkey, 1568-1575 -patron= Selimye 2nd designer= sinan -part of large complex of religious and civic area -multidome plan interior: central dome supported on 8 piers and buttressed by outside, 4 minor domes with windows in drums, WINDOWS center was a tribune for muezzin (lead call to rayer) -exterior: buttressed dome, symmetry, minarrets, windows

Maqsura

Enclosure in a mosque, situated near the mihrab and minbar, defined by a metal or timber screen, used by a ruler for purposes of protection and status and calipates

Rivals of Abassid Dynasty

Fatimids (909 AD) -based in Egypt Cordoban Ummayad dynsasty (929) -based in spain *used architecture to reflect roman and byzantine world and Ummayad dynsasty to claim to fame

Great Mosque, Córdoba

Great Mosque, Córdoba Spain (987) -capital of Cordoban ummayad dynsaty -hypostyle plan= cpullums - DOme of rock similarites spoilated collums, banded arches, decor in inscriptions, horsearches and roman aquaduct theme= prestegious history *powerful rulers used reliougs buildings for political suthority

Great Mosque of Samarra

Iraq, (847 AD) -large area with mosqu style elemtns -very large spirling minarette -**hypostyle mosque

Friday Mosque

Isfahan, Iran, 12th century (771) -Iwan mosque (originally hypostyle) -south iwam= domed chamber contained masquara and ceiling using elaborate vaulting with geometric desings -large space with blue tiles

Caliphate

Islamic empire ruled by those believed to be the successors to the Prophet Muhammad.

Madrasas

Islamic institutions of higher education that originated in the tenth century.

Multi-Domed Mosques

Mosque type popular in Turkey/ Asia Minor Large, centrally organized mosque with domed spaces *Ottoman Rule -Selimiye Mosque, Edirne (1569)

2 types of Islamic buildings

Shrine and Mosque

Suleiman the Magnificent

The most illustrious sultan of the Ottoman Empire, 'The Lawgiver.' he expanded the empire in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean.

Islamic architecture 2 : early mosques

The prophet's mosque @ Medina (622AD) Great Mosque @ Damascus (705AD) *Ummayad Dynasty

Qibla

This wall in a mosque always faces Mecca.

3 Major caliphates of Islam

Umayyad Caliphate (661-750AD) - capital at Damascus, Syria... well coordinated and tidy Abbasid Caliphate(750-1517) -"golden age of Islam", messier with rival conflicts Ottoman Calipate (1517-1924) -Turkey ethnic group.. overthrew Abbasids

Minbar

a pulpit from which sermons are given and the Koran is read

Iwan

a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open.

Early shrines places

holy place that protects something sacred - The Great Mosque @ Mecca (608-1631) -The Dome of the Rock @ Jerusalem (692)

Masjid

mosque for small member worship

Islamic Architecture

quibla, haram, minibar, mihrab, masquara, sahn, minaerrets - use of spolia to state power -pulled ascpect from Byz. architecture -faced towards Mecca *powerful rulers used reliougs buildings for political suthority

Iwan mosque

rectangular wall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open Regions: Iran, West/central asia -Friday Mosque (771) @ Isfan, Iran

Caliph

successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslims

Prophet Muhammad

the founder of Islam, believed to be the last true prophet sent by God, wrote the Koran which were his revelations *Born in Mecca 570AD fled to Medina in 622AD (saudi arabia)

Sinan

the greatest of all Ottoman architects under Suliman the great (1538-1588) -used architecture to impress world and for fame/propoganda he popularized multidome form for ottoman empire ex.) Selimiye Mosque, Misque of Sulyman, Shezade mosque

Spolia

the re-use of earlier building material or decorative sculpture on new monuments... used to state legitimacy of power bc conquer previous buildings