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Islamic architecture report
Islamic architecture has four principal types - mosques, tombs, palaces, and forts - and has been influenced by various styles over time and geography. Some key influences include the Umayyad caliphate which introduced minarets and arabesque designs, Moorish architecture exemplified by the Great Mosque of Cordoba, and Fatimid and Mamluk architecture in Egypt. Elements of Islamic architecture include geometric patterns, arabesque designs, calligraphy, pishtaqs, muqarnas vaulting, and an emphasis on repetition and balance conveying infinity and grandeur. The document outlines the evolution and spread of Islamic architectural styles.
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Islamic architecture report
- 2. Islamic Architecture - secularand religious styles - four principle architectural types: the Mosque, the Tomb, the Palace and the Fort
- 3. INFLUENCES AND STYLES
- 4. INFLUENCES AND STYLES RashidunCaliphate - 632–661 - first state to use Islamic Architecture - the first foundation of Islamic cities Basra, Kufa and Fostat
- 5. INFLUENCES AND STYLES UmayyadCaliphate - Umayyad Empire - 661–750 - Minarets, Arabesque, Mosaic, Luxury palaces.
- 6. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Moorisharchitecture • Great Mosque at Cordoba (785 CE) - Construction lasted for over two centuries under Abd ar-Rahman - Mezquita (Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption)
- 9. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Moorisharchitecture • Great Mosque at Cordoba Abd ar-Rahman III ordered a new minaret (9th century) Al-Hakam II enlarged the plan of the building and enriched the mihrab (961 Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir completion of the outer aisles and orange tree courtyard were completed in 987
- 11. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Moorisharchitecture • Great Mosque at Cordoba - 1236 - King Ferdinand III of Castile
- 12. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Moorisharchitecture • Great Mosque at Cordoba Characteristics: - Giant arches and its forest of over 856 ( of an original 1,293) columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite - Richly gilded prayer niches and mihrab - Maksoureh (anteroom for the caliph and his court)
- 13. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Moorisharchitecture • Great Mosque at Cordoba Characteristics: - Baroque choir - Courtyard of the Orange Trees (Patio de los Naranjos) - Torre del Alminar
- 15. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Moorisharchitecture - Alhambra - Arab tradition of architecture and design
- 18. INFLUENCES AND STYLES FatimidArchitecture - Fatimids followed Tulunid techniques and used similar materials
- 19. INFLUENCES AND STYLES FatimidArchitecture • al-Azhar mosque - "the splendid“ , - 969–973, - Cairo - First congregational mosque
- 21. INFLUENCES AND STYLES FatimidArchitecture • Mosque of al-Hakim - 996–1013
- 25. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Mamlukarchitecture - 1250–1517 AD - Religious Zeal (Zealotry) - Mamluk rule - Cairo, wealthiest city and the center of artistic and intellectual activity - Ibn Khaldun: “the center of the universe and the garden of the world”
- 26. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Mamlukarchitecture - built of stone and predominant in the two major regions under their control: Egypt and Greater Syria
- 27. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Mamlukarchitecture - wood: doors, panels, mihrabs and mashrabiyyas - Domes, built of stone - Stucco
- 28. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Mamlukarchitecture - Four-iwan plan (including mosques and madrasas)
- 29. INFLUENCES AND STYLES MamlukArchitecture - three-tiered minaret - Buildings are generally not symmetrical - Qibla
- 31. INFLUENCES AND STYLES MamlukArchitecture - Calligraphy - Ablaq technique - Muqarnas - very cosmopolitan in nature
- 33. Mamluk Architecture • Mosque of Sultan Hassan - Cairo, Egypt - 1356 – 1363 AD - Used stones from the pyramids at Giza - 300 people were killed – minarets
- 34. MOSQUE OF SULTANHASSAN
- 35. Mamluk Architecture • Mosqueof Sultan Hassan Characteristics: - The building became a mosque and religious school for all four juristic branches of Sunni Islam: Shafi’e, Maliki, Hanafi and Hambali
- 37. Mamluk Architecture • Mosqueof Sultan Hassan Characteristics: - Represent great Mamluk architecture monument in Cairo - Façade is about 76 meters long and 36 meters high
- 38. Mamluk Architecture • Mosqueof Sultan Hassan Characteristics: - Verses from the Quran in elegant Kufic and Thuluth scripts adorn the inner walls
- 41. INFLUENCES AND STYLES PersianStyle - One of the first civilizations that Islam came into contact with during and after its birth - eastern banks of the Tigris and Euphrates
- 42. STYLES Persian Style - Baghdadbased on Firouzabad in Persia - Naubakht and Mashallah, hired by al- Mansur - Persian-style mosques: tapered brick pillars, large arcades, and arches supported each by several pillars.
- 43. Persian Style • ImamMosque - 1611 - 1629 - UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE - Shayk Bahai (Architect) - Has 4 minarets
- 45. Persian Style • FridayMosque of Herat - Jumah Mosque - Heraf, Afghanistan - 1404 – 1446 - Jalal al-Din Firuzshah (Architect) - Has 8 minarets
- 47. INFLUENCES AND STYLES AzerbaijaniArchitecture - home of Nakchivan and Shirvan- Absheron architecture schools - mausoleum of Yusuf, (1162)
- 49. INFLUENCES AND STYLES AzerbaijaniArchitecture - Shirvan-Absheron school used stones instead of bricks - Palace of Shirvanshahs
- 51. INFLUENCES AND STYLES TimuridArchitecture - pinnacle of Islamic art in Central Asia - sanctuary of Ahmed Yasawi in present-day Kazakhstan and culminated in Timur's mausoleum Gur-e Amir in Samarkand
- 52. INFLUENCES AND STYLES TimuridArchitecture - Axial symmetry (Shah-e Zendah in Samarkand & the mosque of Gowhar Shad in Mashhad)
- 53. INFLUENCES AND STYLES OttomanTurkish Architecture - most numerous and largest of mosques exist in Turkey - Byzantine, Persian, & Syrian-Arab designs
- 54. INFLUENCES AND STYLES OttomanTurkish Architecture - Cupola domes - 500 years Byzantine architecture: Hagia Sophia served as models - Shehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.
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- 59. INFLUENCES AND STYLES OttomanTurkish Architecture - Achieved the highest level architecture in the Islamic lands - mastered the technique of building vast inner spaces confined by seemingly weightless yet massive domes, and achieving perfect harmony between inner and outer spaces, as well as light and shadow.
- 60. INFLUENCES AND STYLES OttomanTurkish Architecture - Simple buildings with extensive decorations transformed by Ottomans through dynamic architectural vocabulary of vaults, domes, semidomes and columns
- 61. INFLUENCES AND STYLES OttomanTurkish Architecture - Mosques was transformed from being a cramped and dark chamber with arabesque-covered walls into a sanctuary of esthetic and technical balance, refined elegance and a hint of heavenly transcendence.
- 62. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Indo-IslamicArchitecture - fusion of Arab, Central Asian and Persian elements with the local Hindu architecture - most famous examples of Mughal architecture are the series of imperial mausolea, which started with the pivotal Tomb of Humayun, but is best known for the Taj Mahal
- 63. INFLUENCES AND STYLES IndoIslamic Architecture • Taj Mahal - 22 years (1631-1653) - Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal, 14th wife - 20,000 workers - 32 crore rupees
- 64. INFLUENCES AND STYLES IndoIslamic Architecture • Taj Mahal - “Palace of the Crown” - Taj means “crown” - Mahal means “palace”
- 69. INFLUENCES AND STYLES IndoIslamic Architecture • Taj Mahal - Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, principal designer with the help of Ustad Isa from Persia
- 70. INFLUENCES AND STYLES IndoIslamic Architecture - charbagh style of Mughal garden: Shalimar Gardens in Lahore where the domeless Tomb of Jahangir is also located - Red Fort and Agra Fort, built for Akbar
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- 73. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Sino-Islamicarchitecture - The Great Mosque of Xi'an first Chinese mosque established in the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty in Xi'an - buildings date from the Ming Dynasty, does not replicate many of the features often associated with traditional mosques instead, it follows traditional Chinese architecture
- 74. GREAT MOSQUE OFXI’AN
- 75. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Sino-Islamicarchitecture - important feature: symmetry (which connotes a sense of grandeur); palaces to mosques - Gardens (asymmetrical)
- 76. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Sino-Islamicarchitecture - red or grey bricks - Wooden structures - Curved – typical roof
- 77. INFLUENCES AND STYLES Common Interpretation - Concept of God or Allah’s infinite power, evoked by designs with repeating themes which suggest infinity - Human and animal forms are rarely depicted in decorative art - Foliage - “architecture of the veil” - Use of grandiose forms: large domes, towering minarets, and large courtyards: convey power
- 78. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
- 79. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE
- 80. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE Four-iwan plan
- 81. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE
- 82. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE
- 83. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE Cupola – small, dome-like structure on top of a building - Provide lookout, to admit light and air, - Crowns a larger roof or dome
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- 85. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE PISHTAQ - Formal gateway to the iwan - Main prayer hall of a mosque - Vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open - Calligraphy bans, glazed tilework, and geometric designs
- 86. Great mosque ofEsfahan
- 87. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE - Use of bright color - Paler sandstone and grey stones - Focuses on both the interior space of a building and the exterior
- 88. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE ISLAMIC DECORATIVE ELEMENTS 3 fundamental forms used in Islamic art: • Calligraphy • Islimi • Geometry
- 89. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE Geometric Pattern - exemplify the Islamic interest in repetition, balance and symmetry and continuous generation of pattern - the integration of geometry with such optical effects as the balancing of positive and negative areas, a skillful use of color and tone values
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- 91. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE Arabesque (Islimi) - Biomorphic - Floral patterns - Flowers and trees
- 92. Islamic relief panelfrom Medina Azahara, Cordoba, Spain
- 93. ELEMENTS OF ISLAMICARCHITECTURE Calligraphy - Closely linked to geometry - Proportions of the letters are all governed by mathematics - Inscriptions, most often used as a frame along and around main elements of a building like portals and cornices
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Editor's Notes
- #3 Islamic architecture has encompassed a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures within the sphere of Islamic culture.The principle architectural types of Islamic architecture are; the Mosque, the Tomb, the Palace and the Fort. From these four types, the vocabularly of Islamic architecture is derived and used for buildings of lesser importance such as public baths, fountains and domestic architecture.[1]
- #5 HistorySection of the Mshatta facade, now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, from a palace near DamascusThere are few buildings dating from the era of Prophet Muhammad, but one example is the Juatha mosque in Saudi Arabia.Rashidun CaliphateMain article: Rashidun CaliphateRashidun Caliphate (632–661) was the first state to use Islamic Architecture, sought the first use of Islamic Forts, Administration systems (Dar al-Imara) and the first foundation of Islamic cities (Basra, Kufa and Fostat).
- #6 Umayyad CaliphateMain article: Umayyad CaliphateUmayyad Empire (661–750), in the Umayyad era many new elements were included to the Islamic architecture: Minarates, Arabisque, Mosaic, Luxury palaces.
- #7 Construction of the Great Mosque at Córdoba (now a cathedral known as the Mezquita) beginning in 785 CE marks the beginning of Islamic architecture in the Iberian peninsula and North Africa. The mosque is noted for its striking interior arches. The site previously is Roman temple before the mosque was constructed in the 8th century. Finally, a mosque was added inside by the Christian conquerers in the early 13th century
- #10 The construction lasted for over two centuries, startign 734 bc, under the emir, Abdar-RahmanThe Mosque underwent numerous of subsequent changes: Abdar-Rahman III ordered a new minaret (9th century)While Al-Hakam II enlarged the plan of the building and enriched the mihrab (961) and the last of the reforms, including the completion of the outer aisles and orange tree courtyard were completed by Al-Mansur IbnAbiAamir in 987
- #12 1236 –cordoba was captured from the moors by king ferdinand III of castile.The christians consecrated it, dedicated to Virgin Mary, and used it as a place of worship
- #13 Giant arches and its forest of over 856 ( of an original 1,293) columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite. These was taken from the Roman temple wich had previously occupied the site and other destroyed Roman buildings.Mihrab, a domed shrine of byzantine mosaics built by Al Hakam II (961-76) In front of Mihrab is Maksoureh, a kind of anteroom for the caliph and his court, its mosaics and plasterwork make it a masterpiece of islamic art
- #14 Baroque choir – 16th century – intricate ceiling and richly carved 18thc choir stallsCourtyard of the Orange Trees (Patio de los Naranjos) - which in spring time is perfumed w/ orange blossoms and has a beautiful fountainTorre del Alminar – the minaret once used to summon the faithful to prayer, has a Baroque belfry
- #16 Moorish architecture reached its peak with the construction of the Alhambra, the magnificent palace/fortress of Granada, with its open and breezy interior spaces adorned in red, blue, and gold. The walls are decorated with stylized foliage motifs, Arabic inscriptions, and arabesque design work, with walls covered in glazed tile.Moorish architecture has its roots deeply established in the Arab tradition of architecture and design established during the era of the first Caliphate of the Umayyads in the Levant circa 660AD with its capital Damascus having very well preserved examples of fine Arab Islamic design and geometrics, including the carmen, which is the typical Damascene house, opening on the inside with a fountain as the house's centre piece.ee Moors).
- #19 Fatimid architectureIn architecture, the Fatimids followed Tulunid techniques and used similar materials, but also developed those of their own.
- #20 In Cairo, their first congregational mosque was al-Azhar mosque ("the splendid") founded along with the city (969–973), which, together with its adjacent institution of higher learning (al-Azhar University), became the spiritual center for Ismaili Shia.
- #22 The Mosque of al-Hakim (r. 996–1013), an important example of Fatimid architecture and architectural decoration, played a critical role in Fatimid ceremonial and procession, which emphasized the religious and political role of the Fatimid caliph. Besides elaborate funerary monuments, other surviving Fatimid structures include the Aqmar Mosque (1125)[14] as well as the monumental gates for Cairo's city walls commissioned by the powerful Fatimid emir and vizier Badr al-Jamali (r. 1073–1094).
- #26 The reign of the Mamluks (1250–1517 AD) marked a breathtaking flowering of Islamic art which is most visible in old Cairo. Religious zeal made them generous patrons of architecture and art.Zealotry was originally a political movement in 1st century Second Temple Judaism which sought to incite the people of Iudaea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from theHoly Land by force of arms, most notably during the Great Jewish Revolt (66-70). Zealotry was described by Josephus as one of the "four sects" at this time. Trade and agriculture flourished under Mamluk rule, and Cairo, their capital, became one of the wealthiest cities in the Near East and the center of artistic and intellectual activity. This made Cairo, in the words of IbnKhaldun, "the center of the universe and the garden of the world", with majestic domes, courtyards, and soaring minarets spread across the city.
- #27 The architecture of the Mamluks is primarily built of stone and predominant in the two major regions under their control: Egypt and Greater Syria.
- #28 Wood is used for elements such as doors, panels and mihrabs, as well as for the lattice window screens known as mashrabiyyas. Domes are commonly built of stone. Stucco is used for decorative elements.Mihrab (Arabic: محراب miḥrāb, pl. محاريب maḥārīb) is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is thus the "qibla wall.“Stucco is a mortar mixture used for siding.A mashrabiyya is a type of window that allows you to see out, but not in. They are also called oriel windows, that are enclosed with carved wood latticework, usually located on the 2nd floor or higher of a buiding, sometimes having stained glass between the wood.
- #29 The four-iwan plan, which was introduced earlier to the architecture of Egypt and Syria by the Zangids and Ayyubids, emerged as the most common plan for the religious buildings of the Mamluks, including mosques and madrasas, as well as the numerous structures that combined both. These madrasas and mosques often include a domed mausoleum for the building's patron. madrasa - A building or group of buildings used for teaching Islamic theology and religious law, typically including a mosque.
- #30 The minaret in the Mamluk tradition often has different sections along the component parts of its shaft, resulting in an arrangement referred to as the three-tiered minaret. This minaret would have a square base, followed by an octagonal shaft, which in turn would be proceeded by a circular shaft, the upper part of which might be colonnaded.Mamluk buildings are generally not symmetrical, instead they tend to emphasise the use of balance over symmetry in their overall composition. The alignment of the building with the different directions of the street and the qibla is emphasised, and this results in a rich variety of entry sequences to buildings that mark dramatic changes in axis. The buildings are monumental in scale, especially those located in Cairo.qibla - is the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays during salah. It is fixed as the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.
- #32 The Mamluks used calligraphy extensively. Also, the ablaq technique, which was introduced during the late Ayyubid period, becomes widespread and even characteristic of Mamluk architecture. The use of stone muqarnas is ubiquitous, the most elaborate examples articulate the half-domes located over entry portals. Even column capitals sometimes consist ofmuqarnas units. ubiquitious - Existing everywhere, or seeming to exist everywhereAblaq (Arabic: أبلق; particolored) is an architectural style involving alternating or fluctuating rows of light and dark stoneablaq - This technique is a feature of Islamic architecture.[1] The ablaq decorative technique may have been a derivative from the ancient Byzantine Empire, whose architecture used alternate sequential runs of light colored ashlar stone and darker colored orange brickThe architecture of the Mamluks was very cosmopolitan in nature. Cairo was an important international political and commercial centre, and it attracted artisans from various regions. Mamluk architecture consequently incorporates influences from al-Andalus, North Africa, Crusader, Central Asia, and Persia.cosmopolitan - free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.
- #34 Located in Cairo, EgyptConstruction started 1356 AD by Sultan Hassan and finished in 1363 AdHistorians believe the mosque used stone from the pyramids at GizaOne of the minarets collapsed during construction killing 300 people
- #42 One of the first civilizations that Islam came into contact with during and after its birth was that of Persia. The eastern banks of the Tigris and Euphrates was where the capital of the Persian empire lay during the 7th century. Hence the proximity often led early Islamic architects to not just borrow, but adopt the traditions and ways of the fallen Persian empire.Islamic architecture borrows heavily from Persian architecture and in many ways can be called an extension and further evolution of Persian architecture.
- #43 Many cities such as Baghdad, for example, were based on precedents such as Firouzabad in Persia. In fact, it is now known that the two designers who were hired by al-Mansur to plan the city's design were Naubakht (نوبخت), a former Persian Zoroastrian, and Mashallah (ماشاءالله), a former Jew from Khorasan, Iran.precedent - antecedent, authority, criterion, exemplar, instance, model, paradigmPersian-style mosques are characterized by their tapered brick pillars, large arcades, and arches supported each by several pillars.
- #44 Consturctionbegain in 1611 and completed in 1629It is a unesco world heritage site
- #46 Also known as Jumah MosqueBuilt in 1404 (groundbreaking) and completed in 1446Located in Herarf Afghanistan
- #48 The Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century also helped Islamic architecture to flourish in Azerbaijan.[27][28] The country became home of Nakchivan and Shirvan-Absheron architecture schools. An example of the first direction in the Azerbaijani Islamic architecture is the mausoleum of Yusuf, built in 1162.
- #50 The Shirvan-Absheron school unlike Nakchivan style used stones instead of the bricks in the construction. At the same characteristics of this trend were the asymmetry and stone carving, which includes famous landmarks like Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
- #52 Timurid architecture is the pinnacle of Islamic art in Central Asia. Spectacular and stately edifices erected by Timur and his successors in Samarkand and Herathelped to disseminate the influence of the Ilkhanid school of art in India, thus giving rise to the celebrated Mughal school of architecture. Timuridarchitecture started with the sanctuary of Ahmed Yasawi in present-day Kazakhstan and culminated in Timur's mausoleum Gur-e Amir in Samarkand.
- #53 The style is largely derived fromPersian architecture. Axial symmetry is a characteristic of all major Timurid structures, notably the Shah-e Zendah in Samarkand and the mosque of GowharShadin Mashhad. Double domes of various shapes abound, and the outsides are perfused with brilliant colors.[edit]
- #54 The most numerous and largest of mosques exist in Turkey, which obtained influence from Byzantine, Persian and Syrian-Arab designs.
- #55 For almost 500 years Byzantine architecture such as the church of Hagia Sophia served as models for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Shehzade Mosque, the Suleiman Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.Ottoman Turkish architects implemented their own style of cupola domes.[5] The architecture of the Turkish Ottoman Empire forms a distinctive whole, especially the great mosques by and in the style of Sinan, like the mid-16th century Suleiman Mosque
- #60 The Ottomans achieved the highest level architecture in the Islamic lands hence or since. They mastered the technique of building vast inner spaces confined by seemingly weightless yet massive domes, and achieving perfect harmony between inner and outer spaces, as well as light and shadow.
- #61 Islamic religious architecture which until then consisted of simple buildings with extensive decorations, was transformed by the Ottomans through a dynamic architectural vocabulary of vaults, domes, semidomes and columns. The mosque was transformed from being a cramped and dark chamber with arabesque-covered walls into a sanctuary of esthetic and technical balance, refined elegance and a hint of heavenly transcendence.
- #63 Another distinctive sub-style is Indo-Islamic architecture in South Asia, it is a fusion of Arab, Central Asian and Persian elements with the local Hindu architecture. The most famous examples of Mughal architecture are the series of imperial mausolea, which started with the pivotal Tomb of Humayun, but is best known for the TajMahal, The TajMahal is completely symmetrical except for Shah Jahan's sarcophagus, which is placed off center in the crypt room below the main floor. This symmetry extended to the building of an entire mirror mosque in red sandstone to complement the Mecca-facing mosque place to the west of the main structure
- #64 TajMahal was built in 22 years, with the orders of shah jahan and it was dedicated to MumtazMahal (the 14th wife of Shah Jahan)Shahab-ud-din, known as Prince Khurram before ascending to the throne in 1628
- #65 TajMahal means ‘Palace of the Crown’ because Taj means “Crown” , Mahal means “palace”It is myth told that Shah Jahan got the hands of his sculptors and architects cut off so that they would never be able to build a monument as magnificent and beautiful as TajMahal again and he even got their eyes pulled out so they would never be able to witness anythign bigger and beautiful than the monument they had built during their lifetime
- #70 While the white domed marble mausoleum is its mosr familiar component, the TajMahalos actually an integrated complex of structuresIt is known that a large team of designers and craftsmen were responsible with Jahan himself taking an active role. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri – principal designer with the help of ustad Isa from persia.
- #71 A famous example of the charbagh style of Mughal garden is the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, where the domeless Tomb of Jahangir is also located. The Red Fort in Delhi and Agra Fort are huge castle-like fortified palaces, and the abandoned city ofFatehpurSikri, 26 miles (42 km) west of Agra, was built for Akbar in the late 16th century.
- #74 The first Chinese mosque was established in the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty in Xi'an. The Great Mosque of Xi'an, whose current buildings date from the Ming Dynasty, does not replicate many of the features often associated with traditional mosques. Instead, it follows traditional Chinese architecture. Some Chinese mosques in parts of western China were more likely to incorporate minarets and domes while eastern Chinese mosques were more likely to look like pagodas.[31]
- #76 An important feature in Chinese architecture is its emphasis on symmetry, which connotes a sense of grandeur; this applies to everything from palaces to mosques. One notable exception is in the design of gardens, which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like Chinese scroll paintings, the principle underlying the garden's composition is to create enduring flow; to let the patron wander and enjoy the garden without prescription, as in nature herself.
- #77 Chinese buildings may be built with either red or grey bricks, but wooden structures are the most common; these are more capable of withstanding earthquakes, but are vulnerable to fire. The roof of a typical Chinese building is curved; there are strict classifications of gable types, comparable with the classical orders of European columns.Most mosques have certain aspects in common with each other however as with other regions Chinese Islamic architecture reflects the local architecture in its style. China is renowned for its beautiful mosques, which resemble temples. However in western China the mosques resemble those of the Arab World, with tall, slender minarets, curvy arches and dome shaped roofs. In northwest China where the Chinese Hui have built their mosques, there is a combination of eastern and western styles. The mosques have flared Buddhist style roofs set in walled courtyards entered through archways with miniature domes and minarets.[32]
- #78 Common interpretations of Islamic architecture include the following: The concept of God or Allah's infinite power is evoked by designs with repeating themes which suggest infinity. Human and animal forms are rarely depicted in decorative art as God's work is considered to be matchless. Foliage is a frequent motif but typically stylized or simplified for the same reason. Arabic Calligraphy is used to enhance the interior of a building by providing quotations from the Qur'an. Islamic architecture has been called the "architecture of the veil" because the beauty lies in the inner spaces (courtyards and rooms) which are not visible from the outside (street view). Furthermore, the use of grandiose forms such as large domes, towering minarets, and large courtyards are intended to convey power.
- #80 Islamic architecture may be identified with the following design elements:Minarets or towers (these were originally used as torch-lit watchtowers, as seen in the Great Mosque of Damascus; hence the derivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning "light"). The minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia is considered as the oldest surviving minaret in the world. It has the shape of a square massive tower of three superimposed sections.
- #81 A four-iwan plan, with three subordinate halls and one principal one that faces toward Mecca
- #82 Mihrab or prayer niche on an inside wall indicating the direction to Mecca.
- #84 In architecture, a cupola (pron.: /ˈkjuːpələ/) is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building.[1] Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome.
- #86 Pishtaq is the formal gateway to the iwan, usually the main prayer hall of a mosque, a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open; a Persian term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tilework, and geometric designs.[42][43]
- #87 Great Mosque of Esfahan, View of the north iwan from the courtyard, and the pishtaq, decorated with glazed tiles.
- #88 The use of bright color, if the style is Persian or Indian (Mughal); paler sandstone and grey stones are preferred among Arab buildings. Compare the Registan complex of Uzbekistan to the Al-Azhar University of Cairo.Focus both on the interior space of a building and the exterior[
- #89 3 fundamental forms ised in Islamic art
- #91 Tiles in the Alhambra
- #92 Arabesque designs are biomorphic, floral patterns representing the underlying order and unity of nature with a great deal of accuracy, flowers and trees might be used as the motifs for the decoration of textiles, objects and buildings.
- #93 Islamic relief panel from Medina Azahara, Córdoba, Spain, c. 940. The central panel pattern springs from a central base and terminates within the space; most later ones do neither.
- #94 The use of decorative Islamic calligraphy instead of pictures which were haram (forbidden) in mosque architecture. Note that in secular architecture, human and animal representation was indeed present.
- #95 Islamic calligraphy on large pishtaq of theTajMahal.