Abrahamic Architecture: Dome of the Rock, Damascus, Córdoba, Alhambra, and Sultan Hasan Madrasa

Dome of the Rock (Jerusalem)

• Umayyad-era shrine on the Temple Mount; central-plan layout surrounding the sacred Rock.
• Two encircling arcades: a circular arcade and an octagonal arcade around the rock.
• Mosaics with inscriptions and rich decoration; inscriptions encourage circumambulation around the Rock, echoing Kaaba circumambulation in Mecca.
• Rock site tied to Muhammad's Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) and to the Jewish/Christian tradition as a holy spot; symbolically links Abrahamic faiths and supersessionist narrative.
• Decoration leans toward geometry, color, and gold; strong anti-figurative impulse in line with Islamic preference after the Prophet’s destruction of idols.
• Byzantine Christian mosaic workers contributed to the mosaics; the Rock’s space was maintained by a mix of Jewish and Christian artisans.
• Plan and form convey centrality and monumentality; central plan observed in the cutaway discussion; intentional reference to Christian martyrdom-era churches in design.

Great Mosque of Damascus (Damascus)

• Early mosque built on the site of a preexisting Christian basilica; shows reverence for earlier sacred space and relics.
• Notable relic: head of John the Baptist housed/associated with the site (evolving shrine in the complex).
• Key architectural features: large courtyard, hypostyle prayer hall, minarets, mihrab (niche indicating qibla), minbar (pulpit), Haram (sanctuary space).
• Plan reflects an integration of Roman/Byzantine material culture (spolia: reuse of earlier columns/capital from older structures).
• Decoration: mosaics and inscriptions; interior shows a shift toward more austere, restrained imagery compared to some Christian sites; Byzantine mosaic influence persists.
• Orientation toward Jerusalem in part of its history; demonstrates political/religious assertion of authority through architecture.

Great Mosque/Cathedral of Córdoba (Cordoba)

• Originally the Great Mosque of Cordoba; later converted to a cathedral after the Reconquista.
• Expansion under Umayyad rule added to the existing basilica-influenced plan; emphasis on a long prayer hall with numerous columns.
• Arches: horseshoe arches and double arches (paired arches) defining the arcade system.
• Use of spolia: many columns and capitals reused from earlier Roman/Visigothic structures; extensive updating while preserving earlier elements.
• Columns and capitals often feature polychrome stonework and distinctive capitals; arches and bays expanded as the building grew.
• Mihrab and dome in front of the mihrab highlight the qibla orientation; minarets added in later expansions.
• Decoration blends geometric patterns, calligraphy, and mosaic elements; overall emphasis on light, rhythm, and space rather than figurative imagery.

Alhambra (Granada)

• Briefly noted in lecture; not covered in detail in this session.
• Generally known for lavish stucco work, muqarnas, arabesques, water features, and intricate geometric ornamentation.

Sultan Hasan Madrasa–Mausoleum–Mosque (Cairo)

• Mamluk-era complex built in Cairo; multifunctional religious/educational complex.
• Four-iwan plan: four monumental iwans (large vaulted halls) around a central courtyard; each iwan faces a corresponding space.
• Functions: madrasa (school), mosque for prayer, and tomb space for the founder (and associated patrons).
• Architectural language includes heavy use of calligraphy, muqarnas, and decorative brick/masonry work; lacquered/laminated textures and lamps emphasize interior illumination.
• Example of the era’s blend of religious, educational, and funerary functions in a single architectural gesture.

Key concepts and terms to know

• Abrahamic traditions in art/architecture: shared roots, with Islam often reinterpreting/redirecting earlier Jewish/Christian themes.
• Supersessionism: Islam presented as the completion of earlier Abrahamic traditions; artworks often reference and reinterpret earlier sacred spaces.
• Central plan vs. hypostyle/indented layouts: Dome of the Rock as a central-plan shrine; Damascus and Córdoba as iconic mosques with large prayer spaces and long hindsight in expansion.
• Spolia: reuse of earlier architectural elements (columns, capitals, stones) from older Roman/Byzantine structures in later Islamic buildings.
• Ornament vs. figural imagery: Islamic prohibition on figural representation in religious spaces leads to emphasis on geometry, calligraphy, arabesques, and mosaics.
• Major architectural components to recognize:
  • Minaret: tower for the call to prayer.
  • Mihrab: niche indicating the qibla (direction to Mecca).
  • Minbar: pulpit for the imam.
  • Haram: sanctuary/prayer hall space.
• Intercultural collaboration: Byzantine artisans contributing to mosaics (e.g., Dome of the Rock) and the blending of Roman/Byzantine forms with Islamic architectural language.
• Relics and sacred spaces: importance of relics (e.g., John the Baptist’s head at Damascus) shaping religious architecture and pilgrimage.
• Four-iwan plan: a defining feature of many later Mamluk-era and Islamic university/madrasa buildings (e.g., Sultan Hasan complex).
• Spatial evolution: churches and basilicas transformed into mosques (e.g., Damascus), and mosques expanded and reinterpreted over centuries (e.g., Córdoba).