Islamic Architecture
7th Century Onward
Lecture 03
Historical Background
Geographical Conditions:
• Muslims originally were form the nomadic ‘Sahara’ desert
tribes
• Later on the desert tribe people came under one common
faith, ‘ Islam’ which adopted a different style, known as
Muslim Style or Islamic Style.
Historical Background
Geographical Conditions:
• This style spread all over the countries which adopted
Muslim Religion such as Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Spain,
Pakistan and Northern India.
• The style Developed in India is known as Indo-Muslim or
Indo-Islamic architecture.
Historical Background
Geological Conditions:
• The architecture is characterized according to the availability
of building materials in different countries.
• Such as domes were constructed in bricks and covered
externally with plaster in Persia.
• Dome constructed with stones in Egypt (limestone) and India
(red sandstone)
Historical Background
Geological Conditions:
• Plaster was commonly used for wall decoration in Egypt, Spain
and elsewhere.
• Marble available in Rajasthan, extensively used by Shah
Jahan.
Historical Background
Climatic Conditions:
• Most of the countries have hot climate.
• Hence to protect form severe heat, sheltering
arcades were provided.
• Windows were small and usually filled with
intricate geometric designs
• Mosques with wide spreading eaves to
ensure coolness.
Historical Background
Climatic Conditions:
• Flat roofs for dwelling houses to enjoy cool
breeze in the evening
• Houses were closely spaced with narrow
streets to protect from dust storms.
• Thick walled to protect from cold at night
and heat during day.
• Overhanging balconies for houses.
Historical Background
Religious Conditions:
• Muslim religion founded by Prophet Mohammed (born 570 AD).
• Holy book- Quran’ contains ‘Surah’-utterance of Mohammad
(P.B.U.H.) intended to reveal the words of God delivered to him by
the angel Gabriel.
• The Quran has 2 beliefs- ”There is no God but Allah and
Mohammad (P.B.U.H) is his Prophet”
• Islam teaches peace, love and forgiveness.
Historical Background
Religious Conditions:
• The earliest mosque for Friday prayer were square enclosure
surrounded by reeds and oriented towards Kaaba.
• According to Islam there is prohibition of worshiping any idols,
because He is One and only GOD.
• So Islamic ornaments became non- sculpture
Historical Background
Religious Conditions:
• However elaborate surface decoration was
provided in all the mosque by beautiful
geometric and floral design called ARABESQUE
and beautiful texts from Holy Quran.
• After death of Mohammed ( P.B.U.H.) at Madina
in 632 A.D. the spiritual direction was exercised
by his close companions “The Caliphs”.
• Many religious buildings were constructed and
as the religion spread far and wide.
Historical Background
• Social Conditions:
In all the Muslim houses Women’s
quarters(harem) are:
• secluded from portions accessible to
male visitors.
• Wooden lattices at window openings
to “see but no be seen”.
• Quarters on upper floor.
Historical Background
• Social Conditions:
Social customs include:
• Reading of Quran, attending prayer(Salat) five times a day,
holding Roza (fasting) in the month of Ramzan and giving 1/40
of one’s wealth every year as charity(Zakat) are the social
customs in Muslims.
• Going to Mecca over in life’s time (Hajj) is every Muslim’s
dream.
Historical Background
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
• Islamic architectural invention concentrates in three major
construction.
1. Masjids
2. Tombs
3. Palaces
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
Concept of Jam-e-Masjid
• It’s a Friday prayer mosque.
• It has large open courtyard
surrounded by arcades or
colonnades to ensure protection
from severe heat of the sun with a
fountain or tank in the center for
ablution.
• The Iwan on Mecca side is expanded
and elaborated into pillared hall
with the wall at the back containing
in elegant foliated arch shaped niche
called ‘mihrab’ showing Qibla or the
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
Minaret
• Towers or minarets are provided from which Adhaan was given by
the “muezzin” to call for the prayer at fixed times.
• In later periods the minarets increased in number to increase the
elevation affect.
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
Madrassah:
It’s a collegiate mosque containing lecture halls, library, residences
for students and teachers in addition to the mosque for prayer.
Dargah:
These are important tombs of nobles and occasionally called as
Dargah.
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
The Pointed Arch: Types of Arches
Another important feature of
this style is the pointed arch
which is the architecture symbol
of hands joined in prayer
pointing towards heaven
indicating that all the things in Two centered Four centered
pointed arch
the universe meet in only one, pointed arch
ALLAH.
multi centered
Horseshoe arch Ogee arch pointed arch
Characteristic Features
of Islamic Architecture
The Dome
• Another important feature of this style is dome symbolizing the
arch of heaven which is invariably used in mosques and tombs.
• The dome is built in brick and stone and the plastered surfaces
are decorated with intricate geometric patterns.
• Fluted and ribbed domes are common in Persia and India.
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
Private Islamic Houses:
• Inward-looking courtyard houses.
• Represent the desire for privacy and
familial obligations of Muslim life.
• Courtyard paved with tiles, often
planted with shade trees and with a
pool at the center.
Characteristic Features of Islamic
Architecture
Private Islamic Houses:
• Surrounding the courtyard are the
principal rooms of the house.
• Different sides of the courtyard may
provide separate accommodation for
sections of the extended family.
Islamic Decorative Elements
Islamic Decorative Elements
Geometric Pattern:
• The integration of geometry with such optical effects as the
balancing of positive and negative areas, a skillful use of color
and tone values.
Islamic Decorative Elements
Arabesque(Islimi):
• Representation of any human or natural form is prohibited by the
Islamic usage, so surface decoration is mainly confined to fanciful
ornamentation work called Arabesque.
• It is entirely an Islamic form of decoration and stylized design such
as leafs, rosette, natural flowers and stems.
Islamic Decorative Elements
Calligraphy
• Like other Islamic decoration, calligraphy is closely linked to
geometry. The proportions of the letters are all governed by
mathematics.
• Inscriptions are most often used as a frame along and around
main elements of a building like portals and cornices.
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