Islamic Mosque Architecture

PPT presentation

1. Islamic Mosque Architecture

2. Masji Al- Nabawi , Medina -- the second holiest mosque in Islam, it marks the final resting place of the prophet Muhammad A mosque (masjid in Arabic) is a place where Muslims can gather for prayer

3. Muslim religious practices do not require ceremonial space

4. Muslim prayer can be conducted anywhere: all you need to know is which direction faces towards Mecca

5. But on Fridays, Muslims gather together for communal prayer, and the mosque provides a non-hierarchical space in which to do this

6. Standard elements of the Muslim Mosque includes the Sahn , or courtyard, and an ablutions fountain

7. The fountain is used for cleansing before prayer

8. The Minaret is a tower used by the Muezzin to call the faithful to prayer

9. It is similar to Christian bell towers, that are similarly used to announce the time for worshi p

10. Inside the Mosque, there is a Qibla wall that faces in the direction of Mecca

11. The Mihrab is an indentation in the wall that faces in the direction of Mecca

12. It usually takes the form of a decorated niche, and simply indicates which direction to pray

13. The Minbar is a structure located next to the Mihrab

14. Similar to a pulpit in a Christian church, the Minbar is where the prayer leader, or Imam, gives the Friday sermon

15. This is a Mihrab from a mosque in Isfahan, Iran – and is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

16. It exhibits several typical features of Islamic art

17. The pointed arch was a variant on the Roman arch, and is a distinctive element of Islamic architecture

18. The decoration of the niche is made with ceramic tiles, a common material in Islamic decoration

19. The decorative motifs include geometric patterns, stylized plant forms, and calligraphy – all of which were common in Islamic ornamentation

20. The Mihrab is similar to the apse of a Christian church, in that it provides a focal point for prayer

21. But a major difference is that in Islamic religious architecture, figural imagery is strictly forbidden

22. Great Mosque, Damascus, Syria, 706- 715 One of the oldest surviving Islamic mosques is the Great Mosque of Damascus, built by the Umayyad Caliphs in the 8th century

23. Just as Early Christians re-purposed the Roman basilica for the Early Christian church, Islamic architects also appropriated Roman models for their mosques

24. Great Mosque, Damascus, Syria, 706- 715 The Great Mosque at Damascus is preceded by a Sahn , with an ablutions fountain

25. The piers with arches surrounding the courtyard resemble Roman aqueducts

26. The prayer hall itself is based on the Roman basilica

27. The interior has Corinthian columns, and Roman-style arches

28. Great Mosque, Kairouan , Tunisia, c , 836-875 The Great Mosque at Kairouan , Tunisia is an example of a hypostyle mosque

29. The mosque is preceded by a courtyard, with a minaret tower, and the prayer hall itself is a broad rectangular building

30. It is called a “hypostyle” mosque, because inside the prayer hall the roof is held up be a forest of columns

31. Inside the mosque we see Corinthian columns, and a variation on the standard Roman round arch

32. Islamic architects introduced the Horseshoe arch – a variation on the Roman arch, and distinctive of Islamic architecture

33. Mihrab from the Madrasa Imami , Isfahan, Iran, c . 1354 Glazed tilework Metropolitan Museum The Pointed, or “ ogival ” arch, was another distinctively Islamic variation

34. Great Mosque, Córdoba, Spain, 8thc A spectacular hypostyle mosque was built by the Umayyad Caliphs of Spain

35. Great Mosque, Córdoba, Spain, 8thc It is the largest mosque in the Islamic west

36. The prayer hall has 514 columns, topped by double-tiered arches

37. Here we see the distinctive use of the horseshoe arch

38. And Roman-style Corinthian columns

39. Great Mosque, Isfahan, Iran; begun 1073 In the 11 th century the four- iwan mosque replaced the hypostyle mosque

40. Great Mosque, Isfahan, Iran; begun 1073 The “ iwans ” refer to the monumental entrances off the central courtyard

41. The Four Iwan Mosque The building is organized around a central courtyard with vaulted entrances or iwans The largest vault is the entrance to the prayer hall Plan of a Four Iwan Mosque Image source: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/arc/ind/2_meisaku/50_zavareh/zav_eng.htm

42. The entrances and the onion-shaped dome are decorated with intricately patterned ceramic tiles

43. Here we see the three major elements of Islamic ornamentation: geometric patterns, vegetal patterns, and calligraphy

44. This is a view of one of the domes from the interior

45. Image source: http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1475927287015862856xWIKOd The iwan entrances are decorated with a stalactite pattern called a muqarnas

46. The complex patterns of the muqarnas extends the use of geometric pattern to architecture

47. The pattern suggest abstract complexity of the universe

48. Sinan the Great, Mosque of Selim II, Edirne, Turkey, 1568-1575 One of the greatest Islamic architects was Sinan the Great, who built the Mosque of Selim II, in Turkey

49. Based on the Hagia Sophia (which it rivals in size), the building is an example of a central plan mosque

50. It is spectacular in it decoration and design

51. Watch the Smarthistory discussion to learn more