Islamic Architecture

Lecture: May 08, 2023

Instructor: Arch. Nick Kary Latogan. MS Arch
Most Striking Feature
of all Islamic Architecture
1. The focus on Interior
Space as opposed to the
outside or facade.
Most typical expression of this
focus on inner space is the
Muslim House:
• Rectangular dwelling units
typically are organized
around an inner courtyard.
• Facade offers high
windowless walls
interrupted only by a
single low door.
2. Courtyard houses are clustered
together into a walled complex to
serve the needs of extended families.
• Entrance to the complex is through
a single door that leads to
passageway from which the
individual dwellings can be reached.
• It has been said that the traditional
courtyard house is never a completed
project. As family size increases, more
rooms are built on the lots unused land.
Once the land around the courtyard
has been covered expansion takes
place in vertical direction.
3. The traditional need to
entertain male guest while at
the same time.
 Shrines and
Palaces
1ST three great shrines of Islam
is the Ka’aba at Mecca ( al
–Haram al Makki al-Sharif)
This mosque is the holiest
spot-on earth
The mihrabs of all mosque are
aligned with the ka’aba so that
all Muslims pray in the
direction of Mecca.
• The dimensions of the
present Ka’aba :
• Northern wall 12.63
meters, eastern wall 11.22
m., the western wall 13.10
m and the northwest wall
11.03 m. ( Not completely
regular.
• Height 13 meters
• Door on northern side is 2
m . From the ground and is
1.7 m. wide.
 • PEACE BE UPON HIM.
• Medina, Saudi Arabia.
• Second of the Islamic shrines.
• Founded by the prophet in 707 under
the Umayyad caliph al-walid I.
• Mosque was decorated with
marble and mosaics of gold glass
that represented trees and
buildings. These decorations
covered the walls of the open
Mosque of the courtyard as well as the
colonnaded sanctuary against the
Prophet south wall.
Muhammad • With is bipartite division and axis
planning became the prototype for
subsequent Islamic religious
buildings.
 Dome of the Rock in
Jerusalem
• Last of the three great shrines of Islam
• Crowning jewel of the Aqsa Mosque and a
masterpiece of world architecture.
• Built in 680-692 AD distinction of being
chronologically the first monument of the
Muslim civilization.
• Tradition says that this is the same rock
used in the sacrifice of Abraham and the
same rock was the point from which
Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven
on Mystic Mount Buraq.
• Masterpiece of Muslim art.
 Mosque of Qairawan Tunisia
• Called the ancestor of all mosque built
in western Islamic lands.
• Has plain exterior highlighted by square
massive minaret. Doors cut in blank
stone wall lead to a courtyard. Back of
the courtyard is a huge hall punctuated
on its axis by two cupolas.
• Exterior is without decoration
• Interior decoration is limited to the
domical area over the mihrab which is
ornamented with luster tiles.
• Mosque was one of unique cultural
contributions of the Arabs.
https://sacredsites.com/images/africa/tunisia/great-mosque-kairouan-1200.jpg
Great Mosque of
Al-mutawakkil
Samarra, Iraq

• Known as The Spiral

• (al-Malweyya)
• 165 ft. high minaret that
is located about 90 ft
from the mosque north
side.
• The base of the minaret
originally was connected
to the mosque with a
viaduct.
 Taj Mahal, Agra
India
• Crown of the Palace
• Built for Mumtaz Mahal,
the favorite wife of Shah
Jahan.
• Considered the greatest
masterpiece of Indo-
Islamic architecture, the
mausoleum was
constructed during the
years 1632-1648.
https://i.natgeofe.com/n/8eba070d-14e5-4d07-8bab-9db774029063/93080_square.jpg
• The crowning jewel of
Indo- Islamic
Architecture
• Taj Mahal
END!
References:
• https://images.assetsdelivery.com/compings_v2/zamirkadyzhev09/zamirkadyzhev091905/zamirkadyzhev09190500
003.jpg