Islamic Architecture Vocabulary

Key vocabulary terms from lecture notes on Islamic architecture.

Caliphate

The rule or reign of a caliph, or chief Muslim ruler.

Islam

A new monotheistic religion developed around the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (570-632).

Caliph

Muslim ruler.

Caliphate

The rule or reign of a caliph.

Hajj

The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five ‘pillars’ of the Islamic faith.

Qibla

The direction of the Kaaba, to which Muslims turn at prayer.

Ablaq

Arabic term for alternating bands of different colored masonry.

Kufic Script

The angular, intertwined lettering of the Arabic alphabet used to decorate Islamic religious buildings.

Mihrab

A niche in the qibla wall of a Muslim religious building indicating the direction towards Mecca.

Qibla Wall

The wall indicating the proscribed Muslim alignment to Mecca to which all mosques and tombs are oriented.

Minaret

A tall, slender tower at a mosque, from which the faithful are called to prayer by the crier or muezzin.

Sahn

The open courtyard of an Islamic building.

Congregational Mosque

Mosque where the community of believers come to worship and hear a sermon on Fridays.

Ablution

Ritual or ceremonial act of washing before prayer.

Horseshoe Arch

A type of arch with an opening at the bottom that is narrower than the full span of the arch.

What is the ID of this picture?

and what two other sites is it similar to?

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 660. Umayyad.
Patron: Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705)

Santa Costanza and San vitale

What is the ID of this site?

Great Mosque of Damascus, aerial view and plan, Syria, c. 707-714. Umayyad. Patron: Al-Walid I (r. 705-715

What is the ID for this site?

Great Mosque of Samarra, Iraq, aerial view with closer view of spiral minaret, c. 850. Abbasid.
Patron: Al-Mutawakkil (r. 847-861)