4 Islamic Mosques (#56, 84, 186, 168)

7 Terms: Parts of the Mosque

● Hypostyle - dense forest of columns
● Qibla - direction towards the holy city of Mecca that all Muslims face during prayer
● Mihrab - a central niche in a mosque, which indicates the direction to Mecca
● Minaret - a tall, slender column used to call people to prayer (outside of a mosque)
● Muqarna - a honeycomb-like decoration applied in Islamic buildings to domes, niches,
capitals, or vaults; surface resembles intricate stalactites
● Iwan - a vaulted space in a Muslim building that is walled on 3 sides and open on the
fourth side toward a courtyard
● Minbar - a pulpit from which sermons are given

3 Types of Mosques:
1. Hypostyle Mosques (Cordoba)
2. Four-Iwan Mosques (Isfahan)
3. Centrally Planned Mosques (Selim II)
*Djenne fits into multiple types of mosques

56. Great Mosque of Cordoba

● Culture: Islamic (Umayyad Spain)
● Date: Begun 785-786 (Early Period)
● Medium: Architecture (stone masonry)
● Location: Cordoba, Spain
○ Columns in the hypostyle hall are spolia from Greco-Roman columns
○ Bright yellow and red columns
○ Horseshoe arches inspired by visigoths

84. Mosque of Selim II

● Culture: Islamic (Ottoman Turkey)
● Date: 1568-1575
● Medium: Architecture (limestone)
● Architect: SINAN
● Location: Turkey
○ Part of a larger complex with a school, hospital, and library
○ Centrally planned
○ Octagonal interior
○ Lots of windows for natural night
○ Dome is supported by squinches
168. Great Mosque at Djenne
● Culture: Mali
● Date: Built in 1200, rebuilt in 1906-1907
● Medium: Adobe
● Location: Djenne, Mali
○ Constantly being renovated and rebuilt since it uses mud bricks, which break
down in rain and harsh weather
○ Has a hypostyle hall
○ Has 3 minarets
○ Wood pieces that stick out are torons - used for decoration and for climbing walls
while replastering

186. Mosque of Isfahan

● Culture: Islamic (Persian Seljuk)
● Date: 10th century C.E. with additions and restorations from the 11th -13th centuries
(Medieval Period)
● Medium: Stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile
● Location: Isfahan, Iran
○ Four-Iwan mosque
○ Gathering place with fountain in the center
○ Located in the center of the city
○ Design was expanded and modified over time