# Worldwide Islamic Art & Architecture. Pics & brief explanations



## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

The statue of Mohamed Ali riding a horse and pointing to the mosque he built inside Saladin citadel. 
Cairo, Egypt


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Statue of Averros, a medieval Muslim philosopher (1126-1198) famous throughout the Islamic World 

OR

Statue of Ibn Hazm, a 10thC Muslim philosopher

Throughout Andalus, there are many statues of Classical Muslim philosphers and scientists, that's my opinion. 

Cardoba, Spain


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Statue of a Muslim scholar (?)

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Quranic Caligraphy. Lahore, Pakistan


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

The Great Mosque of Niono, Mali (Africa) (1973). A community effort, supervised by master builder Lassiné Minta, this mosque was initially built between 1945-48 and enlarged several times, the last of which between 1969-73. It is seen as conserving the cultural identity via the use of traditional, vernacular forms and methods of construction.


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Sherefudin's White Mosque, Visoko, Bosnia (1980). 

Designed by the architect Zlatko Ulgjen, it masterfully assimilates modern influences, especially Le Corbusier's Ronchamp Cathedral, and traditional Ottoman forms and elements. This mosque is firmly anchored in the present, but whose indebtness to its past is well-articulated.


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## Hebrewtext (Aug 18, 2004)

Pakia said:


> Statue of Averros, a medieval Muslim philosopher (1126-1198) famous throughout the Islamic World
> 
> OR
> 
> ...


 thats Maimonides a Jewish Rabbi philosopher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonides


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## betaab2 (Oct 7, 2007)

^ relgious muslims and jews look very similar lol


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Hebrewtext said:


> thats Maimonides a Jewish Rabbi philosopher
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maimonides


*Not according to the tomfong's posting link but you may very well be right.*
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2549235929/

I see the Hebrew written. I thought it was just badly written Arabic


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## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

This is Averroes sculpture in Córdoba.


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

^^ Thanks for getting it straight.

















Shah mosque, Isfahan, Iran

Built during the Safavids period, it is an excellent example of Islamic architecture of Iran, and regarded as the masterpiece of Persian Architecture. The Shah Mosque of Esfahan is one of the everlasting masterpieces of architecture in Iran and all over the world. It is registered along with the Naghsh-i Jahan Square as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its construction began in 1611, and its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-color mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions.


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Masjid Kubah Mas, Djakarta, Indonesia

In the outer reaches of suburban Jakarta – well actually in Depok - you can find the most incredible sight: a Gold Domed Mosque!


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

Love those Iranian mosques. The tilework is so fantastic.


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

yup Iranian mosques cover with tiles are just Breathtaking...


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## Philly Bud (Jun 8, 2009)

*The Supreme Achievement of Islamic Architecture*

I am shocked you did not include this *masterpiece*:


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

^^ Taj Mahal is definitely considered a high form of muslim art in South Asia, but its not 100% Islamic.

Its Persian with typical Islamic symmetric architecture but had many local Indian touches in its details, like the flower of lotus.

Having said that, India, esp. Northern & central India is littered with Islamic architecture. Considered by many, biggest muslim contribution to India.


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

mum taj mahal :drool: i wonder the black one (not made), should be superb...


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Islamic Art Museum, Doha, Qatar


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

Arpels said:


> mum taj mahal :drool: i wonder the black one (not made), should be superb...


There was no black taj planned  Its a myth. 

The overall plan of the Taj is very Indian - it emphasizes external form rather than internal spaces, yet the massive scale of the structure, as well as the simplicity of the design elements, are distinctly Persian.


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

*Mausoleum of Dai Haleema: nursing-mother of infant Mohammed(PBUH)*









Larnaca, Cyprus

(adjacent is an inactive mosque too)


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## betaab2 (Oct 7, 2007)

^ i dont need to read a post where some one would probably claim that 50% or even more then 50% mughal architecture is hindu, just like your nationalistic country men claim


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

betaab2 said:


> ^ i dont need to read a post where some one would probably claim that 50% or even more then 50% mughal architecture is hindu, just like your nationalistic country men claim


 :lol: Read the post before replying. Don't make youself look even dumber.


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## betaab2 (Oct 7, 2007)

^ like i said i dont read posts from people like that, i already know you are a person like that


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

betaab2 said:


> ^ like i said i dont read posts from people like that, i already know you are a person like that


:lol: So you don't read the posts of "people like that" but you like to reply to them?


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

*The Great Mosque of Xian, China (built in 7th century)*

Islamis art, as shown below, is definitely open to absorb the local and native cultural aspects into design and nothing is more Islamic then that.
Now pehaps betaab would be more enlightened!


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

^^ endeed, can you read what this writing in the arch (second and third pics):?

in my country we have some archeology from Moorish times (VIII to XIII centurys - end of Portuguese reconquista), based more in artifacts (some with epigraphy) and fortresses but not the Moorish architecture like Spain have, and Moçarabe architecture...can i post some artifacts (artifacts are art like buildings and some athor elements link with architecture) and one castle:?


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

*Lisbon central Mosque*

XX century Mosque more close to Magreb style (because of the tower i thing) with tiles:


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Nice one. Surprised to see such a big mosque in Lisbon. 



Arpels said:


> endeed, *can you read what this writing in the arch (second and third pics):?*
> 
> in my country we have some archeology from Moorish times (VIII to XIII centurys - end of Portuguese reconquista), based more in artifacts (some with epigraphy) and fortresses but not the Moorish architecture like Spain have, and Moçarabe architecture..*.can i post some artifacts (artifacts are art like buildings and some athor elements link with architecture) and one castle:?*


pic 2:La Illah Illulahu Mohammed-un Rasool Allah 
Pic 3: Bismillah & Alhumdo Lillah


Sure, why not, as long as its related to the topic of the thread.


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

there is two mosques, this one and another one in Odivelas (Lisbon metro area) but i dont have pics of that one  the design of this one in Odivelas its not related with traditional sityles that we are accustomed, except the dome :yes:kay:

a small pic from internet http://www.aliasoft.com/images/mosque.gif


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

Un mesquita en Parana, Brazil


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## Arpels (Aug 9, 2004)

*Castle of Silves - Algarve - Portugal*

The red Moorish castle of Silves (Silpes in Roman times, Shelb in Moorish times, Silves today) its the best preserved castle from Moorish times in the country, inside the walls we can see the ruins of a Moorish palace and two Moorish cistern's, During the walls’ consolidation work in the XXth century, a large amount of Moorish pottery dated from the VIIIth to the XIIIth centuries AD was found, as well as a stone tablet that signals the construction of a tower ordered by a son of Abu Yusuf al-Mansur (al-Muwahhidun dynasty), dated of 624/1227 AD, the city become Portuguese in 1249 AD.

map:









view of the castle from the city:









the ruins of the palace at the interior:




























a cistern (interior pics are not alowd):










stone tablet (dificult to read):


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## aseania (Oct 13, 2009)

Pakia said:


> ^^ Taj Mahal is definitely considered a high form of muslim art in South Asia, but its not 100% Islamic.


is there any '100% Islamic' architecture? i doubt so. 

as Islamic Art is a form of a *combination* of arts from regional traditional art with some Islamic elements like Quranic verses. Many Zoroastrian old architectures also featuring what so called 'Islamic architecture'...


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

aseania said:


> *is there any '100% Islamic' architecture? i doubt so. *
> 
> as Islamic Art is a form of a *combination* of arts from regional traditional art with some Islamic elements like Quranic verses. Many Zoroastrian old architectures also featuring what so called 'Islamic architecture'...


Good question and worth debating but perhaps not in this thread, create a new one & research the topic.
Here is a link for you to start!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_architecture

Islamic architecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

*The interior side view of the main dome of Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, Turkey.Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture. The principal Islamic architectural types are: the Mosque, the Tomb, the Palace and the Fort. From these four types, the vocabulary of Islamic architecture is derived and used for buildings of lesser importance such as public baths, fountains and domestic architecture.*

Many Dubai Arabic websites claim that Burj Dubai is modern form of Islamic Architecture. I kinda doubt it in its purest form, but it does have some of Islamic architecture's traditional elements.:banana:









Just like local Malays referring to twin towers as Minarets.


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

Islamic architecture is eclectic. It borrowed from every civilization that it conquered, most notably from the Byzantines and the Persians. I think these two civilizations had the most influence on the early development of Islamic architecture. The distinctive Islamic style emerged from the necessities of holding large congregations together, call to prayer, etc. etc.


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## Mikou (Jul 20, 2009)

*The Great Post - Algiers ( Algeria )*


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## vittorio tauber (Jul 30, 2008)

>


Simply amazing


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## ProudArabian (Jul 31, 2009)

aseania said:


> is there any '100% Islamic' architecture? i doubt so.
> 
> as Islamic Art is a form of a *combination* of arts from regional traditional art with some Islamic elements like Quranic verses. Many Zoroastrian old architectures also featuring what so called 'Islamic architecture'...


but is there anything as 100% architecture, every culture had borrowed some elements from others and made it as their own.


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

ProudArabian said:


> but is there anything as 100% architecture, every culture had borrowed some elements from others and made it as their own.


True. There is no such thing as an original architecture. However, some forms of architecture that develop in isolation can be considered to be largely if not entirely original. Perhaps the Mayan pyramids qualify?


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## World 2 World (Nov 3, 2006)

*Modern, Contemporary Islamic Architecture*

*Steel Mosque, Putrajaya*
Exterior








by xintzi









by Ethan Hunt's

*Dome*


















*Crystal Mosque, Terengganu*


















by zairi


















by manhoi


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## Pakia (Jun 29, 2006)

^^ SIMPLY STUNNING!!!


Marathaman said:


> Islamic architecture is eclectic. It borrowed from *every civilization that it conquered*, most notably from the Byzantines and the Persians. I think these two civilizations had the most influence on the early development of Islamic architecture. The distinctive Islamic style emerged from the necessities of holding large congregations together, call to prayer, etc. etc.


Not entirely true, as it never ever "conquered" China or SouthEast Asian or African countries.

Islam also spread by winning hearts & souls. Afterall there were lots of sufis & saints who spread the message of love among all classes & castes like many lower castes in South Asia & elsewhere.

Their tombs are still dotting the landscape of IndoPak region.


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