Islamic architecture

Islamic architecture, building traditions of Muslim populations of

the Middle East and elsewhere from the 7th century on. Islamic
architecture finds its highest expression in religious buildings such
as the mosque and madrasah. Early Islamic religious architecture,
exemplified by Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock (AD 691) and the
Great Mosque (705) in Damascus, drew on Christian architectural
features such as domes, columnar arches, and mosaics but also
included large courts for congregational prayer and a mihrab. From
early times, the characteristic semicircular horseshoe arch and
rich, nonrepresentational decoration of surfaces were employed.
Religious architecture came into its own with the creation of the
hypostyle mosque (see hypostyle hall) in Iraq and Egypt.

In Iran a mosque plan consisting of four eyvans (vaulted halls) opening onto a central court was used. These brick-built
mosques also incorporated domes and decorated squinches (see Byzantine architecture) across the corners of the
rooms. Persian architectural features spread to India, where they are found in the Taj Mahal and Mughal palaces.
Ottoman architecture, derived from Islamic and Byzantine traditions, is exemplified by the Selimiye Mosque (1575) at
Edirne, Tur., with its great central dome and slender minarets. One of the greatest examples of secular Islamic
architecture is the Alhambra. For full treatment of the subject, see Islamic arts.
 On a hill overlooking the Spanish city of Granada
stands the Alhambra, a palace built by princes
belonging to the Muslim Nasrid dynasty (1238–
1492) in the 14th century. Although some portions
The Alhambra of the palace have been demolished, three parts
remain: a fortress (Alcazaba, or al-Qasbah) on the
west end of the hill, a princely residence to the east,
and a cluster of pavilions and gardens known as the
Generalife. The courtyards and rooms of the
Alhambra are exquisitely decorated with colored
tiles, carved stucco, carved wood, and calligraphy.
Some of the most remarkable ornamental features
are the intricately carved geometric stalactite
designs (a recurring pattern in Islamic architecture
called muqarnas in Arabic) that adorn the halls
surrounding the Court of the Lions.
The Friday Mosque, Esfahan
Located at the center of Esfahan—a city full of architectural
treasures—is the sprawling Friday Mosque. A mosque has
stood on the site since the 8th century, but the oldest elements
of the current structure are two domes built during the Seljuk
dynasty, which ruled parts of Iran in the 11th century. In the
early 12th century the mosque was rebuilt around a
rectangular courtyard adjoined on each side by an iwan—a
type of hall that opens into a tall arch on one side. The four-
iwan design, which first appeared in Esfahan, later became the
norm for Iranian mosques.
Beaux-Arts Architecture
The Beaux-Arts style of architecture is one of the most
extravagant in American history. It was popular from 1880-
1930.
What Is Beaux-Arts Architecture?
Beaux-Arts architecture is classical in nature with Greco-Roman styling. The Beaux Arts Movement (beaux arts
means 'fine arts' in French) was popular in the United States from about 1880-1930 and reflected the wealth
that accumulated during the Industrial Revolution. Beaux-Art architecture harkens back to classic Greek and
Roman forms. This style of architecture originated from Ecole des Beaux-Arts (School of the Fine Arts) in France
where many architects studied. The first Americans to study there were Richard Morris Hunt and Henry Hobson
Richardson. They brought the style to the United States and inspired a number of other students to study
abroad. Beaux-Arts architecture is synonymous with America's Renaissance movement.

The Beaux-Arts Style

Beaux-Arts architecture is massive and heavy, lending itself to the construction of monumental public buildings
like train stations, schools, and government buildings. The style was seldom used in private homes but can be
seen in the grand homes of the elite in Newport, Rhode Island.
Characteristics of Beaux-Arts Architecture
Beaux-Arts buildings are massive, usually constructed with
stone, with a symmetrical façade or front, and flat or low-
pitched roofs. The façade of Beaux-Arts buildings typically
features adornment reminiscent of Greek and Roman
Architecture such as balustrades, or vertical posts, on balconies
(a porch that protrudes from a building), held up by large
decorative pillars called columns, arched windows and grand
arched entryways topped with triangular gables called
pediments. Building details and decorations are elaborate and
include 3-dimensional carved panels called bas-relief and
rounded convex surfaces called cartouches. These are typically
surrounded by garlands or vines, decorative swags (garlands
raised up in the middle) and medallions or medal-like
ornamentation.

Interiors typically have grand stairways and polished marble

floors. Arched doorways lead to large rooms and decorations
inside the buildings are as ornate as those on the exterior.
Government buildings built in the Beaux-Arts style typically
have high, vaulted ceilings and central domes.
San Francisco Opera House
The San Francisco Opera House was the last Beaux-Arts
building constructed in the United States. It was built as a war
memorial to honor those who served in WWI. The exterior
features a rusticated first floor (note the rough hewn stones),
columns and archways on the second floor balcony and a low-
pitched roof. Capacity: 3,126 seated 200 standing
Grand Central Terminal, New York
Grand Central Terminal in New York was completed in 1913. Its
exterior features arched windows flanked by paired columns.
Ornate detailing marks the Beaux-Arts style. The interior
features grand staircases and vaulted ceilings.
Mesoamerican architecture
Mesoamerican architecture, building traditions of the indigenous cultures in parts of Mexico and Central
America before the 16th-century Spanish conquest. For the later tradition, see Latin American architecture.
The idea of constructing temple-pyramids appears to have taken hold early. La Venta, the centre of Olmec
culture (c. 800–400 BCE), contains one of the earliest pyramidal structures, a mound of earth and clay 100
feet (30 metres) high. Mesoamerican pyramids were generally earth mounds faced with stone. Typically of
stepped form, they were topped by a platform or temple that only privileged community members were
allowed to approach. The best-known include the Pyramid of the Sun (rivaling the Great Pyramid of Khufu at
Al-Jīzah) and Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacán, the Castillo at Chichén Itzá, and largest of all, the 177-foot
(54-metre) Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl at Cholula. The Classic period (100–900 CE) saw the flourishing of Mayan
architecture, in which the corbeled vault made its first appearance in the Americas. Ceremonial centres in
the Maya Lowlands proliferated, as did inscribed and dated stelae and monuments. Tikal, Uaxactún, Copán,
Palenque, and Uxmal all attained their glory in these centuries. A common feature at these sites is a tlachtli,
or ball court. The raised platforms of the tlachtli were often the architectural centre of ancient cities. See also
Monte Albán.
The Pyramid of the Sun, in Teotihuacán (Mexico).

Pyramid of the Sun, large pyramid in the ancient city of

Teotihuacán, Mexico, that was built about 100 CE and is one of
the largest structures of its type in the Western Hemisphere.
The pyramid rises 216 feet (66 metres) above ground level, and
it measures approximately 720 by 760 feet (220 by 230 metres)
at its base.

The Pyramid of the Sun dominates central Teotihuacán from

the east side of the Avenue of the Dead, the main north–south
artery of the city. It was constructed of about 1,000,000 cubic
yards (765,000 cubic metres) of material, including hewed
tezontle, a red coarse volcanic rock of the region. During hastily
organized restoration work in 1905–10, the architect Leopoldo
Batres arbitrarily added a fifth terrace, and many of the original
facing stones were removed. On the pyramid’s west side, there
are 248 uneven stair steps that lead to the top of the structure.
Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Teotihuacan

The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is

located at the southern end of the Avenue of
the Dead, Teotihuacan's main thoroughfare,
within the Ciudadela complex. The Ciudadela
(Spanish, "citadel") is a structure with high
walls and a large courtyard surrounding the
temple. The Ciudadela's courtyard is massive
enough that it could house the entire adult
population of Teotihuacán within its walls,
which was estimated to be one hundred
thousand people at its peak. Within the
Ciudadela there are several monumental
structures, including the temple, two
mansions north and south of the temple, and
the Adosada platform. Built in the 4th
century, the Adosada platform is located just
in front (west) of the Temple of the
Feathered Serpent, obscuring its view.
The Feathered Serpent Pyramid is a six-level step pyramid built
in the talud-tablero style. The outside edges of each level are
decorated with feathered serpent heads alternating with those
of another snake-like creature, often identified as Tlaloc. In the
eyes of these figures there is a spot for obsidian glass to be put
in, so when the light hits, its eyes would glimmer. In antiquity
the entire pyramid was painted – the background here was
blue with carved sea shells providing decoration.Under each
row of heads are bas-reliefs of the full feathered serpent, in
profile, also associated with water symbols. These and other
designs and architectural elements are more than merely
decorative, suggesting "strong ideological significance",
although there is no consensus just what that significance is.
Some interpret the pyramid's iconography as cosmological in
scope – a myth of the origin of time or of creation – or as
calendrical in nature. Others find symbols of rulership, or war
and the military.