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Essay on sacred spaces
The origin of islamic architecture
Difference between Islamic art and Christian art
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Recommended: Essay on sacred spaces
Both the Dome of the Rock, located in Jerusalem created in 687 AD with no artist, and the Acropolis, located in Athens Greece created in 450BC with no artist but commissioned by Pericles, are demonstrations of Sacred spaces that demonstrate different practices from two different cultures.
Religious Islamic architecture is intricately related to Muslim prayer which is an obligation to do every day. The Dome of the Rock was said to be the first great Islamic building. The Muslims had taken the city of Jerusalem in 638 created the shrine of worship to commemorate the event and the triumph of Islam. The Dome of the rock, similar to the Acropolis, was built atop holy ground. Called the Noble Enclosure, the site was where the Hebrews built the Temple of Solomon. As time went on, the site grew additional importance, as it was said to be the location of Adam’s Grave and the spot in which Isaac was supposed to be sacrificed by his father Abraham. The rock that gives the structure its name, which is at the center of the rotunda, was soon to be identified as the place where Muhammad began his...
Although Cordoba’s Mezquita and Rome’s Pantheon share similar architectural qualities, each of these buildings has their own unique characteristics. Cordoba’s Mezquita is an Islamic religious architecture where the community comes together for their daily prayers. Rome’s Pantheon is a temple used as place to display all the gods. A unique feature of the mosque is that some of the arches are horseshoe-shaped, a quality possibly originated from earlier Mesopotamian
When Emperor Constantine found the city of Constantinople, it was soon to become the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. But the Christin city needed a great church to represent it’s great value, so the Hagia Sophia was built (Krystek, Lee). The Hagia Sophia was built by the Byzantine Empire in 537 C.E., which was an Empire influenced greatly by the greek and roman styles (Krystek, Lee). It has a square base with a large dome on the top. Round arcs surrounded the large dome, adding mystical beauty to the Hagia Sophia (Krystek, Lee). Also, multiple colors of bricks were used to create patterns on the outside of the Hagia Sophia. On the inside, the walls are made of marble with glass panes which bring beautiful sunlight into the large museum (Krystek, Lee). The Hagia Sophia is very significant because it was rebuilt many times. The first church was built and then burnt down in 404 C.E. (Krystek, Lee). It was then rebuilt and burned down by riots in 502 C.E. (Krystek, Lee). Then the 3rd church was built by Justinian. After long periods of time, Sultan Mehmed conquered Constantinople and changed it to an islamic city, converting the church to a mosque (Krystek, Lee). In 1934, President Ataturk changed the mosque to a museum for the people and tourists, instead of a sacred place of worship (Krystek, Lee).
Muslim clerics who administer the compound, known to Muslims as Haram as-Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary, claim there is no archaeological proof that the Jewish Temples once stood in the place of the Al Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques.
The general structure of the Suleymaniye mosque mirrors that of many Islamic mosques, but Sinan's work shows that it can remain a unique piece of architecture. The mosque is designed around a central axis. The length is running from north to south while the width spans east to west. This is appropriate for the purpose of the building, where Muslims must face the cardinal direction of Mecca during prayer (Freely 124). Sinan further emphasizes the north and south direction by place two short pillars on the north end and two taller ones on the south end (see Image 2) (Nelipoglu 212). Looking at the plan of the Suleymaniye we see a definite presence of geometry (see Image 3). The mosque is made up of spherical and rectangular shapes, as well as series of arches along the facades. The main, central dome is further magnified by the surrounding half domes. This draws the attention towards the center (Goodwin 35). The dome becomes the spiritual focus, representing God's "unity without distinctions" (Freely 128). Sinan focused on a harmonious connection of the dome to the rest of the mosque to further emphasize its spiritual representation (Cansever 65). Sinan also strived for the Islamic belief of uninterrupted space between man and God. In his floorplan (see Image 3), he works to build the interior space with few obstructions as possible. Any existing obstruction was placed so that its transition was experienced gradually.
Monuments such as the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and San Vitale in Ravenna, perform a great importance in Byzantine and Islamic architecture. Both of these structures did not exclusively represent the main place of worship, but most importantly as a symbol of achievement and growth within the current times of construction. Starting in 524, under the influence of Orthodox bishop Ecclesius, the development of San Vitale was to represent the achievements of the emperor Justinian. Julius Argentarius was the sponsor for this structure and it was dedicated by Bishop Maximian in 547. The Dome of the Rock is built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in 692 with the help of Abd al-Malik with the suspected intention to symbolize Islams influence in Jerusalem and its involvement in a highly Jewish and Christian supremacy. Although separated by over 100 yrs, both of these domes share multiple similarity's including a projected confidence of their originating culture.
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.
The Byzantine Empire’s interplay with the Islamic culture had a really intimate impact on its art. Byzantine Empire basically indicates the art from the Eastern Roman Empire, while Islamic Art is a term used to describes the art that were created by Muslims artists, dedicated for the Muslims patron, or made in the Muslims’ territory. In fact, Byzantine’s mosaics stroke the Islamic leaders that they asked for the mosaicists to work on the Dome of the Rock, one of the oldest architecture created by Muslims. Yet, there are a lot of differences between the Dome of the Rock made with the help of the Byzantine people, with their own architecture, Hagia Sophia, that was considered as the epitome of their architecture, as well as mentioned as the building that changed architecture’s history. These differences were affected by the influence of the religion that can be clearly seen through the interior designs of both buildings with
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.
A dome is important in mosques in hot countries because the dome structure circulates cool air around the mosque preventing people from dehydrating from sweating in the Mosque. It also prevents the atmosphere inside the mosque from being humid which can cause people to feel and think negatively which is why most mosques in hot countries have a dome structure. Another bonus of having a dome structure in a mosque is that it helps to amplify the Imam’s voice during prayers and Islamic talks. This helps people who are sitting at the far back of the mosque hear what the Imam is reading from the Qu’ran or listen to the Islamic talk which the imam provides.
Without a doubt, domes are beautiful infrastructures of human creation. But how did they think about those infrastructures, how did they came with the idea of building a dome? This is a design that engineers still use nowadays in 2016. Many people have use domes has gorgeous structures, for protection, or even for climate purposes. They are all around the world, they are being used by different people, but one thing is sure, they all have different ways of being seen and different stories that keep them mysterious. Despite their mysterious side, the domes’ historical side can’t be discuss without the Dome of the Rock and Brunelleschi’s dome; both of religious aspects of the middle east.
From detailed carpets and rugs to beautiful works of calligraphy, Islamic Art has been one of the biggest impacts on art since the 7th century. Well-known Islamic works include the Taj Mahal, Dome of the Rock, and the Ardabil Carpet. Originating in the areas in present-day Syria, this style of art and even the architecture has been passed down by many skilled Muslim artists. It also introduced to us many fascinating, one-of-a-kind techniques and forms to the world of art. Because of its lengthy history and existence, there are tons and tons of new styles and techniques, and it is still growing. Islam, a religion that has been founded by Muhammad (570-632), has been accepted by Muslims throughout the world. This religion is one of the largest religions in the world, containing more than a billion followers. Many different Islamic artifacts and works have been found by archeologists, and it could range from Glassworks to doors. These artifacts can be found in public areas, museums, and even
Beautiful and grand mosques make the major part of Islamic history of architecture. Different great mosques were created in different times, which were unique in their own ways because of their distinctive designs, material and location. Each mosque depicts the era in which it was built and the kind of architecture prevailing during that particular period. The Great Mosque of Algiers is considered of one of the greatest mosques ever built. Although, a lot of modification has been done in the mosque but still it is one of the greatest works of architecture on earth.
One of the greatest cultural successes of Ancient Egypt was certainly in their architecture related with religion. Fumeaux mention, "Temples, tombs and pyramids - all have witnessed this earth for thousands of years. What better than to say that these architectural achievements show us that Egypt's greatest virtue lay in its architecture"[1]
The Hagia Sophia church and the Suleymaniye mosque are separated by a thousand years but are tied together eternally. One representing the achievement of the Christian-Byzantine empire and the other representing the ability of the Islamic-Ottoman empire and its architect Sinan. Two empires that had very little in common other than their architecture and region. In earlier history the Dome of the Rock represented the Islamic empire's attempt to rival the newly defeated Byzantine empire and its architectural achievements such as the Holy Sepulchre. As history often repeats itself, with similar political motives the Suleymaniye mosque became the Ottoman's answer to the Byzantine's great achievement in their area- the Hagia Sophia. The result is that one finds in the Suleymaniye mosque the inspiration of the Hagia Sophia as well as the distinctive Islamic qualities that Sinan brought to it.
established the Islamic religion.# The Dome of the Rock is the focal point of the Noble Sanctuary. It is an octagonal shaped building with a large dome that rests atop the structure. Spatially, it lies in the very center of the Noble Sanctuary. The Dome is decorated with colorful mosaics that depict the events that occurred in the sixth and seventh centuries before the Dome was created. The inside is a sight of beauty; the beauty that some say only God can show Muslims. It has pillars, arches, and columns that go around the outside of the golden dome. The windows are of stained glass that glistens when the sun shines through them and they project exquisiteness on those pillars, arches, and columns. The Dome also contains Arabic calligraphy all around the inside of the Dome, with re...