Islamic Architecture

The Horseshoe Arch

Now we are going to see:

The materials that they used were poor.

Plaster:

(yeso)

Ceramics: Bricks:

(ladrillos)

Nothing is eternal, only Allah

Remains

With these poor materials they were able to create wonderful works of art with an exuberant decoration: They used the following types of decoration:

Geometrical Motifs Calligraphic Motifs

Plant Motifs

Mosque of Cordoba

Mihrab Caliphal Dome

Palace of Medina Azahara

Alhambra

Court of the Lions

“Patio de los Arrayanes”

Mocarabe Dome

El Generalife

• What is the name of a typical Islamic Arch?

– Horseshoe Arch

• The materials that they used were rich or poor?

– They were poor

• Is the decoration exuberant?

– Yes, It is

• Do they usually represent images of people or animals?

– No, they don’t

• Why?

– Because it is forbidden by the Koran.

• What three types of decoration are there?

– Geometrical motifs

– Plant motifs (ataurique)

– Calligraphic motifs (cúfica o nasjí)

• What is the name of the typical Islamic Domes?

– Caliphal Domes, whose ribs (nervios) don’t meet in the centre.