HISTORY OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE & ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

Summary

This script delves into Islamic architecture, highlighting its defining characteristics, styles, and notable architects. It covers various architectural types such as mosques, madrasas, and mausoleums, with a focus on iconic structures like the Sultan Hassan Mosque in Cairo, the Mezquita in Cordoba, and the Taj Mahal in India. The summary touches on key features like minarets, domes, and calligraphic art, illustrating the rich heritage and diversity within Islamic architectural traditions.

Takeaways

• 🕌 Islamic architecture is defined as the building traditions of Muslim populations in the Middle East and other regions where Islam has been dominant since the 7th century.
• 🏰 The main types of Islamic architecture include mosques, madrasas, hamams, caravanserais, kasbahs or citadels, and mausoleums.
• 🌐 Mosque typology varies across regions such as Iran, Central Asia, Anatolia, the Indian Subcontinent, Spain, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
• 🏛 The Masjid Arabia features a projecting window enclosed with carved wood and latticework, a minaret as a visual focal point, a dome covering the main prayer hall, and mukharnas as a Persian architectural ornament.
• 📜 Three fundamental forms used in Islamic art are calligraphy, geometry, and Islamic decorative patterns that emphasize repetition, balance, symmetry, and continuous pattern generation.
• 🌿 Abarisc or Islimi Abbarisk design represents biomorphic floral patterns, symbolizing the underlying order and unity of nature with great accuracy.
• 💡 Light is used in Islamic architecture to add a dynamic quality, extending patterns and forms in two dimensions, creating a strong contrast of planes and giving texture to surfaces.
• 🏛️ The Mosque of Sultan Hassan in Cairo, Egypt, is a great Mamluk architecture monument, featuring Quran inscriptions in elegant Kufic and Thuluth calligraphy.
• 🏰 The Mezquita of Cordoba, Spain, originally a mosque, was transformed into a cathedral with the Christian conquest and features giant arcs and over 856 columns of various stones.
• 🕍 The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, was built over 22 years as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal and is an example of Islamic architecture with Mughal style influences.
• 🏛 The architectural design of the Taj Mahal uses interlocking arabesque concepts, self-replicating geometry, and asymmetry of architectural elements, creating a harmonious and integrated structure.

Q & A

What is Islamic architecture defined as?

Islamic architecture is defined as the building traditions of Muslim populations in the Middle East and any countries where Islam has been dominant from the seventh century onwards.

What are the main types of Islamic architecture mentioned in the script?

The main types of Islamic architecture mentioned are mosque, madrasa, hamam, caravanserai, kasbah or citadel, and mausoleum.

What are the architectural features of the Masjid Arabia?

The Masjid Arabia features a projecting window enclosed with carved wood and latticework, a minaret as a visual focal point for the call to prayer, a dome covering the main prayer hall, and mukharnas, which are stalactite vaults and a Persian architectural ornament.

What are the three fundamental forms used in Islamic art?

The three fundamental forms used in Islamic art are calligraphy, geometry, and Islamic decorative patterns.

How are the geometric patterns in Islamic art characterized?

Geometric patterns in Islamic art exemplify an interest in repetition, balance, symmetry, and the continuous generation of patterns. They often integrate geometry with optical effects such as the balancing of positive and negative areas and skillful use of color and tone values.

What is the significance of calligraphy in Islamic decoration?

Calligraphy in Islamic decoration is closely linked to geometry, with the proportions of the letters determined by mathematics. It is used for inscriptions and adds a dynamic quality to architecture.

What role does light play in Islamic architecture?

Light in Islamic architecture adds a dynamic quality, extending patterns and forms in two dimensions of time. The combination of light and shade creates a strong contrast of planes and gives texture to sculpted stone or brick surfaces.

When was the construction of the Mosque of Sultan Hassan started and by whom?

The construction of the Mosque of Sultan Hassan started in 1356 A.D. by Sultan Hassan and was finished in 1363 by Bayasir Aga, one of his friends.

What is the historical background of the Mesquita of Cordoba?

The Mesquita of Cordoba, now the Cathedral of Cordoba, was originally a Roman temple before the mosque was constructed in the 8th century. A cathedral was later added inside the mosque by Christian conquerors in the early 13th century.

What are some distinctive features of the Mosque of Cordoba?

The Mosque of Cordoba features giant arcs, a forest of over 856 columns made of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite, a richly gilded prayer niche, and a dome shrine of Byzantine mosaics.

What is the historical background of the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal was built over 22 years, from 1631 to 1653, by order of Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is an example of Islamic architecture with Mughal style influences.

What are the architectural characteristics of the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal features lotus decoration, finial, chhatri, a dust dome, onion dome, drum, cylindrical base, spandrel calligraphy on large space, stack, dado decorated frames with pietra dura, pointed arches, and minarets.

What is the significance of the interlocking arabesque concept in the design of the Taj Mahal?

The interlocking arabesque concept in the design of the Taj Mahal signifies that each element stands on its own while perfectly integrating with the main structure, using principles of self-replicating geometry and asymmetry of architectural elements.