Islamic and Chinese Architecture Flashcards

Flashcards on Islamic and Chinese Architecture

Prophet's Mosque

One of the largest and holiest mosques in the Islamic world, featuring an iconic green dome.

Dome of the Rock

An octagonal structure with a golden dome in Jerusalem, reflecting Byzantine and early Islamic artistic influences.

Great Mosque of Cordoba

A blending of Islamic, Gothic, and Roman architectural elements, featuring a hypostyle hall with double-tiered, horseshoe arches.

Suleymaniye Mosque

A masterpiece of Ottoman architecture by Mimar Sinan, known for its cascading domes and soaring minarets.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Features the world’s largest chandeliers and hand-knotted carpets.

Minarete

Tower used for the call to prayer in a mosque.

Mimbar

Pulpit where the imam delivers sermons.

Quibla

Wall facing Mecca in a mosque.

Mihrab

Niche in the quibla wall.

Domes

Hemispherical structures often used as part of roofs and ceilings in Islamic architecture.

Arches

Prominent elements that define entrances to buildings and rooms in Islamic architecture.

Muqarnas

Decorative element of Islamic architecture made of pointed niches arranged in tiers.

Courtyards

Spaces in Islamic architecture used for large gatherings during festive occasions and prayers.

Iwan

Vaulted space that opens on one side to a courtyard.

Mashrabiya

Carved wooden screens or latticework used in windows, balconies, or partitions.

Arabesque

Pattern of curving lines layered with intertwined elements resembling nature.

Calligraphy

Used to inscribe verses from the Quran, emphasizing the importance of the written word in Islam.

Mosques

Designed for congregational prayer and typically feature a prayer hall, a minaret, and a courtyard.

Madrasas

Educational institutions in the Islamic world, featuring a central courtyard surrounded by classrooms, living quarters, and a mosque.

Islamic Palaces

Grand residences for rulers and noblemen.

Mausoleums

Important part of Medieval Islamic society and architecture.

Forts

City walls, gates, and citadels designed for defensive purposes.

Arabesque Style

A decorative style featuring intricate geometric patterns and floral motifs, often used in tilework, woodwork, and stucco.

Hypostyle Style

Characterized by large prayer halls supported by numerous columns, such as the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

Four-Iwan Style

A courtyard-centered design with four iwans (vaulted halls) opening onto the courtyard.

Central Dome Style

Features a prominent central dome, often supported by semi-domes or pendentives.

Mughal Style

A fusion of Persian, Indian, and Islamic elements, marked by grand domes and intricate marble inlays.

Ottoman Style

Often featured simple hemispheric domes and was influenced by Byzantine.

Moorish Style

Found in North Africa and Spain, distinguished by horseshoe arches and colorful tilework.

Persian (Safavid) Style

Known for its use of colorful tiles and intricate geometric patterns.

Fatimid Style

Known for its use of arches and domes, intricate stone carvings and ornate decorations.

Indo-Islamic Style

Developed in the Indian subcontinent, combining Islamic and local architectural traditions.

Siheyuan

Chinese enclosed central courtyard for privacy and harmony.

Temples

Sacred spaces for worship, meditation, and rituals, embodying harmony between man and the cosmos.

Palaces

Symbolize imperial power, built on a grand scale to reflect the emperor’s supreme status and China’s hierarchy.

Daming Palace (Tang Dynasty)

The main Tang imperial palace, built with timber, stone, and rammed earth, and known for its vast layout and grandeur.

Khanbaliq Palace (Yuan Dynasty)

Built by Kublai Khan in present-day Beijing, combining Chinese and Mongol styles with massive wooden halls.

Fenghao Palace (Zhou Dynasty)

The royal residence of Western Zhou, featuring wooden halls and courtyards and following strict spatial hierarchy.

Summer Palace (Qing Dynasty)

A sprawling royal retreat with pavilions, lakes, and gardens built using traditional wooden structures and stone foundations.

Forbidden City (Ming Dynasty)

A vast, symmetrical palace in Beijing with wooden halls, golden roofs, and red walls that served as the seat of emperors for centuries.

Erlitou Ritual Complex (Xia Dynasty)

Possibly an early temple with wooden structures and rammed earth foundations, used for ancestral worship.

Nandu Shrine (Shang Dynasty)

A temple in the Shang capital, used for sacrifices and oracle bone rituals and built with timber and rammed earth.

Temple of Heaven (Early Form, Zhou Dynasty)

Predecessor to later structures, used for state rituals and built with wooden pillars and rammed earth platforms.

Mount Li Shrine (Qin Dynasty)

A temple near Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum, made of wood and stone and dedicated to deities and the afterlife.

Baiyun Temple (Han Dynasty)

A Taoist temple in Chang’an, built with wooden halls and courtyards and served as a center for religious practices.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (Tang Dynasty)

A Buddhist temple-pagoda in Xi’an, originally built with rammed earth and later reinforced with bricks.

White Stupa Temple (Yuan Dynasty)

Built in Beijing under Kublai Khan, featuring a large Tibetan-style stupa made of bricks and stone.

Lama Temple (Qing Dynasty)

A Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing, with wooden halls and golden rooftops, blending Chinese and Tibetan styles.

Macau

Originally a small fishing village, part of Guangdong Province and was under a Portuguese rule.

Hongkong

Originally a small fishing village and trade port, inhabited by punti, hakka, tanka, and haklo people, and was under british colonial rule.