Islamic

The Historical
Timeline of Architecture

Egyptian Byzantine

Pre-Historic Greek Roman Early Christian

PRE-HISTORIC
history of architecture

NEAR EAST
EGYPTIAN
GREEK
ROMAN
EARLY CHRISTIAN Near East Islamic
BYZANTINE
ROMANESQUE
GOTHIC
RENAISSANCE
18TH-19TH C REVIVAL
20TH C MODERN

ISLAMIC
INDIAN
CHINESE & JAPANESE
FILIPINO
 Islamic
• Muhammad died in 632 AD, but his Muslim followers
were ready to spread his teachings
• Concerted efforts by conquering Arabic tribes to spread
Islam
• North into Central Asia
• Westward to Africa
• Along trade routes into India
• Among the Turks and Mongols

• Spread of Islam is associated with military conquest and

racial movements
• Establish a cultural tie with Arabian heartland, with
annual pilgrimage to Mecca

PRE-HISTORIC
history of architecture

NEAR EAST
INFLUENCES
EGYPTIAN
GREEK
HISTORY
ROMAN
• The religion of Islam began in Arabia
EARLY CHRISTIAN SOCIETY
• 610 AD, Muhammad from Mecca saw visions of an angel
BYZANTINE • Message from Allah to stop worshipping false idols and • Tribal groups
ROMANESQUE to accept the will of god “Islam” • Public life was reserved for men (women had a
GOTHIC • Arabs of Mecca rejected this message secondary role - for domestic and agricultural work)
RENAISSANCE • Christians and Jews ("people of the book“) were given
18TH-19TH C REVIVAL • 622 AD, the Hegira - Muhammad moved to Medina and the freedom of worship and self-government
20TH C MODERN converted the people into Islam
• Within 10 years, the framework of religion and military • Many of the conquered cities were already centers of
ISLAMIC
organization tasked with spreading the faith was learning
INDIAN • Muslims translated into Arabic many scholarly writings
established
CHINESE & JAPANESE from Greek, Persian and Indian
• Medina then fought Mecca and in 630 AD destroyed all
FILIPINO
its idols and converted it to Islam • Rulers and scholars were interested in mathematics,
astronomy, geography, medicine, philosophy and science

RELIGION
• Last of 3 great religions of Middle East
• Complete philosophy of life and government
• One god Allah, Muhammad is the prophet
• Faith is held to be Allah's will for creation
• Acceptance of the transitory nature of earthly life
• Personal humility
• Abhorrence of image worship
PRE-HISTORIC
history of architecture
Islamic
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
DESCRIPTION
• Countries already rich in building tradition
• Product of the rapid conquest of diverse territories by a
people with no architectural tradition
• Synthesis of styles under one philosophy but in many
different circumstances
Islam had a profound impact on its architecture:
• No essential difference in techniques between religious
and non-religious buildings
• Important architectural endeavor is normally expended
on buildings having a direct social or community purpose
• Decorations tend toward the abstract, using geometric,
calligraphic and plant motifs, with a preference for a
uniform field of decoration rather than a focal element
• Basic conservatism discourages innovations and favors
established forms
• Symmetry and balance (as in the concept of perfect

creation)
NEAR EAST • Centered upon God
EGYPTIAN • Related to a principal axis, the kibla, pointing towards
GREEK Mecca
ROMAN
EARLY CHRISTIAN
BYZANTINE
ROMANESQUE
GOTHIC Koran
RENAISSANCE • Muhammad wrote down the words of angels who brought
18TH-19TH C REVIVAL him messages from Allah
20TH C MODERN • After his death, these accounts were compiled into a holy
book
ISLAMIC
• Speaks of the power of Allah, to accept his will and to DECORATION
INDIAN praise him • in lieu of human and animal forms: abstract and
CHINESE & JAPANESE geometric motifs, calligraphy, floral abstraction, geometric
FILIPINO • 5 Pillars of Islam: Declaring faith in god, Prayer, Fasting, interlacement, mouldings and friezes, carvings in bas
Giving to charity, Pilgrimage to Mecca relief, stone inlay and mosaic, patterned brickwork,
• Also jihad or holy war is sometimes added as a pillar to ceramic and glass mosaic, painting, timber inlay,
spread the faith and defend it from attack Arabesques, screen or pierced grilles in marble
 Islamic
EXAMPLES PARTS OF A MOSQUE

MOSQUE
• The prophet Muhammad called on people to honor Allah
in prayer - mosques were built wherever Islam had spread

• Principal place of worship

• Building used for Friday prayer

• Prime purpose was contemplation and prayer

• Could also be used as a school, place for transactions,
storage for treasures, place for hearing official notices
• Masjid - small prayer house
PRE-HISTORIC
• Madrassah - religious college and mosque
history of architecture

NEAR EAST • Sahn - cloistered or arcaded courtyard is a fundamental

EGYPTIAN • Inward-looking building feature
GREEK • Courtyard with sides punctuated with gateways, prayer • Fawwara - fountain
ROMAN chambers and porches • Mihrab - niche oriented towards Mecca
EARLY CHRISTIAN • No positive object of attention or adoration • Dikka - reading desk
BYZANTINE • Conceived around an axis towards Mecca • Maqsura - screen
ROMANESQUE • In every mosque, there is a wall with a hole or niche cut • Mimbar - raised platform for ceremonial announcements
GOTHIC into it, showing the direction of Mecca • Iwan - open-fronted porch facing a court
RENAISSANCE • Minaret - tower from which a call to prayer is made
18TH-19TH C REVIVAL • Kibla - axis oriented towards Mecca
20TH C MODERN
Personalities:
ISLAMIC
• Muezzin - caller who summons the faithful to prayer
INDIAN • Imam - man who leads congregation in prayer
CHINESE & JAPANESE • Caliph - successor to the prophet as military, judicial, or
FILIPINO spiritual leader of Islam
• Sufi - holy man
 Islamic

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem (Kubbet-es-Sakhra)

• 688 to 692 AD
• Most important Islamic structure
• Great central dome covers the summit of Mt. Moriah
(from where the prophet is believed to have made his ride
to heaven)
PRE-HISTORIC
history of architecture

NEAR EAST The Great Mosque, Damascus

EGYPTIAN • Earliest surviving large mosque, built in 705-711 AD
GREEK • Stood in a walled temenos
ROMAN
EARLY CHRISTIAN
BYZANTINE
ROMANESQUE
GOTHIC
RENAISSANCE
18TH-19TH C REVIVAL
20TH C MODERN

ISLAMIC
INDIAN
CHINESE & JAPANESE
FILIPINO

Dar al-Imara and Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo The Great Mosque, Cordoba
• 876 to 879 AD • 785 AD
 Islamic
SARAY or SERAI TOMBS
• Palace with courtyard

The Taj-Mahal, Agra (1630 to 1653 AD)

• Built by the emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife
Mumtaz Mahal
PRE-HISTORIC
• Took 11 years to build and 20,000 to work on it
history of architecture

NEAR EAST • Covered in white marble, which reflects the changing

EGYPTIAN colors of the sun
GREEK • Sits in a well-landscaped garden
ROMAN
EARLY CHRISTIAN
BYZANTINE
ROMANESQUE
GOTHIC
RENAISSANCE
18TH-19TH C REVIVAL
20TH C MODERN

ISLAMIC
INDIAN
CHINESE & JAPANESE
FILIPINO The Alhambra, Granada (1338 to 1390 AD)
• Fortified palace and complex of buildings set in gardens
• One of most elaborate and richly decorated Islamic Tomb of Humayun, Delhi
palaces • 1565 AD