Islamic Architecture

Distinctive Features and Elements

Dr Mohd Umar Farooque

Department of Islamic
Studies
Jamia Millia Islamia,
New Delhi 110025
 Introduction
• Islamic architecture is one of the world’s most celebrated
building traditions.
 Known for its radiant colors, rich patterns, and symmetrical
silhouettes, this distinctive approach has been popular in the Muslim
world since the 7th century.
• While Islamic architecture comprises several styles across
different countries and continents, there are certain
characteristics that remain universally prevalent throughout.
• Recognizing these underlying elements—as well as
understanding its geographical prevalence—is key to grasping
the visually sensational and historically significant style.
 What is Islamic architecture?
• This architectural tradition is predominantly found in two types
of places:
 Muslim-majority countries
 lands conquered by Muslims during the Middle Ages.
• In addition to Arab states—like North Africa, Central Asia, Iran
and Indian Sub-continant—Islamic architecture is also prevalent
in European regions with Moorish and Ottoman roots, including
parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Malta, Turkey and South Eastern
countries of Europe.
• Though often associated with the Islamic mosque—Muslims’
place of worship—this approach to architecture is also apparent
in other edifices, from palaces and public buildings to tombs
and forts. Whether religious or secular, however, the splendid
style is defined by several common characteristics.
 Distinctive Features / Elements
• Minarets‫می ن ار‬
‫ن‬
 Square‫مر ب ع ما‬
‫غ ن‬
 ‫چ‬
Rounded or Spiral / ‫ کردار‬،‫گول ی ا مر ولہ ما‬
‫ن‬
 Cylindrical‫ ب ی لن ما‬/ ‫اس طوان ہ‬
 Conical‫ گاؤدم‬/ ‫مخ روطی‬
‫ن‬
• Domes ‫گ ب د‬
‫ن ن‬
 China Bowl‫چ ی ی پ ی الہ ماگ ب د‬
‫ن‬
 Double Dome‫دہ رے گ ب د‬
‫ن‬
 Onion Shape‫پ ی ازی گ ب د‬
• Arches‫محراب‬ ‫ن‬
 Pointed Arch‫وکخ دار‬
 Ogee Arch ‫م دار‬ ‫ن‬
‫ع ن‬
 Horseshoe Arch‫ل ما‬
‫ت ث‬
Multi-foil Arch‫ک ی ری محراب‬
‫ت‬

• Balance‫وازن‬ ‫ت‬
• ‫ن‬
Reflection of the concept of Heaven‫صور ج ت کی عکاسی‬
‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ش‬
• Use of Bright Colours ‫وخ ر گوں کا اس عمال‬
‫تئ‬
• Ornament / Decorative Details (Arabesque)‫ز ی ن کاری‬
‫تئ‬ ‫ق‬
 Geometric Ornament‫ا ل ی دسی ز ی شن کاری‬
‫تئ‬
 Floral Ornament‫ئ م ج ر ئ ز ی ن کاری‬
‫خ‬
 Calligraphic Ornament‫ے آرا ش و زی ب ا ش‬
‫طاطی کے ذر ی ع‬ ‫قن‬
‫تئ‬
 Muqarnas Vaulting Ornament‫ے ز ی ن کاری‬ ‫م ر س کے ذر ی ع‬
‫می ن ار‪Minarets‬‬

‫ب ن‬
‫مر ع ما‪Square‬‬
‫‪or‬غ ‪Rounded‬‬
‫گول ی ا مر ولہ ‪Spiral /‬‬
‫ن‬
‫ما‪ ،‬چ کردار‬
‫اس طوان ہ‪Cylindrical‬‬
‫بی ن‬
‫‪ /‬لن ما‬
‫خ‬
‫م روطی ‪Conical/‬‬
‫گاؤدم‬
Minarets
Domes
• Domes made its first appearance in
Mesopotamian Architecture. The
Islamic Architecture adopted the dome
as one of its main features after getting
influenced by the model of the pre-
existing Byzantine domes.
Types
‫ن‬
• Onion Shape Domes ‫پ ی ازی گ ب د‬
‫ن ن‬ ‫ن‬
• China Bowl Domes ‫چ ی ی پ ی الہ ما گ ب د‬
‫ن‬ The first dome in Muslim
• Double Dome ‫گ ب د دہ رے‬ ‫ن‬
‫ن‬ architecture, the Dome of the Rock,
• High Neck Dome ‫او چ ی گردن والے گ ب د‬
‫چ ت ن ن‬ ‫ش ہد کی مک‬ was made by the Arab Muslim ruler
• Beehive Domes ‫ے ما گ ب د‬ ‫تھ‬ ‫کے‬ ‫ھی‬
‫ن‬ Abd al-Malik bin Marwan. It was
• Braced Domes‫سمہ دار گ ب د‬
‫ن‬ made with rotunda wood, but later,
• Coved Domes ‫ج وف دار گ ب د‬ Suleiman the Magnificent beatified it
‫ن‬
• Compound Domes‫مرکب گ ب د‬ with marble pieces.
‫ن‬ ‫ص‬
• Crossed-Arch Domes ‫یل ب ی محراب ما‬
‫ن‬ ‫ض‬
• Ellipsoidal Domes‫ب ی وی گ ب د‬
‫ض ن‬
• Geodesic dome‫مساحت ار ی گ ب د‬
 The domes built on the Taj Mahal example of Onion (Bulbous)
Domes domes. They are somewhat pointy and are shaped like bulbs.
China Bowl Dome
Beehive Dome
Al-Hambra Palace, Granada, Spain
Arches
• Arches are important in Islamic architecture, because of their symbolic significance and
how they allow builders to create mosques that reflect the importance of precepts such
as unity, beauty and light in the Muslim faith. The earliest mosques were open courtyards
surrounded by arcades, or a row of arches. This eventually developed into a hypostyle
hall, or space with a series of pillars. In Islamic architecture, these rows of arches
symbolize the division between sacred and secular space.
Types
• Pointed: Many art historians believe the pointed arch originated in Islamic architecture.
As early as The Dome of the Rock, built in 691, one sees arches with a slight point. The
pointed arch had a major architectural advantage in that it centered the load-bearing
thrust of the building on a vertical point, so that more of the building's weight could be
supported on the exterior, usually with the use of buttresses, instead of with walls and
interior columns. This allowed for thinner pillars, higher ceilings, the support of larger
domes and overall gave the building a lighter, more open feel.
• Ogee: One of the most decorative is an ogee arch. An ogee is a decorative line formed by
two connected curves. The upper curve is concave, or bowed inward like the inside of a
bowl. The lower curve is convex, or curved outward like part of a sphere. When the two
curves are linked together they form an S-shaped curve. An ogee arch, then, uses two
ogees to form an arch. They meet at the top of the arch in a point. Scholars think ogee
arches originated somewhere in the Middle East, possibly Persia or Morocco.
 Arches

• Horseshoe: The first use of arches in Islamic architecture included rounded

arches similar to those found in Roman and Byzantine architecture, but these
quickly developed into the horseshoe arch. In the horseshoe arch, the half-
circle of the arch starts to turn in on itself before meeting the top of its
supporting columns. The hypostyle hall in the Great Mosque at Cordoba,
Spain, is a classic example of this type of arch. The shape of the horseshoe
arch allowed architects to achieve greater height in the arches and it gave an
opportunity for greater visual pattern and rhythm in the design.
• Multi-foil: Sometimes called the cusped arch, multi-foil arches contain
arches within arches. This style of arch was very common in Moorish
architecture and some examples can be found in the Great Mosque in
Cordoba, alongside horseshoe arches. The main architectural benefit to
multi-foil arches is decorative -- like horseshoe arches, they provide
opportunity for greater visual pattern and rhythm; and indeed the shape of
multi-foil arches was completely removed from arches to become a pattern
motif on some buildings. But, like the pointed arch, multi-foil arches also
centered the thrust of the weight they carried to a single vertical point,
which allowed for all the structural benefits of a pointed arch.
 Arches
The pointed arch features a rounded design
with a tapered apex. This type of arch would
eventually become an important element
of Gothic architecture.
The ogee arch is similar to the pointed
arch. However, its point is composed of
two s-shaped lines, culminating in a more
sinuous silhouette.
 Arches
The horseshoe arch (also known as a keyhole arch)
is associated with Moorish architecture. As its crown
can be either rounded or pointed, this type of
structure is defined by the dramatic widening and
narrowing of its sides.
Like the horseshoe arch, the multi-
foil arch is characteristic of Moorish
architecture. This arch features
multiple foils, or “leaves,” resulting in
a scalloped shape.
Transverse Arch
Transverse: The use of the transverse
arch, in which the arch structurally
spans the space between a pillar and
the wall instead of another pillar,
allowed architects to use slimmer
pillars instead of thick columns in
arcades. This innovation was
adopted by European architects and
eventually used in many Gothic
cathedrals. Coupled with the four-
centered arch -- a low, slightly
pointed arch shape that has a center
of gravity below the crown of the
pillars -- transverse arches allowed
Islamic architects to cover large
spaces and led to the development
of the pointed arch.
 ‫ت‬
Balance‫وازن‬
Balance in the Layout
Balance in the Architecture
Balance in the Elements
Balance in the Ornamentation

Humayun Tomb, Delhi Blue Mosque, Istanbul

 ‫ت‬
‫جن‬
Reflection of the concept of Heaven‫صور ت کی عکاسی‬

Chahar Bagh, Esfahan Taj Mahal, Agra

 ‫ت‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ش‬
Use of Bright Colours ‫وخ ر گوں کا اس عمال‬

Dome of Rock, Jerusalem Mosque of Cordova, Spain

 ‫تئ‬
Ornament / Decorative Details (Arabesque)‫ز ی ن کاری‬
‫تئ‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ش تئ‬
 Geometric Ornament‫ا ل ی دسی ز ی ن کاری‬ Floral Ornament ‫م ج ر ز ی ن کاری‬

Geometric Design and Calligraphy on an Great Mosque of Damascus

Exterior Wall of the Dome of Rock
 ‫ئ‬
 Calligraphic ‫ ئ‬Ornamentation ‫خ‬
 Muqarnas ‫قن‬
‫ ت ئ‬Vaulting Ornamentation
 ‫ے آرا ش و زی ب ا ش‬
‫طاطی کے ذر ی ع‬  ‫ے ز ی ن کاری‬‫م ر س کے ذر ی ع‬

Qutub Minar, Delhi Jame Shah, Isfahan

Floral Decoration, Mughal Tile Calligraphy, Shaikh Lutfullah
India Mosque, Isfahan
Arabesque Pattern in Alhambra, Granada