>ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE (7TH CENTURY ● Afghanistan – 9th century onwards

TO PRESENT DAY) ● South Russia – 7th to 9th century

E.G CLEMNTE onwards
● Mongolia ( part of ) 11th century
onwards
● Philippines and Indonesia – 14th
century onwards
The spread of Islam has been frequently
associated with military conquest, racial
movements and in some cases
displacement of established populations.

GEOGRAPHICAL GEOLOGICAL
- The Moslem faith flourished principally - The countries to which Islam first
in the countries of Southern Asia and expanded were already rich in
Northern Africa building tradition

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- In modern times the following - Important techniques of exploitation of
countries were governed by Islamic natural resources for building work
rulers and largely populated by and trade in building materials had
Islamic people during the following long been established
periods indicated - Brick making and pise’ walling was
th
Africa North of Sahara ( 7 century almost universal in the alluvial plains
onwards ) - In stone bearing areas, the arts of
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selecting and working stones were
● Morocco
strong
● Algeria
- Building stones occur in variety
● Tunisia
throughout the Islamic world
● Libya
- Knowledge of the more
● Egypt
sophisticated techniques applicable
A
Sahara and Eastern Africa ( 9th century to building was based on locally
onwards ) produced materials
● Spanish Sahara - There was a long tradition of ceramic
● Mauretania production, use of gypsum plaster,
● Mali glass manufacture, and various forms
of metal work needed for building
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● Northern Nigeria
● Niger - The prevalence of earthquake in
● Chad near and middle eastern countries
● Sudan resulted in the employment o some
● Somalia long established structural
technique
Asia and Asia Minor ( 7th century onwards )
● Saudi Arabia and States of Arabian
Peninsula CLIMATIC
● Syria - Much of the territory historically
● Israel dominated by Islam tends to be fertile
● Jordan by virtue of irrigation rather than direct
● Lebanon rain fall
● Iraq - Although some of the most important
● Iran areas fall within the Mediterranean
● Asiatic Turkey – 10th century climatic region, the greater part o the
onwards Moslem world lies with I the grip of
 some form of continental climate, RELIGIOUS
with extremes of temperature and
- Islam is the last o the three great
modest rainfall
religions of the Middle East
- Excessive sunshine has produced a
- Its essence is contained in a simple
tendency towards wide eaves and
sentence, which is both the
sheltering arcades
profession of faith and the credo of
- Window openings are minimized
its adherents “ There is only one God
and rain water disposal neglected
and Mohammed is his prophet “
- Cooling effect of structures with very
- Moslem thought is codified in three
heavy walls and high rooms had been
works
widely exploited
1. Koran is regarded as revelation
- Unprotected circulation areas are
through the medium of the prophet
common
Mohammed
SOCIAL 2. Hadith is a collection of his saying
- The Arab groups were essentially or injunction
tribal 3. xLaw which is extracted from the

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- Behavioral patterns and cultural tribes Prophet’s instruction, from tradition
of emergent Islamic societies were and example
based on the traditions of the - The prophet’s successor were the “
desert Caliphs “
- Public life was reserved for men - Islamic world is divided in Sunni and
- Women played a secondary role, Shia persuasions
assuming a major share of the ● Sunni – in Turkey and Africa
domestic and sometimes of the ● Shia – in Persia and Iraq
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agricultural burden ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
- The women’s place was the private
part of the household – the Harem - slamic architecture is not the product
- In public life she was protected by of any one place or people
the anonymity of the veil - It is the product of a major historic
- Men performed the significant event – the rapid conquest of diverse
A
public duties and controlled public territories by people with no
affairs architectural tradition
- Islamic states made provision for the - It is a combination of religious
existence within them self contained philosophy of Mohammed and the
communities/groups of different legacy of Hellenistic and Sassanian
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religion arts of buildings

- Government was normally direct, by a - Majority of Islamic buildings are
despotic ruler or his deputy, and the fundamentally related to a principal
law was based on the teachings of axis:
the Prophet, interpreted by a a. Principal axis “Kibla “ – the general
theologically trained judiciary concept was derived from the line of
balance and symmetry implicit in the
concept of “perfect creation”
b. Secondary axis – frequently
extended into a formal landscape
which is an integral part of the design
 Iwan

- It employs relatively limited repertoire

of elements: arcades, dome spaces,
Mihrab
courts and very large portals,
perhaps incorporating a great
niche, the “ Iwan “

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- Islamic architecture is fundamentally
centered upon God
- Mosque, tombs, and dwellings are the - Prayer space is almost unfurnished
chief buildings - It is essentially democratic and may
- The dominant/chief building is the served many functions other than
mosque prayer
- It is always conceived round an axis - Remains the focus of Moslem life –
directed towards Mecca and with something between a forum and a
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the exception of the first instances, prayer house
this axis is terminated on the inner - The first example was the courtyard of
face of the mosque by the mihrab – the Prophet”s house in Medina
a niche where the leader of the Mosque – a Muslim house of worship
congregation makes his prayer Minaret – a tall tower in, or continuous
- Were of far greater architectural
A
to a mosque arched stairs leading up
importance internally than externally to one or more balconies from which
- An inward looking building whose the faithful are called upon to pray
prime purpose is contemplation and
prayer ● The first minarets were the first extant
- Interior of earliest mosques are towers of the “temenos” of Hellenistic
temple which became the Great
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characterized by forest o columns

which support arches under low flat Mosque of Damascus
roofs , while richly decorated walls and - Position of the minarets varied widely,
domes are features of the later periods several clear tendencies are apparent:
- It is not however designed to be a single minaret associated with the
spiritually uplifting or to produce sense main entrance ( Mesopotamia and
of exaltation, no positive object North Africa ); a coupled minarets
associated with the entrance gate
of attention or adoration is added
(Seljuk and post-Seljuk Persia ); a
single minaret off – center between
courtyard and prayer chamber,
usually on the south side ( Turkey )
- Mosque with more than one such
minaret were by almost universal
tradition built by the members of the
ruling house
- Four is the normal maximum
- A mosque with six is exceptional ● Domes were widely used throughout
- Ka’aba at Mecca is unique with seven the Islamic world
- Persian, Mughal and Egyptian domes
tended to be pointed in contrast to the
hemispherical Turkish version
● Ancient Greek and Roman columns
were often re-used by Moslem and
thus became models for new work
particularly Turkey
● The courtyard which is so fundamental - Fluted columns were not employed
feature of the mosque is also in its - Tapering circular shafts, with entasis
several variations, the principal were common, except in parts of
element o other building types, the Persia where Sassanian influenced
college ( Medrese or Madrassah ), continued, and in India, where a
the hostel ( Han or Caranvaserai ) , square form occurs derived from Jain
the palace and the house model
● The most important form of opening

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was the “pointed arch “
- Originally in Assyria was both used
internally and externally
- Principally two or four centered
- Generally constructed as true arch
- Corbelled examples were common in ● A wide variety of mouldings and
India friezes is found; Ottoman
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● Window openings were frequently architecture in particular is
small and traditionally closed with distinguished by a rich vocabulary of
wooden shutters, iron bars, marble mouldings often used in isolation from
grilles or plaster lights set in glass other forms of ornament
● Moslem architecture is also
characterized by friezes and
A
crestings, often associated with the
Islamic mouldings
Arches ● Abstract and geometric motifs were
basic constituents of Islamic ornament
● Decorations of Moslem buildings were
L.

extensive and they made used of the

● Roof may either be flat, pitched or following techniques:
domical construction a. carving in bas relief
- Pitched roofs in the Mediterranean b. stone inlay
countries were generally covered with c. stone mosaic
Roman tiles, while domes were d. structural assembly of contrasting
sheathed with marble in India, ceramic stones
tiles in Persia and Iraq and lead in e. patterned brickwork
Asia Minor and Europe f. carved stucco
- Flat roofs were rendered, paved, g. ceramic facing
sealed with bitumen or compacted h. ceramic mosaic
clay i. glass mosaic
● Barrel vaulting, or cross vaulting j. Painting
was extensively used for minor k. timber inlay
spans, particularly caranvaserais, l. pietra dura
bazaars, military works and cisterns
 Bas
Relief

Geometric interlacement
e. bas relief carving in stone, timber or
Stone mosaic
plaster
f. ceramic cladding and facing
g. interlocking paneled geometric timber
construction
h. screens or pierce grilles in marble,
metal or timber for window openings
i. internal window lights in stained glass
Glass mosaic
set in plaster
j. colonettes, particularly at quoins

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k. stalactite decorations
● An important structural or ornamental
device, the “stalactite” is peculiar to
Pietra Dura countries dominated by Islam
● The pointed arch, sometimes stilted,
was used from earliest stages in
Moslem development, producing a
series of forms: two centered, four
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centered, horseshoe, cusped,
● Motifs were derived from calligraphy,
foliated and ogee
floral abstraction, geometric
interlacement
● The most recurrent and characteristic
precise architectural features of
Islamic architecture are as follows: Muqarnas
A
a. arcading ( arcade ) in both timber and
masonry
b. Pointed arch
c. true dome
d. columns, similar in proportion to EXAMPLES
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Greco-Roman models and their

A. THE ARAB PENINSULA, SYRIA and
derivatives
MESOPOTAMIA
e. squinches
f. stalactite corbelling 1. KUBBET- ES- SAKHRA ( DOME OF
g. pendentives THE ROCK ), JERUSALEM
● The most significant structural and - Is probably the most fundamentally
decorative techniques used by the important Islamic structure
Moslems are: - Sometimes described as a mosque
a. banded or striated masonry but is should be properly thought of as
b. decorative bonding for brickwork a shrine
c. interlocked and inlaid stone masonry - Occupies a spot on the temple
d. metal or timber ties to arches platform sacred to Jews, Christians
and Moslems; for there stood
successively the Altar of David, the
Calligraphy Temple of Solomon, Temple erected
by the Jews after their exile, Temple of
 Herod ( destroyed A.D. 70 ), and
Hadrian’s Temple of Jupiter
INTERIOR SHOWING THE
- It consist of a great central dome
NOBLE ROCK
covering the summit of Mt. Moriah,
whence the prophet is believed to
have made his night ride to heaven
- Its double timber dome is carried on
2. MOSQUE OF AL-AQSA,
great masonry arcade, which is
JERUSALEM
surrounded by arcaded aisles on
● The most ancient mosque in
octagonal plan
Jerusalem
- The interior is richly finished in
- Built to commemorate the supposed
quartered marbles and glass mosaic
miraculous transport of the prophet
- The exterior wall surface, now
Mohammed in Mecca in a single night
sheathed in sixth century Turkish tiles,
to the great Temple platform in
was originally faced with glass mosaic
Jerusalem sacred alike to Jews,
- The dome , although subsequently
Christians and Moslems
reconstructed, has always consisted of

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- Stands adjacent to the Dome of the
an approximately concentric cross
Rock and align upon it.
braced inner and outer timber
- Here probably stood a basilican
framework
church of Justinian, with nave and
- In concept, the building is similar to
aisles to which double aisles were
the Byzantine Holy Sepulchre in
afterwards added, and this was
Jerusalem which it was design to
probably converted into a mosque,
emulate
enlarged and beautified by Caliph
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- In structural technique, it closely
Abd-Al- Malik
follows Syrian precedent, and in it is a
- Subsequent reconstruction in 780 and
continuation of the tradition of
1035 have produced a multi aisled
Hellenized Syria
prayer space, in which the central
- Built by the Ummayad Caliph Abd Al
aisle is flanked by Corinthian
Malik, although in its feature the
colonnades of Roman proportions,
A
building seems entirely Syrio –
carrying an arcaded wall complete
Byzantine
with triforium and clearstory, and
terminated by a dome over what, in so
church like a structure, it is tempting to
call a sanctuary
DOME
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OF THE MOSQUE OF
ROCK AL-AQSA,
JERUSALEM

3. THE GREAT MOSQUE, DAMASCUS

- Stands on the site of the Roman
INTERIOR SHOWING SOME DETAILS
temple converted into a church by
Theodosius, and rebuilt in AD 75 into
a mosque by Moslems
- Is the earliest mosque to survive intact
 - The original temple of Damascus - It contains the simple tomb of the
stood in a walled temenos ( sacred prophet
enclosure )
- At each corner of its rectangular plan
there stood a square tower THE MOSQUE OF
- In the Christian era a church was built THE PROPHET’S
within the enclosure, occupying a HOUSE, MEDINA
small part at the center
- After the Arab conquest another part
of the enclosure was simultaneously
used as a mosque
INTERIOR
- In 705 the Caliph Al Walid, needing a
mosque adequate for the large
congregation of his capital, took over
the entire temenos
DETAIL OF DOME
- A dome on a high drum was built
over the middle of the central aisle

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- This is the first of many examples of
the use of superimposed arcades to
5. THE GREAT MOSQUE OF
give a greater height to mosque
MALWIYA, SAMARRA
interior
- Now disaffected, was the largest
- Despite the clearly Romano-Byzantine
mosque ever built
techniques of construction and
- It was the work of Caliph
decoration, the building is obviously
Al-Mutawakkil who also built the
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designed for Moslem purpose and
nearby mosque of Abu Dulaf
has a strong Islamic quality
- It consist of an immense walled
courtyard on a ratio of three to two,
155m x 238 m overall surrounded by
four aisles, except on the south where
their number was increased to nine
A
- The internal structure of mud brick
piers and pole joisted roof has long
been disappeared but the massive
brick outer walls remain, buttressed at
intervals of 15.2 m by half round
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towers
- The dramatic and evocative feature of
this building is the enormous
helicoidal minaret at the northern
end, isolated from the mosque , but on
THE GREAT MOSQUE, DAMASCUS the main axis
4. THE MOSQUE OF THE PROPHET’S - The notion of winding ramp
HOUSE, MEDINA encircling a diminishing tower
- The house of Mohammed was derives originally from the ziggurats of
enlarged and rebuilt as a full Mesopotamia
congregational mosque in 707-709 by
Greeks and Egyptian craftsmen
augmenting local labor
- The introduction of one of the first
two mihrabs has given rise to the
suggestion that mihrab may have a
Coptic origin
 - The palace at the center was built on
intersecting cross axes radiating from
the four gates at the cardinal points
- The whole of the center of the city was
given over to the palace, which
accommodated the administrative
buildings and was crowned by a high
THE GREAT MOSQUE OF MALWIYA, green dome to symbolize the
SAMARRA capital
6. THE QUBBAT AS – SULAIBIYA, - The residential quarters formed a ring
SAMARRA immediately inside the great wall
- Was constructed over the grave of the - Nothing now survives of the round city,
Caliph Al-Muntasir and its character must be deduced
- This is the first known mausoleum from fragmentary descriptions and
of Islamic history comparative work at Samarra
- Was constructed on the orders of the
Caliph’s Greek mother on a low hill on

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the west bank of the Euphrates and
aligned upon the Great Mosque
- The grave was set beneath the
plastered block structure, whose style B. EGYPT AND NORTH AFRICA TO
set an important precedent for the TUNISIA
octagonal tomb structures first popular
1. THE MOSQUE OF AL –ASHAR,
in Central Asia and spreading thence
CAIRO
.S
to India and Turkey
- Is the earliest surviving Fatimid
structure
- Converted into a university in AD
988,has an enormous mosque court
enclosed by arcades, beyond which is
the nine aisled sanctuary with a
A
hundred antique columns, forming one
of the most interesting buildings in
Cairo
THE QUBBAT AS –
- A direct sequel to the mosque of Ibn
SULAIBIYA,
Tulun
SAMARRA
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THE MOSQUE
OF AL
–ASHAR,
7. CITY OF BAGHDAD
CAIRO
- Constructed in 762 onwards a few
miles up the Tigris from the decaying
Sassanian capital Ctesiphon by the
triumphant Caliph Al-Mansur as the DETAIL OF DOME
capital of the Islamic world
- Circular in plan, moated and walled,
with four great entrances on principal
axes
INTERIOR
- Its diameter was nearly 2,743 m and a
SHOWING
surrounding great wall was almost
THE
18.3 m high
MIHRAB
 2. THE MOSQUE OF SULTAN and the preceding Roman towers of
BAYBARS, CAIRO the region
- Was the first mosque built by a - The mosque itself has a near
Mamluk Sultan rectangular courtyard, flanked by
- It was of interesting type, with great multi-columned arcades carrying flat
iwans fronting its courtyard roof
- Has only one minaret - Its incorrect southward orientation
reveals its Syrian origin

3. MADRASSAH OF SULTAN SALIH, GREAT MOSQUE, KAIROUAN, TUNISIA

CAIRO
- Is the earliest surviving example and

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typical collegiate mosque-the
madrassah
- Has an indirect entrance to central
courtyard on to which face four iwans
.S
4. THE MOSQUE OF ‘AMR, CAIRO 2. THE ALHAMBRA, GRANADA
- The most ancient mosque in Egypt - A fortified palace with a complex of
buildings set in gardens
A
- Is said to contain some of the earliest
pointed arches in that country - Probably the most famous of all
- The open court about 250 ft square Saracenic structure
with central fountain or ablutions has a - Gorgeous pleasure palace, in the new
single arcade on the entrance front Caliphate of the West, of the Caliph
and triple arcades on either side Abd al Walid, who built mosques at
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Jerusalem and Damascus

- Intended to impress the imagination of
the conquered country as well as to
minister to his enjoyment of the
passing hour
- The principal part of the palace consist
C. SPAIN AND WESTERN NORTH ARICA of two large rectangular courts , one
reserved for the use of the
1. GREAT MOSQUE, KAIROUAN,
sovereign (b) and his entourage
TUNISIA
and the other for public ceremonial
- Founded in 7th century
(a)
- Important for its minaret, the earliest
a. Court of the Lions
complete surviving example of a
- Is 35.00 m x 20.00 m
structure built for its purpose
- Is surrounded by arcades, in
- The architectural origin of its minarets
which very slender columns
can be traced to the square shafted
with high dosseret blocks
tapering stone church towers o Syria
carry a perforated arcade
 structure of stucco, incredibly in 848, Al – Hakam in 961and 968,
pierced and interlaced to give and by Al – Mansur in 987
it a filigree like delicacy - Designed to be inferior in size only to
- At the eastern end of the court the Malwiya and Abu Dulaf Mosques
is the Hall of Justice, while the in Samarra
other halls terminate the cross - The minaret added by Apd ar –
axes Rahman II was of the square towered
- The domed structure covering Syrian type
each of these chambers is - The arcades set parallel to the main
elaborated with a remarkable axis, are carried on a great variety of
complexity of o stalactite classical columns
detail, executed with perfect - Their height being inadequate for the
discipline mosque interior , its Syrian builders
b. Court of the Myrtles adopted the device previously used in
- is 42.00 m x 23.00 m Great Mosque at Damascus of setting
- has on its northern termination double arcade on columns
to its axis the massive tower - Under Al – Hakam, mosaic workers

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of Komares, containing the were even brought from
Hall of Ambassadors , an Constantinople by arrangement with
almost symmetrical cubic the Byzantine emperor
chamber crowned by a - Though now a cathedral, it remains
polygonal dome relatively unaltered, and stands as
- Perhaps the most extraordinary one of the supreme achievements of
achievement of Islamic architecture is Islamic architecture
.S
possessed of an almost ethereal
quality which spring from its decorative
complexity
A
THE ALHAMBRA, GRANADA
L.

THE GREAT MOSQUE, CORDOBA

D. ERSIA (IRAN) AND TURKESTAN
1. TARIK-HAN MOSQUE, DAMGHAN
- Is the oldest surviving Moslem building
in Persia
COURT OF THE LIONS - Its plan is essentially “Arabian” and
- chambers is elaborated with a comprises a colonnaded courtyard
remarkable complexity of o stalactite with a multi columned prayer hall at
detail one end and a detached minaret
3. THE GREAT MOSQUE, CORDOBA - The chief feature of this building are
the massive circular piers 1.80 m in
- Was begun in 785 by Apd ar –
diameter and 3.60 m in height from
Rahman I
which spring equally ponderous
- The first stage of the mosque displays
parabolic arches carrying shallow
a positive and vigorous quality that
domes.
sets the pattern for three major
additions done by Apd ar Rahman II
 important departure from the
previously universal Arabian type
- It is built almost entirely of bricks, and
provides a brilliant demonstration of
Seljuk mastery of the building of two
and four centered arches,
squinches, domes, ribbed and groined
2. THE TOMB OF ISMAIL THE vaults and structural stalactites
SAMANID, BUKHARA (muqarnas)
- A relatively small domed mausoleum
constructed in highly decorative
brickwork structural
- The building is an almost perfect stalactites
cube, on which superimposed a (muqarnas)
hemispherical masonry dome
- The main body of the structure is built
in brick, the entire external surface

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carrying a series o complex patterns of
basket weave type, formed by
elaborate brick bonding
- The interior is as elaborate as the
exterior, the entire finished surface
being in brickwork
4. GUR-I-MIR, SAMARKAND
- The building exemplified a highly
- Is Tamerlaine’s family mausoleum
developed architectural form and is
.S
- Apart from its size and brilliant ceramic
the precursor in character and
cladding, is remarkable or an
structural content of a series of
elongated circular drum, which carries
important Moslem tombs
a stilted bulbous ribbed dome, a
structure whose extraordinary
\ proportions may reflect the ruler’s
A
personal idiosyncrasies
- The plan form of this mosque, with
minaret at each corner of its
rectangular courtyard, was an
THE TOMB OF ISMAIL THE SAMANID, important precedent for subsequent
BUKHARA Mughal building in India
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3. MASJID-i-JAMI, ISFAHAN
- Is perhaps the most sumptuous and
monumental of Persian Seljuk GUR – I – MIR,
buildings SAMARKAND
- It is an accretion of several periods ,
but the eleventh (11th) century Seljuk
work is clearly distinguished and
reaches its peak of achievement in the
dome of Malik Shah, a great chamber
which fronts the mihrab
- Its structure is essentially brick and
comprises a high pointed dome on an
octagonal drum, incorporating
squinches set on cubic chamber
- The plan of the mosque itself reflects DETAILS OF HONEYCOMB TREATMENT
Sassanian tradition and is an ON WALLS
 5. MADRASSAH MADIR-i-SHAH, surrounded by other domed chambers
ISFAHAN and verandahs
- The entrance face is formed by a
- Is the greatest of the eighteenth
long arcaded verandah of great
century mosque of Persia
elegance, almost unique in Persian
- It is built around two courtyards and
character
continued the traditional plan with a
principal iwan leading into a domed
prayer chamber
- It is distinguished by its extreme
regularity in planning, while reflecting
in character and detail work of a full
century earlier 3. MOSQUE OF SULTAN BAYAZIT,
EDIRNE
- Is the earliest complete work that fully
E. TURKEY
illustrates the pure Ottoman style
1. FATIH MOSQUE, ISTANBUL - A building which is remarkable for its

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- The original “ Conqueror’s Mosque” , completeness and purity
was begun within ten years of the - Behind the rectangular colonnaded
conquest of Constantinople and was ablution courts stands a simple cubic
replaced by a building of different prayer chamber surmounted by a
hemispherical dome
design in the eighteenth century
- It consisted of an entrance ‘
courtyard and a rectangular prayer
space covered by a structural
.S
stalactites ( muqarnas )
- by a half dome over the mihrab
- Was contained within a compound
4. MOSQUE OF BAYAZIT, ISTANBUL
surrounded by a series of colleges,
forming the largest early civic group in - Is the earliest surviving Imperial
Ottoman architecture mosque in the Ottoman capital
A
- The prayer hall contains four great
piers which carry the major dome
buttressed by two opposed domes on
the long axis
- It was the first substantial Ottoman
building to reproduce the structural
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form of Hagia Sophia

- The side aisles are covered by
secondary domes rather than by
Faith vaulted galleries, and are closely
Mosque integrated with the main prayer space
- It possesses the earliest surviving fully
developed Ottoman minarets,
multi-faceted stalactite-balconied,
pencil slim and topped with tall leaded
steeples

MOSQUE OF
2. CHINLI KIOSK, ISTANBUL BAYAZIT, ISTANBUL
- Unusual and lovely building on a plan
much influenced by Persian
architecture
- A cruciform central space is
surmounted by a dome and
 various living quarters and houses for
officials and holders of civic and
religious offices
- In structural form it echoes the nearby
Bayazit Mosque and Hagia Sophia
- Ceramic tiles made in Iznik (Nicea) ,
Interior reached a second phase of extensive
use in Ottoman architecture by middle
5. SHEHZADE MOSQUE of the sixteenth century
- Used modestly but with careful
- Built for Sultan Suleyman by the precision in the mosque itself, they are
architect Koca Sinan included abundantly and brilliantly in
- Exhibits perfectly the classical the octagonal tomb of the Sultan
relationship between the component and his wife Roxelana, in the
parts of the Ottoman mosque cemetery immediately behind the
- Is particularly remarkable for the prayer chamber
symmetry of the prayer chamber, in
which half domes buttress the central
dome on all four sides and four

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subsidiary domes complete the
covered area
- Is also notable for a high degree of
ornamentation for its period,
expressed in stalactite headed
doorways of incredible precision and
complexity, multi colored stone inlay in
the elaborate crestings and unique
bas relief carvings on the minaret SULEYMANIYE
.S
MOSQUE, ISTANBUL
7. The SELIMIYE MOSQUE, EDIRNE
- with its two colleges, was designed to
SHEHZADE MOSQUE
stand on isolation on a hill top
within the city
- its dome is deliberately larger than
A
that of S. Sophia is carried on eight
massive piers contained in an
rectangular envelope
- the dome is almost 30.00 m in
diameter and 45.00 m high at the
base of the finial
L.

Interior - the minarets approach 75.00 m high

- Architect Sinan regarded it as his
greatest achievement
Plan
6. SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE,
ISTANBUL
- Or the Mosque of Suleyman I “ The
Magnificent”
- Was designed by Architect Koca
Sinan
- The main structure resembles Hagia
Sophia, but is of smaller in dimension,
the dome having a diameter of 26.00
m and a height of 51.80 m
- It is the center of a civic complex –
around the compound containing the
mosque itself are grouped baths, The SELIMIYE
schools, several colleges, a hospital, MOSQUE, EDIRNE
group of shops, public restaurants,
 8. THE MOSQUE OF SULTAN AHMED,
ISTANBUL
- on the prominent site on the
hippodrome complementary to that
of S. Sophia
- perhaps marks the end of the classical
period of the Ottoman architecture THE TOMB OF
- it is noted for its predominantly blue SHER SAH,
Iznik tile work whence it derives the SAHSARAM
name " Blue Mosque"

3. TOMB OF HUMAYUN, DELHI

- the burial place of Akbar's father
- stands on a handsome formal garden
set on podium, faced with an arcaded
red sandstone wall
- the tomb and the podium is
heightened by the inlay of white
marble which outlines doors, arches

.Y
and spandrel panels
- the tomb is the great precursor of
greater mausolea to follow\

THE MOSQUE OF TOMB OF

SULTAN AHMED, HUMAYUN, DELHI
ISTANBUL
.S
F. INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
4. TAJ-MAHAL, AGRA
1. JAMI MASJID, ALMADABAD - in the tradition of Mughal tomb in a
- perhaps the most important formally laid out walled garden, with
example of series of fifteenth kiosk and entered through pavilion
century buildings produced in the gateways
capital on another state - Gujarat
A
- it was the culminating work in the life
- the main prayer hall of the mosque of the Emperor Shah Jehan erected
is roofed with two hundred and to the memory of his favorite wife
sixty (260) columns supporting Mumtaz
fifteen (15) symmetrically arranged
stone domes of corbelled construction
L.

JAMI MASJID,
ALMADABAD

2. THE TOMB OF SHER SAH,

SAHSARAM
- The culminating edifice of the pre
Mughal tradition in India
- stands on a monumental pedestal in
an artificial lake
- the dome is 21.60 m in diameter
- the upper structure is sandstone
and the lower is granite
TERMINOLOGY
1. BUILDING TYPES
a. Masjid ( Persia , India) , Jami-
mosque, principal place of worship,
the word Jami indicating the use of the
building for Friday prayers
Mesjid ( Turkey )
- a small prayer house chatri
b. Madrassah (Egypt), Medrese
(Turkey )
- religious college and mosque

c. Saray, Serai - palace

2. BUILDING COMPONENTS
a. Mihrab - a niche oriented towards
Mecca
b. Mimber - a raised platform for

.Y
ceremonial announcements
c. Iwan, Ivan (Persia ) - open fronted
vault facing on to a court
d. Bab - gateway
e. Sahn - courtyard of a mosque, also
described as ablution court
f. Minaret - tower from which call to
prayer is made
.S
g. Harem - women's private quarter of a
house or palace
h. Selamlik - men's quarter or guest
quarter
i. Kibla, Kible - axis oriented towards
Mecca
j. Chatri ( India ) - kiosk
A
3. PERSONNEL
a. Muezzin - a caller who summoned the
faithful to prayer
b. Imam - man who leads the
congregation to prayer
c. Caliph - successor to the Prophet as
L.

military, judicial and spiritual leader of

Islam

mimbar

Sahn