Roman

The Roman Empire fell in the 5th century AD and left a vast cultural and architectural legacy behind. The Roman
Empire was a huge and powerful force, and its influence is visible in everything from art to language to religion. One
of the clearest examples of this is Islamic architecture. The soaring arches, intricate mosaics, and majestic buildings
of Islamic architecture were all heavily influenced by the Roman Empire. Many of the most famous Islamic mosques,
like the Alhambra Palace and the Dome of the Rock, were initially built as Roman Christian churches.

Byzantine

Following the capture of the Byzantine Empire, Ottomans incorporated European architectural elements
into their structures, including the conversion of a traditional basilica into a mosque. The Dome of the
Rock, an Islamic shrine, features rich gold mosaics and an octagonal structure. Muslim invaders allowed
Christian counterparts to use traditional Byzantine styles in their unique structures.

Persian

Pre-Islamic Persia (present-day Iran) grew to be a great empire at various times roughly from 700 BC- 700
AD. Their success as one of the first great empires is attributed to a vanguard religion and ideas of
tolerance & inclusion. The Ancient Persian religion is one of the world’s oldest and the first to introduce
the concepts of right and wrong dualism, monotheism, and divine trinity concepts present in today's
religions. This belief system was developed by continually merging the beliefs of conquered peoples and
was the best way to calm tensions between these newly integrated cultures. Architecture in the early
Persian era was focused on creating massive palaces, temples, and mausoleums inside fortified cities.

Chinese

In Chinese, a mosque is called a pure truth temple (清真寺). The Great Mosque of Xi’an (first established
during the Tang era) and the Great Southern Mosque in Jinan, whose current buildings date from the
Ming Dynasty, do not replicate many of the features often associated with traditional mosques. Instead,
they follow traditional Chinese architecture. Mosques in western China incorporate more of the
elements seen in mosques in other parts of the world. Western Chinese mosques were more likely to
incorporate minarets and domes while Eastern Chinese mosques were more likely to look like pagodas.

Indian

The Taj Mahal is a prime example of the Middle Eastern influence on Indian architecture, which has
evolved into a blend of Arab, Persian, and indigenous designs over centuries. The earliest Islamic
architecture in India dates back to the late 12th century, but the cultural influence of Islamic art had
already been present since the Arabs conquered Sindh in 712. As Muslims arrived, new architectural
techniques were introduced, including the use of the arch and dome, which were further refined by
Hindu craftsmen who had mastered stonework.

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