ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

By: Ar. John Paul Amada, uap

1 ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
1.1 Islamic Countries in Asia (Overview)

Overview

✓ Also Muslim, Muhammadan or Saracenic Architecture

✓ Mosque as a distinct building style.
✓ Domes, tunnel vaults, stilted, horseshoe and ogee arches and rich surface decorations
(calligraphy and floral motifs in a geometric framework: use of glazed tiles on interior and
exterior surfaces)
✓ Squinches -supports under the dome
✓ Muqarnas-Stalactite “decoration of icicle-like elements hanging from the ceiling.

Squinches Muqarnas
Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.2 Islamic Architecture

Islamic Architecture encompasses a wide range for both secular and religious style from the
foundation of Islam to the present day. What today is known as Islamic architecture owes its origin to
similar structures already existing in Roman, Byzantine and Persian lands, which the Muslims
conquered in the 7th and 8th centuries. Further east, it was influenced by chinse and Indian Architecture
as Islam spread to southeast Asia.

Islamic Architecture has been called the “Architecture of the veil” because the beauty lies in
the inner spaces (courtyards and rooms) which are not visible from the outside (street views) The use
of grandiose forms such as large domes, towering minarets and large courtyards are intended to
convey power.
Early Islamic religious architecture, exemplified by Jerusalem’s Dome of Rock (691 AD) and
the Great Mosque (705) in Damascus, drew on Christian architectural features such as domes, columnar
arches and mosaic but also included large courts for congregational prayer and a mihrab.

1.3 Islamic Architecture: ARCHITECTURAL TYPE

An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other
structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and
most styles in architecture relate closely to a wider contemporary artistic style.

1.3.1 Mosque

➢ Also, Masjid or musjid

➢ Muslim building or place of public workship

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

✓ A mosque is a place of worship for Muslims,

✓ Muslims are the followers of the Islam religion and they are supposed to pray 5 times a day.

✓ -Each time there is call for a prayer, known as Azan ,following which the Muslims head to mosque
for praying

✓ -Islam is the second most followed religion in the world.

✓ In almost every city and country of the world(except the Vatican and exception of few) there is a
mosque for Muslims to pray.

Other Parts of the Mosque

✓ Sahn-Atrium
✓ Fawwara-or meda,fountain for washing before prayers.
✓ Liwanat-Colonnade
✓ Dikka+-Reading Desk
✓ Masqura-Screen,protective barrier of the mimbar

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

Types of a Mosque

• Four level of prayer

✓ The individual(Masjid)
✓ The congregation( jami)
✓ The population of a town,(idgah) and
✓ The entire Muslim world

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

A. Famous Mosque around the world

1. Al Haram Mosque

Al-Haram Mosque (Al-Masjid Al -Haram)

Al Haram Mosque which is also called the Haram Sharif is located in the city of Mecca,
Saudi Arabia. The Al Haram Mosque is the largest and the most holy mosque in the
world).

This mosque is the main destination of the Haji Pilgrims.

The mosque covers an area of 356,800 sq. m and has the capacity to accommodate
nearly 820,000 worshipers.
This number can exceed up to 4 million during Haji season.

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

The mosque is also one of the oldest mosques. The holy Kaaba is situated at the center
of this mosque which is the Qibla (direction towards which Muslims offer prayers)
The Holy Kaaba. All Muslims around the world face the Kaaba while offering their
prayers.

2. Al Nabawi Mosque (Al Masjid Al Nabawi)

Al-Nabawi Mosque, the mosque of the Prophet is the second largest of the world. This mosque
is the resting place of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be upon Him)

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

The mosque is very special for Muslims as the mosque was built by the Prophet Mohammed
himself. The green dome above the mosque is called the dome of the Prophet and this is the
tomb of the Prophet is located. The dome was built in 1486.In the adjacent area of the mosque,
early Muslim leaders like Abu Bakar and Umar are buried. The mosque has been reconstructed
many times by various Islamic rulers.

3. Al Aqsa Mosque

-present in Jerusalem and it’s the third holiest mosque of islam.

According to the Muslim belief,the Prophet Mohammed was transported from Mecca to this
sacred mosque and here he lead prayers till Allah ordered him to return to Ka’aaba.
The Place where where the mosque is located has lead to a dispute between the Jew and the
Muslims for centuries.The Jews believe that the place was once the temple Mount,one of the
holliest place of Judaism.
4. Dome of Rock(Masjid Qubbat As Sakhrah)

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

5. The Zahir Mosque

6. Baitu Mukarram Mosque

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

7. Sheikh Zayed Mosque

8. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

9. The Shah Faisal Mosque

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

10. The Shah Faisal Mosque

1.3.2 Tomb

Islamic tomb is placed diagonally and oriented towards the Mecca and is constructed of red sandstone
with the slope of the wall at an angle of 75 degrees with the ground.\

-A large vault ,typically underground one, for burying the dead: an enclosure for a corpse cut in the
earth or in rock: a monument to the memory of the dead person ,Erected over their burial place.

1.3.3 Palaces

the designs of the Islamic palaces at that time were similar, the middle is a square surrounded by a fence
topped with corner towers and circular arc or semi-circular that has one entrance connected to an open
courtyard surrounded by all the facilities such as arcades, housings, stairs, and docks.

-The official residence of a sovereign, archbishop, bishop or other exalter person

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.3.4 Fort

A fortified building or strategic position: a permanent army post

1.4 Islamic Architecture: ARCHITECTURAL Elements

1.4.1 Minarets

Minaret- or tower(these were originally

used as torch lit,watch tower ,as seen in the
Great Mosque of Damascus: hence the
derivation of the word from the Arabic
nur,meaning “light”)The minaret of the
Great Mosque of Karouan in Tunisia is
considered as the oldest surviving minaret in
the world.It has the shape of a square
massive tower of three superimposed
sections.
1.4.2 Iwan

A four Iwan plan-with three subordinate halls and one principal faces toward Mecca.

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.4.3 Mihrab

Mihrab-a niche in the wall of a mosque, at the point nearest

to Mecca, toward which the congregation faces to pray.

1.4.4 Color: Blue

The color blue-symbolizes protection in Islamic culture and

is often prominently featured mosques.

1.4.5 Arabesque

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.4.6 Calligraphy & Curve of the Arch

1.4.7 Domes and Cupolas

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.5 Islamic Architecture: Characteristics of Islamic Styles was influenced by two

different ancient traditions:

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.6 Islamic Architecture: Distinct Architectural Style

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.7 Islamic Architecture:

a. Moorish Architecture

✓ Islamic Architecture of North Africa (Regions of Spain under Moorish domination)

✓ Buildings of large mosques and elaborate fortress places.
✓ Structural systems and decorations adapted from classical antiquity and combined with Islamic
Architecture

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

b. Munghal Architecture
✓ Or Indo-islamic:blended traditions from India and Islam (Munghal Period,
Golden age of Ilamic architecture in North India)

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Report Title: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Prepared by: Ar. John Paul Amada. 3/19/2022

1.8 Quick Recap

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