Islamic architecture is the richest compared to all other mode of architecture, because Islamic territories were on three different continents, Africa, Asia and Europe, and Muslims architecture were influenced by these lands’ ancient traditions of architecture, and this was due to two main factors; The first one was that in all lands conquered, Muslims live in peace with already existed ethnicities, and were obliged to prove their existence by innovating new styles of architecture, and this led to magnificent pieces of arts existing till our days. The second is that Islamic rulers gave big attention to architecture and many of them keep an architect between their nearest advisors. This essay will take a look on the diversity of the Islamic architecture in the three different continents.
In Africa, Muslims copied the Byzantine style they found in most cities concurred which was the use of fortress as security for their new cities, like Fustat, then named Cairo, in Egypt, and Kairouan in Tunisia. In the sahelian countries of Africa, architecture was characterized by the use of mud-bricks and adobe plaster to build mosques, cities and fortress.
In Asia, the continent where Islam was born, we find the richest and most various architecture, where domes and cupolas were dominating most of the buildings, and we can say that Islamic Asian architecture were influenced by Persian heritage in the region of Middle-East, and Chinese-Mughal architecture in the far-east.
In Europe, The main two revolutions in Islamic architecture were in Andalusia during the Abbasid Caliphate characterized with the double-arched system of arcades, and in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire where mosques were known by their centered domes, influenced by the architecture of Byzantine churches.
Sure the civilizations lived before Muslims in all lands they concurred had a great influence on the architecture used, but Muslims used that heritage and invented many new architectural forms and elements gave birth to many buildings which are listed in our days as world heritage sites.
References
- Islamic architecture | Britannica
- Architecture VII – Islamic Architecture in Iran and Central Asia
- Aga Khan Museum: Explore the Collection – Architecture
- MWNF Portal: Discover Islamic Art
- Reconstruction of Architectural Vocabulary by Unearthing Terminology of Masjid Caves in Java for Architectural Conservation Process in Indonesia and Future Projects
