Qal Mosque Baghdad, 13th century muqarnas vaulted archways

Zaituna Mosque Qairawan, Iran example of a Persian mosque, influenced by central Asian influences with four arched facades facing a central courtyard

Ibn Tulun Mosque Cairo, Egypt 876-879 a.d. Eastern influenced doorway opening with a peaked arch

Al-Aqsa Mosque, entryway Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem 688-691 a.d. Vaulted arch porch supported by antique columns

Guesthouse, Taj Mahal Delhi, India 1631-1643 simple geometric pattern carved into red sandstone

Al-Attarin Madrasa Fez, Morocco 1323-1325 the multiple arches surrounding the doorway, and the variety of textures and colors achieve balance through repetition

Kasbah of Tlwat Atlas Mountains, Morocco 19th century rectangular doorway framed by peaked arch

Madrasa Mosque of Sultan Hassan Cairo, Egypt 1356-1363 double arch supported by two columns, framed above by a rectangle

Madrasa Mosque of Sultan Hassan Cairo, Egypt 1356-1363 double arch supported by two columns, framed above by a rectangle

Kasbah of Tlwat Atlas Mountains, Morocco 19th century carved stucco capital

Bu Inaniya Madrasa Meknes, Morocco mid-14th century carved stucco embellished with muqarnas designs

Friday Mosque, mosaic detail Ishfahan, Iran mid 15th century six, eight, and ten point stars are commonly laid in the ceiling

Great Mosque of Diyarbakr, courtyard faade Diyarbakr , Turkey 12th century Typical proportion and arrangement of stones forming the archway

Wazir Kahn Mosque Lahore, Pakistan 1634 peaked, arched doorway framed by a rectangle

Al-Firdaus Madrasa Aleppo, Syria 1235 curved arch supported by two columns and framed above by a rectangle

Great Mosque of Cordoba Cordoba, Spain 962 interlaced arches frame the doorways

Friday Mosque Tinmal, Morocco 1153-54 the horseshoe arch, common in western Islamic architecture

Great Mosque Thatta, Pakistan 1647 pointed arches formed with rows of narrow bricks

Palace of Rajah Birbal Fatehpur Sikri, India 1573-80 scalloped stone archway framed by a rectangle

Octagonal Tower, column capital detail Agra, India 1611-27 capitals blend the column with the lintel

Mosque of the Old Fort Delhi, India 1541 stacked sections form the column, taking inspiration from turned wood

Tashkaul Palace Khiva, Uzbekistan 1831-41 carved wooden column rests gracefully on marble base

Great Mosque Tlemcen, Morocco 1082 rounded horseshoe arches with notched interiors

Great Mosque Algiers, Algeria 1096 triangular, notched arch framed by a rectangle

Great Mosque Tlemcen, Morocco 1082 triangular, notched arch framed by a rectangle leading to horseshoe arch

Friday Mosque Tinmal, Morocco 1153-54 scalloped triangular archway framing a horseshoe arch

Friday Mosque Tinmal, Morocco 1153-54 scalloped triangular double archways supported by pillars

Great Mosque Algiers, Algeria 1082 notched triangular archways framed by rectangles

Madrasa of Salih Negm ad-Din Cairo, Egypt 1249-50 five layered, notched arch doorway

Throne Room, Kapu Saray Istanbul, Turkey 1585 strong arches, supported by columns, describe the periphery of the porch

Gate of Felicity, Kapu Saray Istanbul, Turkey 18th century simple columns with decorative capitals

Bedchamber of Muraud III, Kapu Saray Istanbul, Turkey 1578 the decorative border along the top frame of the platforms roof and simple, thin columns could be a model for the porch