Islamic ArchitectureHannah Hollon

Alexa DeAntonio

Spread of Islam • Evidence Islam spread:

– Arab architecture appeared in Africa, India, China, and Southeast Asia

– Mosques

• Came to these areas through conquest; mainly trade

• Examples:– Dome of the Rock-

Jerusalem– Alhambra Palace-

Granada, Spain– Taj Mahal- India– Hasan Mosque-

North Africa

Dome of the Rock

Alhambra Palace

Components of Architecture

• Umayyad dynasty = not elaborate

• Abbasid dynasty = based on size and character, designs, minarets

• Arches:– Transverse- replaced

columns to support aisles (came from Rome to Muslims)

– Horseshoe- used in doors and windows (spread to Africa and India)

• Courtyards- decorated gardens; flowers; fountains

• Design- calligraphy, geometry, and floral forms

• Decorative domes as roofs

Horseshoe ArchTransverse Arch

Mosques• Main way to see how

architecture spread through Islam

• Architecture– Started out simple –

became elaborate with decoration and minarets

– Prayer halls- 5 times daily

– Courtyards- open to worship Allah

– Domes and arches– Minarets– Arabic calligraphy to

decorate walls

• Purposes:– Dedicated place for

people to worship– Social center– Gave supreme authority

over the people

Shaykh Luft Allah Mosque

Sultan Selim Mosque at Edirne

Minarets• Towers of the mosques• Added to mosques in early

8th century• Muslims called to prayer

from them

*Minaret in Sarajevo, a city with around eighty mosques

•Over time, became more decorative•Colored ceramic tiles and stones•Geometric shapes•Floral designs•Passages from Qur’an

*Tower of Jam, Dated 1194

Ka’ba• Most famous mosque

• Located in Mecca

• Hajj– One of the five pillars– Pilgrimage to holy city of Mecca to worship Allah at the

Ka’ba

Arches

• Arches–Transverse

•replaced classic columns

•used to hold up aisles

•Muslims improved Roman’s form

•allowed lighter walls and buttresses

–Horseshoe: •used in doors and windows

•used in India and North Africa

Bibliography

• Stearns

• http://www.islamicarchitecture.org/architecture/minaret-types.htm

• http://www.ingojphotography.com

• http://www.flickr.com/photos

• http://muslimheritage.com/topics/default.cfm?ArticleID=282

• http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us