Abbasid Architecture

Abbasid Architecture (750–1258)
Abbasid architecture developed in the Abbasid Caliphate between 750 and 945, primarily in its
heartland of Mesopotamia. The Abbasids inherited Persian architectural traditions in Mesopotamia,
and were later influenced by Central Asian styles. They evolved distinctive styles of their own,
particularly in decoration of their buildings. While the Abbasids lost control of large parts of their
empire after 850, their architecture continued to be copied by successor states in Iran, Egypt and
North Africa.
Historical background
In 750 the Abbasids seized power from the Umayyad rulers of the Arab empire, who lost all their
possessions apart from Spain. The Abbasid caliphs based in what is now Iraq ruled over Iran,
Mesopotamia, Arabia and the lands of the eastern and southern Mediterranean. The period
between 750 and 900 has been described as the Islamic Golden Age. Where the Umayyads had
typically reused pre-Islamic buildings in the cities they had conquered, by the Abbasid era many of
these structures required replacement. The spread of Muslim beliefs had also brought changes in
needs. The Abbasids had to erect mosques and palaces, as well as fortifications, houses, commercial
buildings and even facilities for racing and polo matches. They upgraded the pilgrim road from
Baghdad and Kufa to Mecca, levelled the surface and built walls and ditches in some areas, and built
stations for the pilgrims with rooms and a mosque in which to pray.
1. Islamic Elements 1) The main gate showing it’s Pishtaq form, probably the first used in
Islam. Pishtaq: a rectangular frame around an arched opening usually associated with an
Iwan.
2. 2) A minaret tower connected to the mosque.
3. 4) Systematic use of semi-circular arches in the hallways. 3) Domes on the ceiling in the
Palace.
5) Geometric and line Patterns on vaults. The architects of Ukhaidir first introduced a new elaborate
technique based on the construction of pointed barrel vaults with bricks in similar technique to
building a wall and therefore considerably eased the way vaults were built.
6) Pointed arches in the interior, which are regarded as the first record in Ukhaidar Palace.
Characteristics
Typical features of the more important buildings included massive round piers and smaller engaged
columns. 9th century Abbasid architecture had foliate decorations on arches, pendant vaults,
muqarnas vaults and polychrome interlaced spandrels that became identified as typical of “Islamic”
architecture, although these forms may have their origins in Sassanian architecture. Thus the
fronting arch of the Arch of Ctesiphon was once decorated with a lobed molding, a form copied in
the palace of al-U khaidar.
Sasanian Periods(224–651 A.D.)
1. Building materials. Sasanian architecture is characterized by the widespread use of mortar

masonry and the associated vaulting techniques. Although mud brick had been developed
long before, and mortar constructions were known in Parthian times, both became
preeminent in the high-standard architecture of the Sasanians.
2. Construction and structural types. (a) Vaulted constructions. Sasanian vaulting techniques
depend largely on the special qualities of gypsum mortar, which allows vaulting without
centering because of its short setting time. (b) Domed constructions. The propagation of the
dome on squinches above a square hall may be regarded as the most significant Sasanian
contribution to Middle-Eastern architecture. (c) Columns and other supporting constructions.
With the introduction of far-spanning vaults, the use of columns as constructive elements
was widely discarded. column was transformed into a massive, round or rectangular pillar
suitable for vaulted masonry constructions. (d) Constructive and decorative details. Clay
remained the chief coating material for flat and vaulted roofs as well as for floors which
were frequently covered with gypsum plaster, stone, or in rare cases, with Roman influenced
mosaics (e.g. Bīšāpūr, Ctesiphon). Plaster of Paris, frequently painted (Bīšāpūr, Ayvān-e
Karḵa, Kīš), was widely used for building facings and for the dominant mode of architectural
ornamentation
3. Functional types of buildings. (a) Religious architecture. Frequent reference to sacred fires
in Pahlavi texts indicate the important role that sanctuaries of the Zoroastrian state religion
played in Sasanian architecture, but their architectural type remains disputed. (b) Palaces.
Although palaces provide the best known examples of Sasanian architecture, the number of
well defined monuments is smaller than generally assumed. They are characterized by a
regular layout along an axis of symmetry and an obligatory ayvān. (d) Fortifications. The
main elements include ditches, walls with stepped niches, blind windows and arrow slots
with horizontal or triangular covering, stepped battlements, corridors or narrow rooms
within the walls, and far-protruding bastions, generally with semicircular headings.
Unsophisticated gates were placed between pronounced bastions, and gate chambers were
connected with the defense platform above by vertical shafts, probably for acoustic
communication. (f) Civil engineering architecture. The centralized Sasanian government
enabled the realization of large-scale community projects such as road communications,
bridges, irrigation, and drainage systems, most of which utilized the technical skill and
manpower of Roman prisoners of war.
The Akkadian Period (ca. 2350–2150 B.C.)

Abbasid Architecture

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Abbasid Architecture (750–1258)

1. Building materials. Sasanian architecture is characterized by the widespread use of mortar

The Akkadian Period (ca. 2350–2150 B.C.)

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