ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

Saracenic Architecture

A product of a religion with no special country (it was used widely and is an architecture based on a religion)

Saracen

term employed by the greeks and romans for the tribes occupying the deserts west of the Euphrates.

Sahara

The term Saracen was derived from what desert?

Ottoman Empire, Umayyad Calliphate, and Mughal Empire

The 3 major regions of the spread of Islamic Architecture

Marble, Stone, Brick, Plaster, and Wood

Local materials and methods of building used in Islamic Architecture

Stone

Material used in Indian-Islamic Domes

Brick and Plaster

(IN SPAIN) Principal materials responsible for the peculiar decorative surface treatment.

Marble and Red sandstone

these materials were more available in Central and Northern India

Small openings

The buildings for most part in Eastern or Southern climes used these openings in response to the HOT climate

Flexible and Adaptable

Character of Islamic Architecture that allows it to be used widely throughout different countries, adapting to the local culture

Muslim

Followers of Islam

Surrender

Islam means “_________” (Obedience to their God)

Allah

The God in Islam, It is not a specific term for God because the term God is generic

Prophet Muhammad

The prime looker of Islam, was born into a family belonging to a clan of Quarish, the ruling tribe of Mecca

Mecca

The city in the Hijaz region of north-western Arabia where muslims visit at least once in their lifetime; It is the Holiest city in the Islamic World

prohibited

In Islamic Architecture, images portraying Muhammad are _______. Body is allowed but the face must be covered with fabric

Koran/Quran

Sacred texts of islam

Apostles

The religion of Islam was spread by them

Sunni Muslims

Successors of Muhammad

Shia Muslims

Descendants of Muhammad

Sunni Muslims

Successors of Muhammad

4 Great Caliphs

Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (They are the first four leaders of Muslim after the death of Muhammad)

Caliphate

Islamic nation ruled by a Caliph

Emirate

Lower kind of empire; Principality/territory ruled by an Emir who perceived their power as God Given

Sultanate

Principality/territory ruled by a Sultan

China

Not penetrated by the spread of Islam due to their strong influence of Buddhism

Aceh, Indonesia

The Birthplace of Islam in Southeast Asia. Arabians are known to be traders who spread the religion in this place

Mosque

A building associated with the presence of Islam

Hypostyle Mosque

unroofed enclosure approximating a parallelogram on plan. It is characterized by an open Courtyard with a fountain in the center surrounded by an enclosure

Mosque of the Sultan Hassan at Cairo/Iwan Plan

Cruciform in Plan, the center portion only being left open; It has 4 Entrances from Sahn (courtyard)

Iwan Plan

Another name of the Plan of the Mosque of the Sultan Hassan at Cairo

The founder’s tomb

On an Iwan type of plan, what is placed behind the Mihrab

A Dome

On an Iwan type of plan, what is the founder’s tomb crowned with or placed on top of?

Byzantine Model/Central Plan

A plan having a front courtyard, and a garden behind; the mosque proper being independent

The Garden

In a Central plan/Byzantine Model, where is the founder’s tomb found?

Kiblah/Qibla

wall that indicates the direction of the Mecca/direction of the prayer which commemorates the presence of the Prophet

Fawwara/Meda

Fountain used for ablution and cleansing the spirit

Mihrab

The apse part of the mosque, it is also the most decorative part of the building

Dikka

a Tribune; a raised platform from which the repondents (qadi) repeat the ritual postures of the iman

Unam

reads passages from the Koran and intones the prayers

Minarets

A slim, bell tower, which is a distinctive traditional feature of a mosque; they are usually square in plan and transitions to a polygonal or circular shape in preceding storeys

For voicing out prayers during specific times of the day

Purpose of the Minarets

Domes

frequently constructed of brick plastered internally and externally; It is a feature of all Islamic Architecture both from Sassanian and Early Christian traditions

Cupola

A light structure on a dome or roof, serving as a belfry, lantern, or a belvedere

Sahn

Open courtyard at the center of a Mosque

Iwan

A vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one endd entirely open

Muqaranas

The doorways were often surrounded with elaborate carved work (like a cave-dwelling), enclosed in a square frame, with stalactite cornices.

Arabic and Persian

Muqaranas is a type of corbel used as a decorative device in traditional _____________ Architecture.

Squinch

A structure, such as a section of vaulting or corbeling, set diagonally across the interior angle between two walls to provide a transition from a square to a polygonal or more nearly circular base on which to construct a dome

Riwaq/Liwanat

A colonaded or arcaded hall of the Hypostyle Mosque

Musalla

Prayer hall where no furniture is needed, as worshippers sit, kneel and bow directly on the floor

Mimbar

Pulpit entered by a flight of stairs

Khan

Hotels of Islamic Arc; they support Mosques and Mecca

chambers

Khans are often erected in the great cities, had an open court, round which were placed numerous _______ used by the merchants or travelers, who came from all parts to dispose of their goods

180

In Constantinople there are how many Khans (hotels)?

House

They are planned with interior courts in the Eastern manner, on to which the principal rooms face. The windows towards the street are small and strongly barred in the lower stories, those to the upper stories being often ornamented with lattice work.

Privacy

In Islamic Dwellings, Special regard is paid to _______ in the planning of the corridors and in the isolation of the harem or women’s apartments.

Principal court

There is generally a _________ in Islamic houses, approached from the entrance, in which is placed a summer-house and fountain.

Minute surface decoration

Walls in Islamic Architecture are constructed with local materials, what are they ornamented with? (either in plaster, precious stones, or glazed tiles)

Wall Crestings

A type of bold cresting often crowned the walls instead of a cornice. The noble type of entrance, specially used in India, consisting of a high fourcentered arch in a square frame, resembling a Tudor arch, and crowned by a semi-dome, has already been described. In later Mogul architecture the walls were divided into panels by perpendicular and horizontal inclosing lines

Tracery work

Windows/openings were often grouped together and occasionally had their entire surface fitted with elaborate ________ of marble and plaster, schemed into geometrical patterns the small open spaces being of colored glass.

Arches

Such forms are used for arcades, window and door openings. In arcades they either rest on columns or piers, and are frequently tied in at their springing by wooden beams or iron rods

Pointed

Identify the Type of Arch employed for Islamic Architecture

Ogee/Keel

Identify the Type of Arch employed for Islamic Architecture

Horseshoe

Identify the Type of Arch employed for Islamic Architecture

Multifoil/Scalloped

Identify the Type of Arch employed for Islamic Architecture

Voussoirs/Arch Voussoirs

Interlocking patterns used in Arches

Geometry/Geometrical Patterns

Architects and Artists of Islam were prohibited from illustrating Living things or Natural objects. Hence, what elements are used in their works?

Windows

often placed in the lower parts of the dome roof, which were occasionally ornamented with a fringe of sculptured foliage

Flat Timbers

Ceilings of undomed mosques were generally left with what? They are brilliantly colored and gilded

Roman and Byzantine buildings

Many of the earlier and later buildings in Islamic Arc have ready-made columns, these columns were erected from what? Causing the columns to be of different designs.

Mnemonic

Inscriptions type of ornamentation

Superposed

Arabesque ornamentation

Muqaranas

Stalactite-like ornamentation

Masjid

Arabic word for Mosque

Arabian Peninsula

Where is the origin of Mosques? Though they are found in all inhabited continents

Arabic

Oldest point of Islamic Architecture

Timurid

Most famous region of Islamic Architecture in Central Asia

Ottoman

(Turkey) adapted to Byzantine Architecture, use of tall and painted Minarets

Moorish

(Africa and Spain) Minarets are square, use of arch and columns

Mudejar

Also under Moorish; ISLAMIC + CHRISTIAN + SPANISH

Mughal

(India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) use of Onion Domes

East Asia

(China, Indonesia, and Malay)

Great Mosque of Xi’an

Oldest mosque; best example of Islam Architecture blending to local culture

Menara Kudus Mosque

Rock cut Indonesian Mosque

Kampung Laut Mosque

Malaysian Mosque that adapts to local Arc

Dome of the Rock

Oldest Extant work of Islam Architecture

A Rock

In the Dome of the Rock, what is believed/prayed by the Muslims, Christians, and Jews?

Dome of the Chain

King David believed that the chain is used to identify which Solomon is the liar

Islamic Garden

Symbol of Paradise/Heaven. It is used for rest and reflection. The water should be flowing; use of wall screens and symmetry

Char Bagh

Persian Garden

Bustan

Inner court of the garden

Jannah

Islamic house

Rawdah

Vegetable Garden