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Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the to the present day. Whilst it does have unique characteristics like its geometric and interlace patterned ornaments, it does draw some influence from, and architectures as Islam was present from the Near East & North Africa to East Asia. The principal Islamic architectural types are: the, the, the and the. From these four types, the vocabulary of Islamic architecture is derived and used for other buildings such as, and domestic architecture. There are different attitudes. Symbolic views of some scholars on Islamic architecture have consistently been criticized by historians for lacking historical evidence. Contents.

Influences The ( Qubbat al-Sakhrah) in (691) is one of the most important buildings in all of Islamic architecture. It is patterned after the nearby and artists were employed to create its elaborate against a golden background. The great epigraphic vine was adapted from the pre-Islamic style. The featured interior vaulted spaces, a circular dome, and the use of stylized repeating decorative patterns. Desert palaces in and (for example, and ) served the caliphs as living quarters, reception halls, and baths, and were decorated to promote an image of royal luxury. The became a popular feature in Islamic structures.

Some suggest the Muslims acquired this from the in Spain but they may have obtained it from Syria and Persia where the had been in use by the. In Moorish architecture, the curvature of the horseshoe arch is much more accentuated. Furthermore, alternating colours were added to accentuate the effect of its shape. This can be seen at a large scale in their major work, the. The of (completed in 715 by caliph Al-Walid I), built on the site of the of after the Islamic invasion of, still bore great resemblance to 6th and 7th century Christian.

Certain modifications were implemented, including expanding the structure along the transversal axis which better fit with the Islamic style of prayer. The (750 - 1258 ) witnessed the movement of the capital from to, and then from Baghdad to. The shift to Baghdad influenced politics, culture, and art. The, once the largest in the world, was built for the new capital.

Other major mosques built in the Abbasid Dynasty include the in Cairo, in Iraq, the great mosque in. Abbasid architecture in as exemplified in the (c.775-6) demonstrated the 'despotic and the pleasure-loving character of the dynasty' in its grand size but cramped living quarters. The (in ) is considered the ancestor of all the mosques in the western Islamic world. Its original marble columns and sculptures were of workmanship brought in from and other elements resemble Roman form. It is one of the best preserved and most significant examples of early great mosques, founded in 670 AD and dating in its present form largely from the period (9th century).

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is constituted of a massive square minaret, a large courtyard surrounded by porticos and a huge hypostyle prayer hall covered on its axis by two cupolas. The in, completed in 847 AD, combined the architecture of rows of columns supporting a flat base above which a huge spiraling was constructed. The in also influenced Islamic architecture.

When the captured the city from the, they converted the to a (now a museum) and incorporated elements into their own work (e.g. The Hagia Sophia also served as a model for many Ottoman mosques such as the Shehzade Mosque, the, and the. Domes are a major structural feature of Islamic architecture. The dome first appeared in Islamic architecture in 691 with the construction of the, a near replica of the existing and other domed situated nearby.

Domes remain in use, being a significant feature of many mosques and of the in the 17th century. The distinctive pointed domes of Islamic architecture, also originating with the and, have remained a distinguishing feature of mosques into the 21st century. Distinguishing of Islamic architecture have always been the of ordered repetition, radiating structures, and rhythmic, metric patterns.

In this respect, has been a key utility, especially for mosques and palaces. Other significant features employed as motifs include columns, piers and arches, organized and interwoven with alternating sequences of niches and colonnettes. England Characteristics Assimilation of earlier traditions Compared to Western European, period Islamic architecture has preserved to a greater extent the architectural traditions of its preceding cultures. From the eighth to the eleventh century, Islamic architectural styles were influenced by two different ancient traditions:. Greco-Roman tradition: In particular, the regions of the newly conquered (Southwestern Anatolia, Syria, Egypt and the ) supplied architects, masons, mosaicists and other craftsmen to the new Islamic rulers. These artisans were trained in and decorative arts, and continued building and decorating in Byzantine style, which had developed out of and architecture. Eastern tradition: and, despite adopting elements of Hellenistic and Roman representative style, retained their independent architectural traditions, which derived from and its predecessors.

The transition process between late Antiquity, or post-classical, and Islamic architecture is exemplified by archaeologic findings in North Syria and Palestine, the of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties. In this region, late antique, or Christian, architectural traditions merged with the pre-Islamic Arabian heritage of the conquerors. Recent research on the history of and architecture has revised a number of ideas. Specifically, the following questions are currently subject to renewed discussions in the light of recent findings and new concepts of cultural history:.

The existence of a linear development within the Islamic architecture;. the existence of an inter- and intracultural hierarchy of styles;. questions of cultural authenticity and its delineation. Compared to earlier research, the assimilation and transformation of pre-existing architectural traditions is investigated under the aspect of mutual intra- and intercultural exchange of ideas, technologies and styles as well as artists, architects, and materials. In the area of art and architecture, the is seen as a continuous transformation process leading from late Antiquity to the Islamic period. Early research into the area regarded the early Islamic architecture merely as a break with the past, from which apparently rose a distorted and less expressive form of art, or a degenerate imitation of the post-classical architectural forms.

Modern concepts tend to regard the transition between the cultures rather as a selective process of informed appropriation and transformation. The Umayyads played a crucial role in this process of transforming and thereby enriching the existing architectural traditions, or, in a more general sense, of the visual culture of the nascent Islamic society. Paradise garden.

Main article: Gardens and water have for many centuries played an essential role in Islamic culture, and are often compared to the garden of. The comparison originates from the.

In his dialogue ', has relate the story of the Spartan general 's visit to the Persian prince, who shows the Greek his 'Paradise at Sardis'. The classical form of the Persian, or the, comprises a rectangular irrigated space with elevated pathways, which divide the garden into four sections of equal size: One of the hallmarks of Persian gardens is the four-part garden laid out with axial paths that intersect at the garden's centre. This highly structured geometrical scheme, called the chahar bagh, became a powerful metaphor for the organization and domestication of the landscape, itself a symbol of political territory.

A charbagh from Achaemenid time has been identified in the archaeological excavations. The gardens of , , , , , , , all in, form part of the. Large Paradise gardens are also found at the , and at , in India; the (, ) or at the and in,. Courtyard (Sehan). The, with a large courtyard ( sehan) surrounded by, Tunisia.

The traditional Islamic, a sehan (: صحن‎), is found in secular and religious structures. When within a residence or other secular building is a private courtyard and walled garden. It is used for: the aesthetics of plants, water, architectural elements, and natural light; for cooler space with fountains and shade, and source of breezes into the structure, during summer heat; and a protected and proscribed place where the women of the house need not be covered in the clothing traditionally necessary in public. A sehan—courtyard is in within almost every mosque in Islamic architecture. The courtyards are open to the sky and surrounded on all sides by structures with halls and rooms, and often a shaded semi-open arcade.

Sehans usually feature a centrally positioned ritual cleansing pool under an open domed pavilion called a. A mosque courtyard is used for performing ablutions, and a 'patio' for rest or gathering. Hypostyle hall A, i.e., an open hall supported by columns combined with a reception hall set at right angle to the main hall, is considered to be derived from architectural traditions of Persian assembly halls ( '). This type of building originated from the -style with an adjacent courtyard surrounded by, like in Rome. The Roman type of building has developed out of the. In Islamic architecture, the hypostyle hall is the main feature of the hypostyle mosque. One of the earliest hypostyle mosques is the in Iran, dating back to the 8th century.

Vaulting In Islamic buildings, follows two distinct architectural styles: Whilst continues Syrian traditions of the 6th and 7th century, Eastern Islamic architecture was mainly influenced by styles and forms. Umayyad diaphragm arches and barrel vaults. Qusair 'Amra In their vaulting structures, Umayyad period buildings show a mixture of ancient Roman and Persian architectural traditions. With lintelled ceilings made of wood or stone beams, or, alternatively, with barrel vaults, were known in the since the classical and period. They were mainly used to cover houses and cisterns. The architectural form of covering diaphragm arches with barrel vaults, however, was likely newly introduced from, as similar vaulting was not known in before the arrival of the Umayyads.

However, this form was well known in from early times, as exemplified in the Parthian buildings of. The earliest known example for barrel vaults resting on diaphragm arches from is known from Qasr Harane in Syria. During the early period, the diaphragm arches are built from coarsely cut limestone slabs, without using supporting, which were connected. Later-period vaults were erected using pre-formed lateral ribs modelled from gypsum, which served as a temporal formwork to guide and center the vault. These ribs, which were left in the structure afterwards, do not carry any load. The ribs were cast in advance on strips of cloth, the impression of which can still be seen in the ribs today.

Similar structures are known from, for example from the palace of. Umayyad-period vaults of this type were found in and in. Islamic Spain The double-arched system of of the is generally considered to be derived from like the nearby. Columns are connected by, and support pillars of, which are in turn interconnected by semicircular arches supporting the flat timberwork ceiling. West Bengal, India Domes Based on the model of pre-existing, the developed a specific form of monumental, representative building: Wide central domes with huge diameters were erected on top of a centre-plan building. CompTIA Network. Despite their enormous weight, the domes appear virtually weightless. Some of the most elaborate domed buildings have been constructed by the architect.

When the Ottomans had conquered, they found a variety of Byzantine Christian churches, the largest and most prominent amongst them was the. The brickwork-and-mortar ribs and the spherical shell of the central dome of the Hagia Sophia were built simultaneously, as a self-supporting structure without any wooden. In the early Byzantine church of, the ribs of the dome vault are fully integrated into the shell, similar to Western domes, and thus are not visible from within the building.

In the dome of the Hagia Sophia, the ribs and shell of the dome unite in a central medallion at the apex of the dome, the upper ends of the ribs being integrated into the shell: Shell and ribs form one single structural entity. In later Byzantine buildings, like the, the (formerly the Monastery of Christ Pantepoptes) or the Pantokrator Monastery (today: ), the central medallion of the apex and the ribs of the dome became separate structural elements: The ribs are more pronounced and connect to the central medallion, which also stands out more pronouncedly, so that the entire construction gives the impression as if ribs and medallion are separate from, and underpin, the proper shell of the dome. Mimar Sinan solved the structural issues of the Hagia Sophia dome by constructing a system of centrally symmetric pillars with flanking semi-domes, as exemplified by the design of the (four pillars with two flanking shield walls and two semi-domes, 1550–1557), the (eight pillars with four diagonal semi-domes, 1561–1563), and the in (eight pillars with four diagonal semi-domes, 1567/8–1574/5). In the history of architecture, the structure of the Selimiye Mosque has no precedent. All elements of the building subordinate to its great dome. Main article: The architectural element of muqarnas developed in northeastern Iran and the Maghreb around the middle of the 10th century. The ornament is created by the geometric subdivision of a vaulting structure into miniature, superimposed pointed-arch substructures, also known as 'honeycomb', or 'stalactite' vaults.

Made from different materials like stone, brick, wood or stucco, its use in architecture spread over the entire Islamic world. In the Islamic West, muqarnas are also used to adorn the outside of a dome, cupola, or similar structure, whilst in the East is more limited to the interior face of a vault. Main articles:, and As a common feature, Islamic architecture makes use of specific ornamental forms, including mathematically complicated, elaborate and, floral motifs like the, and elaborate inscriptions, which serve to decorate a building, specify the intention of the building by the selection of the textual program of the inscriptions. For example, the calligraphic inscriptions adorning the include quotations from the Quran (e.g., Quran 19:33–35) which reference the miracle of Jesus and his human nature. The geometric or floral, interlaced forms, taken together, constitute an infinitely repeated pattern that extends beyond the visible material world. To many in the Islamic world, they symbolize the concept of infinite proves of existence of one eternal God.

The repetitiveness, simplicity contrasted with complexity and percision suggests that our complex universe is only one of the many manifestations of the infinitely obvious and present Allah, the one God. Furthermore, the Islamic artist conveys a definite spirituality without the of. Non-figural ornaments are used in mosques and buildings around the Muslim world, and it is a way of decorating using beautiful, embellishing and repetitive Islamic art (which some Muslims believe is forbidden ( ) in Islam).

Instead of recalling something related to the reality of the, calligraphy for the Muslim is a visible expression of spiritual concepts. Calligraphy has arguably become the most venerated form of Islamic art because it provides a link between the languages of the Muslims with the religion of Islam. The of Islam, al-, has played a vital role in the development of the Arabic language, and by extension, calligraphy in the. And complete passages from the Qur'an are still active sources for Islamic calligraphy.

Contemporary artists in the Islamic world draw on the heritage of calligraphy to use calligraphic inscriptions or abstractions in their work. A sample of modern Islamic architecture - The mosque of international conferences center - Many forms of Islamic architecture have evolved in different regions of the. Notable Islamic architectural types include the early buildings, T-Type mosques, and the central-dome mosques of. The -wealth of the 20th century drove a great deal of mosque construction using designs from leading modern architects.

Arab-plan or hypostyle mosques are the earliest type of mosques, pioneered under the. These mosques are square or rectangular in plan with an enclosed courtyard and a covered prayer hall. Historically, because of the warm Mediterranean and Middle Eastern climates, the courtyard served to accommodate the large number of worshippers during Friday prayers. Most early hypostyle mosques have flat roofs on top of prayer halls, necessitating the use of numerous and. One of the most notable hypostyle mosques is the in, as the building is supported by over 850 columns. Frequently, hypostyle mosques have outer so that visitors can enjoy some shade.

Arab-plan mosques were constructed mostly under the Umayyad and dynasties; subsequently, however, the simplicity of the Arab plan limited the opportunities for further development, and as a result, these mosques gradually fell out of popularity. Introduced central dome mosques in the 15th century and have a large dome centered over the prayer hall. In addition to having one large dome at the center, there are often smaller domes that exist off-center over the prayer hall or throughout the rest of the mosque, where prayer is not performed. This style was heavily influenced by the religious architecture with its use of large central domes.

Plan view of Bab al-Barqiyya along Wall. Located close to one of Cairo's main modern traffic arteries, al-Azhar Street, the Fatimid-era Bab al-Barqiyya fortified gate was constructed with interlocking volumes that surrounded the entrant in such a way as to provide greater security and control than typical city wall gates. Laser scan data from an / research partnership.

Islamic architecture may be identified with the following design elements, which were inherited from the first mosque buildings (originally a feature of the ). or towers (these were originally used as torch-lit watchtowers, as seen in the; hence the derivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning 'light'). The minaret of the in is considered as the oldest surviving minaret in the world. It has the shape of a square massive tower of three superimposed sections.

A four- plan, with three subordinate halls and one principal one that faces toward Mecca. or on an inside wall indicating the direction to.

In South East Asia ( and ), these are very recent additions. Pishtaq is the formal gateway to the, usually the main prayer hall of a mosque, a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open; a term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tilework, and geometric designs. Iwans to intermediate between different pavilions. Towns and cities Urban and nomadic life according to Ibn Khaldun During its history, the society of the pre-modern Islamic world was dominated by two important social contexts, and. The historian and politician thoroughly discusses both concepts in his book. According to him, the way of life and culture of the rural nomads and the townspeople are opposed in a central.

Ibn Khaldun explains the rise and fall of civilizations by his concept of ('bond of cohesion', or 'family loyalty'), as exemplified by the rule of the. Bedouins, being the nomadic inhabitants of the steppe and the desert, are interconnected by strong bonds of asabiyyah and firm religious beliefs.

These bonds tend to slacken in urban communities over some generations. In parallel, by losing their asabiyyah, the townspeople also lose the power to defend themselves, and fall victims to more aggressive tribes which may destroy the city and set up a new ruling dynasty, which over time is subject to the same weakening of power again.

Experiments with the hellenistic Ideal city The antique concept of the architecture of a or is based on a structure of main and smaller roads running through the entire city, and dividing it into quarters. The streets are oriented towards public buildings like a palace, temple, or a public square. Two main roads, ( and ) cross each other at right angles in the center of the city. A few cities were founded during the early Islamic, the outlines of which were based on the Ancient Roman concept of the. An example of a city planned according to Hellenistic concepts was excavated at in. Transformation of conquered towns More often than founding new cities, the new Islamic rulers took over existing towns, and transformed them according to the needs of the new Islamic society.

This process of transformation proved to be decisive for the development of the traditional Islamic city,. The principle of arranging buildings is known as 'horizontal spread'. Residencies and public buildings as well as private housing tend to be laid out separately, and are not directly related to each other architectonically. Archaeological excavations at the city of, the Gerasa of Antiquity, have revealed how the Umayyads have transformed the city plan. Urban morphology of the Medina The architecture of the '-Islamic is based on cultural and sociological concepts which differ from those of European cities.

In both cultures, a distinction is made between the areas used by the rulers and their government and administration, public places of everyday common life, and the areas of private life. Whilst the structures and concepts of European towns originated from a sociological struggle to gain basic rights of freedom – or – from political or religious authorities during the, an Islamic town or city is fundamentally influenced by the preservation of the unity of secular and religious life throughout time. The fundamental principle of the Islamic society is the, or ummat al-Islamiyah (: الأمة الإسلامية‎), the community of Muslims of whom each individual is equally submitted to under the common law of, which also subjected the respective ruler, at least nominally. In times, some cities like the were constructed from scratch, set up to a plan which focused on the caliph's residence, located in the very centre of the city, with main roads leading radially from the city gates to the central palace, dividing individual tribal sections with no interconnection, and separated from each other by radial walls. However, these efforts were of short duration only, and the original plan soon disappeared and gave way to succeeding buildings and architectural structures. In a medina, palaces and residences as well as public places like - complexes and private living spaces rather coexist alongside each other.

The buildings tend to be more inwardly oriented, and are separated from the surrounding 'outside' either by walls or by the hierarchical ordering of the streets, or both. Streets tend to lead from public main roads to cul-de-sac byroads and onwards into more private plots, and then end there. There are no, or very few, internal connections between different quarters of the city. In order to move from one quarter to the next, one has to go back to the main road again. Within a city quarter, byroads lead towards individual building complexes or clusters of houses. The individual house is frequently also oriented towards an inner, and enclosed by walls, which mostly are unadorned, unlike European outward-oriented, representative.

Thus, the spatial structure of a medina essentially reflects the ancient nomadic tradition of living in a family group or tribe, held together by asabiyya, strictly separated from the 'outside'. In general, the morphology of an Islamic medina is granting – or denying – access according to the basic concept of hierarchical degrees of privacy.

The inhabitants move from public space to the living quarters of their tribe, and onwards to their family home. Within a family house, there are again to be found common and separate spaces, the latter, and most private, usually reserved for women and children.

In the end, only the family heads have free and unlimited access to all rooms and areas of ther private home, as opposed to the more European concept of interconnecting different spaces for free and easy access. The hierarchy of privacy thus guides and structurizes the entire social life in a medina, from the caliph down to his most humble subject, from the town to the house. Entrance courtyard of Qasr al-Hallabat Misr, Ribat In the frontier area of the, military forts (, Pl.: أمصار‎, amṣār), or (: رباط‎ ribāṭ, fortress) were founded. The structure and function of a misr is similar to an ancient Roman. Like a frontier colony, the fortress served as a base for further conquests. Arabian military forts of this type were frequently built in the vicinity of an older town from Antiquity or from Byzantine times.

They frequently were of square format. Rather than maintaining their original purpose to serve as a military base, many amṣār developed into urbane and administrative centers. In particular, this happened in the case of the cities of and, which became known as 'al-miṣrān' ('the two forts'), but also with and in North Africa. Qaṣr Qaṣr (: قصر‎, qaṣr; Pl.: قصور‎, quṣūr) means palace, castle or (frontier) fort. Fortresses from Late Antiquity often continued to be in use, whilst their function changed during time. Some quṣūr were already used as during Roman times, and were part of the fortifications of the North African. Already during the Ancient Roman times, castra did not only serve as fortifications, but also as markets and meeting points for the tribes living beyond the border.

Smaller quṣūr are found in modern, and include (located 50 km east of ), Qasr Bushir (15 km north of ), the castle of Daganiya (45 km north of ) and Odruh (22 km east of ). After the was abandoned by the Roman Empire, many of the castra continued to be in use.

This continuity was subject to archaeological investigations in the fort of Qasr al-Hallabat, which at different times served as a Roman castrum, Christian, and finally as an Umayyad Qasr. Is one of the earliest known, its architectural form clearly demonstrates the influence of. According to a hypothesis developed by, the umayyad quṣūr played a role in the systematic agricultural colonisation of the uninhabited frontier areas, and, as such, continue the colonisation strategy of earlier Christian monks and the. The Umayyads, however, increasingly oriented their political strategy towards a model of, of mutual interdependence and support.

After the Umayyad conquest, the quṣūr lost their original function and were either abandoned or continued to serve as local market places and meeting points until the tenth century. Another type of Islamic fortress is. Early history. Bab al-Futuh gate built by the Fatimid vazir. There are few buildings dating from the era of Prophet Muhammad, but one example is the in.

The (632–661) was the first state to use Islamic Architecture. The (661–750) combined elements of and, but introduced new combinations of these western and eastern styles.

The horseshoe arch appears for the first time in Umayyad architecture, later to evolve to its most advanced form in. Umayyad architecture is distinguished by the extent and variety of decoration, including mosaics, wall painting, sculpture and carved reliefs with Islamic motifs. The Umayyads introduced a that divided the prayer room along its shorter axis. They also added the to mosque design. The mosque in built by had the first, a niche on the qibla wall, which seems to have represented the place where the Prophet stood when leading prayer.

This almost immediately became a standard feature of all mosques. The of the (750–1513) was strongly influenced by, and later by Central Asian styles. The Abbasid mosques all followed the courtyard plan. The earliest was the mosque that al-Mansur built in Baghdad. Since destroyed. The built by al-Mutawakkil was 256 by 139 metres (840 by 456 ft). A flat wooden roof was supported by columns.

The mosque was decorated with marble panels and glass mosaics. The prayer hall of the Abu Dulaf mosque at Samarra had arcades on rectangular brick piers running at right angles to the wall. Both of the Samarra mosques have spiral minarets, the only examples in Iraq. A mosque at in what is now Afghanistan was about 20 by 20 metres (66 by 66 ft) square, with three rows of three square bays, supporting nine vaulted domes. Construction of the (now a cathedral known as the Mezquita) beginning in 785 CE marks the beginning of in the and North Africa (see ). The mosque is noted for its striking interior. Moorish architecture reached its peak with the construction of the, the magnificent palace/fortress of, with its open and breezy interior spaces adorned in red, blue, and gold.

The walls are decorated with stylized motifs, inscriptions, and design work, with walls covered in glazed. Their other, smaller, survivals such as the Bab Mardum in, or the caliphal city of. Moorish architecture has its roots deeply established in the tradition of architecture and design established during the era of the first Caliphate of the in the circa 660AD with its capital having very well preserved examples of fine design and geometrics, including the carmen, which is the typical Damascene house, opening on the inside with a fountain as the house's centre piece.

In Egypt followed techniques and used similar materials, but also developed those of their own. In, their first congregational mosque was ('the splendid') founded along with the city (969–973), which, together with its adjacent institution of higher learning , became the spiritual center for. The Mosque of al-Hakim (r. 996–1013), an important example of Fatimid architecture and architectural decoration, played a critical role in ceremonial and procession, which emphasized the religious and political role of the. Besides elaborate funerary monuments, other surviving Fatimid structures include the (1125) and the, as well as the monumental gates for Cairo's commissioned by the powerful and (r. The reign of the (1250–1517 AD) in Egypt marked a breathtaking flowering of Islamic art which is most visible in old Cairo.

Made them generous patrons of and art. Trade and agriculture flourished under Mamluk rule, and Cairo, their capital, became one of the wealthiest cities in the and the center of artistic and intellectual activity. This made Cairo, in the words of, 'the center of the universe and the garden of the world', with majestic domes, courtyards, and soaring minarets spread across the city. Regional styles Persian.

A pre-Islamic monument built in which was later turned into a mosque, showing elements of pre-Islamic in Islamic architecture. The in the 7th century availed the Muslims with the vast wealth of architectural innovation developed over the centuries, from the, and of the, to the and and, and the Sassanian and. The Islamic architects first utilized these native architects to build mosques, and eventually developed their own adaptations.

Islamic architecture thus is directly related to and. In Persia and Central Asia, the, and struggled for power in the 10th century, and art was a vital element of this competition. Great cities were built, such as and , and the construction of the Great Mosque of (which would continue, in fits and starts, over several centuries) was initiated. Funerary architecture was also cultivated.

Under the the 'Iranian plan' of mosque construction appears for the first time. Lodging places called khans, or, for travellers and their animals, or caravansarais, generally displayed utilitarian rather than ornamental architecture, with rubble masonry, strong fortifications, and minimal comfort. Seljuq architecture synthesized various styles, both Iranian and Syrian, sometimes rendering precise attributions difficult. Another important architectural trend to arise in the Seljuk era is the development of mausolea including the tomb tower such as the (circa 1006-7) (showcasing a Zoroastrian motif) and the domed square, an example of which is the in the city of (circa 943). The provided several innovations to dome-building that eventually enabled the Persians to construct much taller structures. These changes later paved the way for Safavid architecture.

The pinnacle of Il-Khanate architecture was reached with the construction of the (1302–1312) in, Iran, which measures 50 m in height and 25 m in diameter, making it and the tallest masonry dome ever erected. The thin, double-shelled dome was reinforced by arches between the layers. The tomb of in is one of the greatest and most impressive monuments in Iran, despite many later depredations. Iranian architecture and city planning also reached an apogee under the, in particular with the monuments of, marked by extensive use of exterior ceramic tiles and vaulting within. In, The renaissance in Persian mosque and dome building came during the, when, in 1598 initiated the reconstruction of, with the as the centerpiece of his new capital. The distinct feature of Persian domes, which separates them from those domes created in the Christian world or the Ottoman and Mughal empires, was the colorful tiles, with which they covered the exterior of their domes, as they would on the interior. These domes soon numbered dozens in Isfahan, and the distinct, blue- colored shape would dominate the skyline of the city.

Reflecting the light of the sun, these domes appeared like glittering and could be seen from miles away by travelers following the through Persia. This very distinct style of architecture was inherited to them from the, who for centuries had used it in their mosque building, but it was perfected during the Safavids when they invented the haft- rangi, or seven- colour style of tile burning, a process that enabled them to apply more colours to each tile, creating richer patterns, sweeter to the eye.

The colours that the Persians favoured were golden, white and turquoise patterns on a dark- blue background. The extensive inscription bands of calligraphy and arabesque on most of the major buildings where carefully planned and executed by, who was appointed head of the royal library and Master calligrapher at the Shah's court in 1598, while oversaw the construction projects. Reaching 53 meters in height, the dome of Masjed-e Shah (Shah Mosque) would become the tallest in the city when it was finished in 1629.

It was built as a double- shelled dome, with 14 m spanning between the two layers, and resting on an octagonal dome chamber. Persian-style mosques are also characterized by their tapered brick pillars, large and arches each supported by several pillars.

In South Asia, such art was also used as was a technique throughout the region. The in, The in the 7th century also helped Islamic architecture to flourish in.

The country became home of Nakchivan and Shirvan-Absheron architecture schools. An example of the first direction in the Azerbaijani Islamic architecture is the mausoleum of Yusuf, built in 1162. The Shirvan-Absheron school unlike Nakchivan style used stones instead of the bricks in the construction. At the same characteristics of this trend were the asymmetry and stone carving, which includes famous landmarks like.

Is the ensemble of three, in, modern day. Timurid architecture is the pinnacle of in. Spectacular and stately edifices erected by and in and helped to disseminate the influence of the in India, thus giving rise to the celebrated school of architecture. Timurid architecture started with the in present-day and culminated in Timur's mausoleum in. The style is largely derived from. Is a characteristic of all major Timurid structures, notably the in and the mosque of in. Double of various shapes abound, and the outsides are perfused with brilliant colors.

Russian -Islamic architecture is a feature of the architecture of the, formed under the influence of a sedentary and nomadic way of life in ancient times, developing in the epochs of the Golden Horde, the Tatar khanates and under the rule of the. The architecture was formed in the modern form for many centuries and depended on the culture, aesthetics and religion of the population, therefore combines a unique combination of Eastern, Russian, Bulgarian, Golden Horde architecture, European styles dominating in Russia at one time or another, especially this Is clearly reflected in the Tatar mosques. Indo-Islamic. Taj Mahal in,. The most famous Indo-Islamic style is. Its most prominent examples are the series of imperial, which started with the pivotal, but is best known for the, completed in 1648 by emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife who died while giving birth to their 14th child. The Taj Mahal is completely symmetrical except for Shah Jahan's, which is placed off center in the crypt room below the main floor.

This symmetry extended to the building of an entire mirror mosque in black marble to complement the Mecca-facing mosque place to the west of the main structure. A famous example of the style of Mughal garden is the in, where the domeless is also located. In which was commissioned by sixth in memory of his wife. The in and are huge castle-like fortified palaces, and the abandoned city of, 26 miles (42 km) west of, was built for in the late 16th century.

17th century village mosque, Within the subcontinent, the region developed a distinct regional style under the independent Bengal Sultanate. It incorporated influences from Persia, Byzantium and North India, which were with blended indigenous Bengali elements, such as curved roofs, corner towers and complex ornamentation. One feature in the sultanate was the relative absence of minarets.

Many small and medium-sized medieval mosques, with multiple domes and artistic, were constructed throughout the region. The grand mosque of Bengal was the 14th century, the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent.

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Built of stone demolished from temples, it featured a monumental ribbed barrel vault over the central nave, the first such giant vault used anywhere in the subcontinent. The mosque was modeled on the imperial style of Persia.

The Sultanate style flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries. A provincial style influenced by North India evolved in Mughal Bengal during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Mughals also copied the Bengali roof tradition for mausoleums in North India. Sino-Islamic. The Great Mosque of Xi'an, China The first Chinese mosque was established in the 7th century during the in. The, whose current buildings date from the, does not replicate many of the features often associated with traditional mosques.

Instead, it follows traditional. Some Chinese mosques in parts of western China were more likely to incorporate minarets and domes while eastern Chinese mosques were more likely to look like.

An important lathan feature in Chinese architecture is its emphasis on, which connotes a sense of grandeur; this applies to everything from to. One notable exception is in the design of gardens, which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like Chinese scroll paintings, the principle underlying the garden's composition is to create enduring flow; to let the patron wander and enjoy the garden without prescription, as in nature herself. Chinese buildings may be built with either red or grey bricks, but wooden structures are the most common; these are more capable of withstanding earthquakes, but are vulnerable to fire. The roof of a typical Chinese building is curved; there are strict classifications of gable types, comparable with the of European columns. Most mosques have certain aspects in common with each other however as with other regions Chinese Islamic architecture reflects the local architecture in its style.

China is renowned for its beautiful mosques, which resemble temples. However, in western China the mosques resemble those of the, with tall, slender minarets, curvy arches and dome shaped roofs.

In northwest China where the Chinese have built their mosques, there is a combination of eastern and western styles. The mosques have flared Buddhist style roofs set in walled courtyards entered through archways with miniature domes and. The Grand Mosque of the, features multi-layered roof typical of Indonesian mosque architecture. Southeast Asia was slow to adopt Middle Eastern architectural styles. Islam entered Indonesia in the 15th-century via island, during which period the dominant religion in Southeast Asia included a variety of pagan groups. Introduction of Islam was peaceful.

Existing architectural features in Indonesia such as the gate, (normally marks entrance to the most sacred precincts), and the sacred pyramidal roof was used for Islamic architecture. For centuries, Indonesian mosques lacked domes or minarets, both considered a Middle Eastern origin. Indonesian original mosques feature multi-layered pyramidal roofs and no minaret. Prayer are called by striking a prayer's drum known as. The minaret of the is a great example of Indonesian architecture. Indonesian mosque architecture also features strong influence from the Middle Eastern architecture styles.

The architecture of Javanese Indonesian mosques had a strong influence on the design of other mosques in, and the. Today, with increasing Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Indonesian-Malaysian mosques are developing a more standard, international style, with a dome and minaret. Main article: In West Africa, Islamic merchants played a vital role in the Western region since the.

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At, locals lived in domed-shaped dwellings in the king's section of the city, surrounded by a great enclosure. Traders lived in stone houses in a section which possessed 12 beautiful mosques (as described by ), one centered on. The king is said to have owned several mansions, one of which was sixty-six feet long, forty-two feet wide, contained seven rooms, was two stories high, and had a staircase; with the walls and chambers filled with sculpture and painting. Initially grew from the two cities of and.

The Mosque in, constructed from mud on timber, was similar in style to the. The 13th century in. The peaceful introduction of in the early medieval era of brought Islamic architectural influences from and, which stimulated a shift from and other related materials in construction to, and the widespread use of in Somali architecture. Many of the new architectural designs such as were built on the ruins of older structures, a practice that would continue over and over again throughout the following centuries. Concordant with the ancient presence of Islam in the region, mosques in Somalia are some of the oldest on the entire continent. One architectural feature that made Somali mosques distinct from other mosques in Africa were. For centuries, Arba Rukun (1269), the Friday mosque of (1609) and (1269) were, in fact, the only mosques in to have minarets.

Fakr ad-Din, which dates back to the, was built with and and included a compact rectangular plan with a domed axis. Glazed tiles were also used in the decoration of the mihrab, one of which bears a dated inscription. The 13th century Al Gami University consisted of a rectangular base with a large cylindrical tower architecturally unique in the.

To honor and evolved from ancient Somali burial customs. In Southern Somalia the preferred medieval shrine architecture was the style while the North predominantly built structures consisting of and square plans. The is a style wooden in the centre of square in,. Common interpretations of Islamic architecture include the following: The concept of God or 's infinite power is evoked by designs with repeating themes which suggest infinity. Human and animal forms are rarely depicted in as God's work is considered to be matchless.

Foliage is a frequent motif but typically stylized or simplified for the same reason. Is used to enhance the interior of a building by providing quotations from the. 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 view).

Furthermore, the use of grandiose forms such as large domes, towering minarets, and large courtyards are intended to convey power. Ali, Wijdan (1999). American Univ in Cairo Press. Retrieved 2013-03-17. Bloom, Jonathan M.; Blair, Sheila (2009). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2013-03-15.

Ettinghausen, Richard; Grabar, Oleg; Jenkins, Marilyn (2001). Yale University Press. Retrieved 2013-03-17. Petersen, Andrew (2002-03-11). Retrieved 2013-03-16. Further reading.; Cruickshank, Dan (1996) 1896. Architectural Press.

Yahya Abdullahi; Mohamed Rashid Bin Embi (2013). Frontiers of Architectural Research: Elsevier. Abdullahi Y.; Embi M. International Journal of Architectural Research: Archnet-IJAR.

External links. (Half in English and half in Japanese). Open access, online resource on architecture and art of Muslim societies, globally and throughout history to our times. (-licensed photos, laser scans, panoramas), data from an / research partnership. Islamic Art And Architecture designs worldwide.