Islamic Art

Questions addressed by architects

of sacred structures:
1. Is there communal ritual?

2. Is there movement from point to point

by ritual participants?

3. Is there a focal point participants must be

able to see during the ritual?

4. How can the plan and decoration reflect

beliefs of the participants?
#183 The Kabba
#183 The Kabba
According to the Qur’an, the KAABA that stands today was built
by Abraham and Ishmael. It is housed within the MASJID AL-
HAREM (Sacred Mosque) the largest and holiest mosque in the
world and is the central point of ISLAM and a major component
of the HAJJ pilgrimage to Mecca (one of the five pillars)
Part of HAJJ requires Muslims to perform the TAWAF (ritual
circumambulation of the Kaaba 7 times). When Muslims at Hajj
do this all at the same time it is symbolic of the unity of
believers in their worshipping of God.

The Kaaba is covered by a curtain of black silk called a KISWAH

(replaced annually) embellished in calligraphy with the oath
“There is no God by Allah and Muhammed is the Prophet of
Allah.” RARELY are people allowed into the Ka’aba eastern
corner with its Black stone (encased in silver) which is thought
to date back to Adam & Eve
 Granite masonry,
covered with silk curtain - KISWAH
and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread.

Annual changing of kiswa

 Muslims to perform the TAWAF
(ritual circumambulation of the Kaaba counter clockwise 7 times).
Black Stone
or
al-Hajar al-Aswad
located on the eastern
corner of the Kaaba
#185 Dome of the Rock
 Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem, Palestine

Islamic, Umayyad

691–692 C.E.

with multiple renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic
tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome.
Byzantine and Sasanian crowns
in the midst of vegetal motifs.
”we see vegetative scrolls and motifs,
as well as vessels and winged crowns, which were
worn by Sasanian kings. Thus, the iconography of the
Dome of the Rock also includes the other major pre-
Islamic civilization of the region, the Sasanian
(Persian) Empire, which the Arab armies had
defeated.”
San Vitale. Ravenna, Italy.
Early Byzantine Europe.
c. 526–547 C.E.
Brick, marble, and stone veneer;
mosaic.
Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Palestine.
Islamic, Umayyad.
691–692 C.E.,
Stone masonry and wooden roof
decorated with glazed
ceramic tile, mosaics
Church of the Holy Sepulecher
 #186 Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh

Persian: Seljuk, Il-Khanid, Timurid and Safavid Dynasties. c. 700 C.E.

Seljuk Turks establish Isfahan as their capital c. 1000 C.E.
Great Mosque

(Masjid-e Jameh)

Isfahan, Iran

Persian

c.700

Later additions in 14th, 18th and 20th

centuries
 Masjid-i Imam, Isfahan, Iran :51
Islamic Architecture Imam Mosque Isfahan Iran 6:49
Sultan Malik Shah I, c. 1050

Umma = Islamic Community

Urban integration of Mosque
to city – formed a pedestrian hub, not an insular sacred space
Mihrab

^ Dome over maqsura, a space

reserved for the Sultan
Iwans

Iwan - a vaulted space that opens on one side to

a courtyard
Muquarnas filled niche
 Mihrab

Minbar

Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh) Isfahan (prayer room)

#56 Great Mosque
Córdoba, Spain. Umayyad Dynasty c. 785–786 C.E.
The floor plan on the left shows the
development and extensions of the mosque.
The yellow area (#12) was the earliest part,
built in 786 by Abd-ar-Rahman I.
The gold area (#13) was an extension with 80
columns by Abd-ar-Rahman II in 832.
The next extension is the pink area (#14) by Al-
Hakam III in 962. He added 190 large columns,
24 mid size columns and 84 small columns in
the dome.
The Mihrab is the small area (#23)
on the right side of the pink area. Each small
dot on the floor plan represents a column.
This was followed by the Aisles of Almanzor in
987. This extension in the green area (#15)
added 8 aisles and 356 new columns.
The cathedral can be seen in the middle, built
partly in the gold and green areas.
The light tan area on the right side of the plan
(#10) is the Orange Tree Courtyard .
Minarete from which the muzzine calls people
to prayer.
Mosque of Córdoba, Spain | A Walk to the Mezquita's Mihrab 1:45
The Mihrab
The dome of
the madksourah,
the area in front
of the mihrab
#84 Mosque of Selim II
Edirne, Turkey.
Sinan (architect). 1568–1575 C.E.
north façade of the mosque
Mosque
Mosque of Selim II
Hagia Sophia Mosque of Selim II. Edirne
Mosque of Selim II
Brick and stone.
#168 Great Mosque of Djenne, Mali
Founded c. 1200; rebuilt 1906 – 1907
Djenne Mosque