The Selimiye Mosque located in Edirne, Turkey has stood for over 400 years as a place of Islamic practice. The mosque has had some changes, but it still remains a functioning mosque for the people of Edirne. Commissioned by Sultan Selim II, Selimiye was constructed by famous architect Mimar Sinan and completed in 1574. Selimiye was constructed during the middle of the Ottoman Dynasty and remains a structure that highlights not only Ottoman architecture, but Islamic architecture.
The Ottoman Empire has a long history spanning over 600 years. The Turks were first uprooted from their home in Central Asian and relocated to Western Anatolia. Originally the Turks were a nomadic tribe living on the prairie. Osman Gazi ben Ertugrul or Osman I, a
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(Figure 2) This complex included minarets that towered to the sky; the first objects seen from afar. The use of elaborate domes and half domes throughout the whole complex generates movement to the mosque from the exterior and interior. The windows allow for light on the inside, but also added to the exterior surface with various round arch windows. The complex encompasses various different elements such as the madrasa which was once an Islamic School now converted into a museum of Turkish and Islamic Art of Edirne. (Figure 3) Madrasa means the school of the Prophet. Here they would teach about religious law and Islamic theology. The complex also had a library for the madrasa to use and was typically attached to a mosque. Another aspect of the complex was the covered bazaar along the whole side of the mosque. Bazaars’ have a long history in the Ottoman Empire as being places of trade. The bazaar would be a market for people to come and shop. (Figure 3) Inside the walls there are several open areas and toward the mosque a central courtyard. (Figure 3) This central courtyard is important as a place of ablution and purification before entering the prayer hall. In the central courtyard there is a reservoir that allows for the purification (wudu) before salat (prayer). The architectural details of this complex are similar to the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, which also had a focus on various sized domes, pendentive structures and tall
Between 1301 to 1922, in the region north of present day Syria, was known as the Ottoman empire. It was rooted in the belief that Islam as an ideology should be in power. One territory held by the Ottoman empire was their homeland of Turkey. In 1907, the Sultan Abdul Hamid II, wanted for the most part to have people who were educated outside of the country limited in what they could do, and if not then they were expunged, as he thought that they were the cause of his land’s plight and decline. This resulted in him becoming very unpopular with his people, thus having many secret societies created practically under his nose. The most important being The Young Turks.
By the mid- sixteenth century the Ottomans had control over the sea trade on the Eastern Mediterranean, such as Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and the rest of North Africa, as their power had extended into Europe as well. The Ottoman Empire had continued to expand, and this had really frightened the Europeans. The strength of the Ottomans had led to new missionary commitments that the Christians had brought to new territories. Since the Ottomans had the
Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas Publishers, 2009. Print. Necipoglu, Gulru. Muqarnas, Vol 25: Frontiers of Islamic Art and Architecture.
In the following essay, I will be comparing the Hagia Sophia in the City of Istanbul, and the Suleymaniye Mosque of Istanbul. Both of these pieces of art are very significant to the in modern-day Turkey. The art pieces will be covered in more detail further on in this comparative essay, and finally, I will be judging the pieces at the end of this essay
Islam has been a dominant force throughout Turkish history. During the Ottoman Empire, Islam ruled every part of the theocratic state, but after the demise of the empire, Turkey's rulers led the country away from political Islam. The modern Turkish state has a strictly secular government, and Islam has been relegated to the personal sphere. Although Turkey has experienced a rise in fundamentalism in the past twenty years, the separation of church and state has remained relatively intact. Even with this increase of fundamentalist Islam, the wide majority of Muslims in Turkey are moderate and tolerant. They have adapted to modern life and value Islam for its moral and spiritual messages. Islam is a guide for right living and ethical conduct rather than a political system. Turkey constantly struggles to balance Islamic life with a secular government. Although the government wants to maintain a strict separation between religion and politics, it cannot ignore the power and influence that Islam has in the lives of the Turkish people.
The story “ The Grand Mosque of Paris” explains how the Muslims helped in giving the Jewish refuge,in their Mosque in Paris. The Nazis conquered France in 1940, therefore causing Jewish people who occupied Paris to try and survive and stay away from Hitler’s army, The Nazi’s. They seeked shelter and were helped by kind people of the Islamic religion and given hiding in their Grand Mosque. The Muslims took the Jewish children and gave them false papers, raised funds for them, and gave the temporary shelter, because of this many Muslims who did this got themselves arrested or deported. One of the reasons the Mosque worked so well was because its location, above the sewer system of Paris, and reached the Seine. In conclusion, the kind-hearted
Clow, Kate. "Ottoman Empire." Encyclopedia of Modern Asia. Ed. Karen Christensen and David Levinson. Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. 398-401. World History in Context. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
The "Ottoman Decline" San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. 23 Mar. 2010. Web. The Web. The Web. 06 Apr. 2011.
Located in the province of Xianjing, the Uyghurs are isolated by massive mountains, deserts, Communist China, and extreme poverty. The Uyghurs are of Turkic origin, and were one of the 9 original tribes. One of these tribes, the Ottomans, sacked Constantinople in 1459, starting the rein of the Sultans for 400 years. The superpower carved a massive empire, from its roots in Turkey, to spread from the Russian steppes to the Alps to India, and stamping their name on history in blood. European history in the 1400‘s, 1500‘s, and 1600‘s centered on the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire and the Arabic people carved two massive empires in an extremely short time. They crushed the medieval christian kingdoms around Jerusalem, and quickly started attacking Christian kingdoms in Spain, Greece, and the Balkans. These conflicts between Muslims and Christians have been the longest and bloodiest in the history of the world, and still persist today. These Ottomans are, understandably, the most wel...
The Suleymaniye mosque was truly a masterpiece during the time it was built in the mid 1500s. Today, it still never fails to captivate its audience through the complexity of its design and the intellectual analysis of its significance. The mosque was actually said to be as magnificent as the Seven Wonders of the World according to two European travelers, Freynes Moryson and John Sanderson, soon after its completion (Nelipogulu 221). The mosque is definitely symbolic in the city of Istanbul, sitting a top the highest hill, in that it represents central power and strength of the Turkish Empire (see Image 1) (Yayinlari 30). As we take a closer look at the Suleymaniye we see many aspects of religion through its sensual and visual experience. We also find a great deal of complexity, from the contradictory aspects Sinan applied to the mosque, throughout a more in depth intellectual analysis.
Driving along the highway, all eyes are drawn as a magnet to the unique building with its golden dome and unusual architecture. The Islamic Center is located at the base of a residential street in a small neighborhood. The center houses an Islamic school, a community center, an international school and the Mosque, which is the place of worship for Muslims.
Islamic art and architecture is a blend from three or more different cultural traditions from the east. The Arab, Turkish, and Persian traditions are three such traditions that were adopted into the Islamic art and architecture design. The best expressions of Islamic art and architecture are found in Muslim mosques. The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for prayer of Islam. Mosques are also a center for information, education, and dispute settlement. One of the most famous mosques of the Islamic art is the Great Mosque of Samarra in preset day Iraq. The Great Mosque of Samarra also has a spiral staircase on the outside of it.
Imagine being lost in a blistering desert and finally seeing an oasis ahead. Walking through a palace where color bursts through the doors like children running to recess and the stories of Muslim heroes described right in front of ones eyes; open for the world to see with nothing to hide; this is Islam. Although one may consider Islam a monotonous religion, Islam has a unique way of socially accepting Muslims, great advancements in architecture, and distinctive artwork. Islam is a monotheistic religion that follows the scared text called the Qu'ran. To be a Muslim, one must follow The Five Pillars of Islam and show dedication to Allah (god).With the development of Islam's unique culture came a brilliant artistic language that represents the stories behind faces, dedication to Allah and the rich culture Muslims all share. Islamic architecture is based upon both religious and non-religious types of composition which can be found in Mosques, tombs, forts and palaces. Even though there are many different laws and ways of life, with communication and the same dedication to god, the Islamic culture flourishes on its diversity yet similarity.
The Kudus Tower Mosque is also called the Al Manar Mosque ("Menara Mosque") is the ancient mosque built by Sunan Kudus since 1549 AD (956 Hijriah). The current location is in Kauman Village, Kudus District, Central Java. There is uniqueness of this mosque because it has a similar tower temple building and architectural patterns that combine the concept of Islamic culture with Hindu-Buddhist culture to show the process of acculturation in Islamic jurisdiction.
Istanbul is both an ancient and modern city that is full of culture dating back to the beginning of time. It’s a city that is unique, in that, it connects both Europe and Asia. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and the most crowded one too. There are approximately more than fourteen million people living in Istanbul alone. That is more than its capital city of Ankara. Istanbul is not just a metropolitan, or one of the most crowded cities, and it’s also an ancient and historical city.