# Detail work vs. immensity of the architecture



## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

It is interesting to compare these two, for example look at the details of a minaret in Isfahan:










Tiles are monochrome, so to create this colorful decoration, thousands of tiny tiles in different shapes and colors are put side by side.

The important thing is that this minaret is as tall as a 20-storey modern tower:


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## Mike____ (Mar 15, 2009)

^^ Ugly .


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## Ramses (Jun 17, 2005)

^No it's not. You just don't like Islam and mosques, that is blurring your view.


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## Concrete Stereo (May 21, 2005)

Mike____ said:


> ^^ Ugly .


:shocked:

Wow. No, not at all. This building is incredible.


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## 863552 (Jan 27, 2010)

tbh, I don't like it.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Mike____ said:


> ^^ Ugly .


I don't know why you don't see anything beautiful in the Persian architecture and say it everywhere!


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

To like any architecture you need to understand it first, and approach it with an open mind. Every style of architecture has it's own history and it's own ideas regarding aesthetics and proportion - there is reason and tradition behind every element and it's really arrogant for anyone to dismiss it as "ugly" without doing it justice.


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

great design, big and beautiful imo. I love the mix of geometry and natural curves especially evident in Islamic architecture. Alot of that came from Islamic mathemeticians in the first ancient universities.


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## Piltup Man (May 21, 2010)

It's a shame that that level of intricacy is no longer present in contemporary architecture, or very rarely at least.


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## ChitownCity (May 11, 2010)

Piltup Man said:


> It's a shame that that level of intricacy is no longer present in contemporary architecture, or very rarely at least.


:colbert: yea maybe it'll make a comeback one day... (Even if I have to bring it back myself...)


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Ramses said:


> ^No it's not. You just don't like Islam and mosques, that is blurring your view.


It doesn't relate to Islam and mosques, this is the Persian architecture, there are numeous non-religious buildings and non-Islamic religious buildings of this architectural style, it is really difficult to work with tiles, those look like many-coloured jewels.

For example look at this church in Isfahan:










That is golden but here it seems to be reddish:










What is the color of the dome's ceiling?! Blue, Yellow, Violet, ...?


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

^This church is fairly recent isn't it ?


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## Mike____ (Mar 15, 2009)

Cyrus said:


> I don't know why you don't see anything beautiful in the Persian architecture and say it everywhere!




I didnt said that i dont like ALL persian buildings ,there are a few I like.. 
I "kinda like" the details on this thing but not the colors which makes it ugly to me ,I just dont like the color combination.. Thats my opinion..


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## wonwiin (Jan 12, 2008)

Cyrus said:


> Tiles are monochrome, so to create this colorful decoration, thousands of tiny tiles in different shapes and colors are put side by side.


Last time I checked they were multicoloured tiles and no mosaics . Nevertheless beautiful architecture.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Marathaman said:


> ^This church is fairly recent isn't it ?


That is older than Taj Mahal!  It was built by the order of Shah Abbas the Great in early 17th century, of course it was completed after 49 years during the reign of Shah Abbas II.


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

^Yes you're right. I thought it was recent because some time back somebody else had posted the same church (or a similar looking one) which they said was recently completed.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Marathaman said:


> ^Yes you're right. I thought it was recent because some time back somebody else had posted the same church (or a similar looking one) which they said was recently completed.


I doubt that any well-built church has been built or even completed in Iran in the last 32 years during the fundamental Islamic government of Iran.


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## Concrete Stereo (May 21, 2005)

Mike____ said:


> I didnt said that i dont like ALL persian buildings ,there are a few I like..
> I "kinda like" the details on this thing but not the colors which makes it ugly to me ,I just dont like the color combination.. Thats my opinion..


can imagine - colours and contrasts are much harder than we're used to. Still, just commenting 'ugly' is a bit harsh isn't it - it's a great building.

Personally, I really appreciate the 'brave' colour combinations, also in fashion, graphic design, fabrics etc. It's fresh. And incredible when you get to see it.



>


nice!!!


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## ***** (Apr 2, 2008)

nice...but for my european eye to much.i am tired if i look longer in that decoration.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Detail work in the Persian architecture is not just in the tile work, for example look at the deatils of this 700 years old wall of a mosque in Isfahan:


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

Talking about detail, here's one of the many carved ceilings at the Dilwara temple in India: 









http://www.flickr.com/photos/olderock/4654303069/

and another: 









http://www.flickr.com/photos/olderock/4654303281/in/photostream/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/olderock/4654302721/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/olderock/4691805577/


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Od course Indians have also worked very well in the detail, especially in stone work.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Glass work, a mosque in Shiraz:


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## Concrete Stereo (May 21, 2005)

that's madness


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

Glass doesn't work very well does it? I prefer tiles or carving work.


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## Concrete Stereo (May 21, 2005)

i'd love to see a vimeo/youtube movie of that mosque - it really is madness


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## Adrian12345Lugo (May 12, 2008)

Marathaman said:


> Talking about detail, here's one of the many carved ceilings at the Dilwara temple in India:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


oh, wow!


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Concrete Stereo said:


> i'd love to see a vimeo/youtube movie of that mosque - it really is madness


That is Glass (or Mirror) Work, it is still used in some modern religious buildings, like this one in Mashhad:










These pics show the work:


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Double Post!


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## The Cake On BBQ (May 10, 2010)

Too colorful, shiny and eye-tiring for my taste but sure is impressive.


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## ChitownCity (May 11, 2010)

^^ :nuts::nuts::nuts::drool::drool::drool::applause::applause::applause:
Now that's Modern Architecture perfection...


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## Mike____ (Mar 15, 2009)

Cyrus said:


>


This one is amazing good for a party!


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## OakRidge (Mar 9, 2007)

This is what is called human scale detail. It is this kind of detail that is lacking in the newer architectural styles.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

What is your idea about brickwork? Just bricks, of course buildings were mostly built by bricks!

A wonderful mosque in Isfahan: 










The project as an Islmaic wonder was strated by al-Mu'tasim around 837 AD, it is said the step by step process of building this mosque was designed by the great mathematician al-gorithm.

I have to post large pics to see the details:


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## Dr.Mabuse (Jun 6, 2009)

Cyrus said:


> Glass work, a mosque in Shiraz:


what is the name of that mosque? how long did i need to built the interiror and how expensive was it?


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

Dr.Mabuse said:


> what is the name of that mosque? how long did i need to built the interiror and how expensive was it?


That is the King of Light (Shah Cheragh) Mosque in Shiraz.


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## Concrete Stereo (May 21, 2005)

>


with bricks it's even more impressive, because you really have to build delicately, instead of to decorate well

I love brick churches for the same reason - it's much more direct than plaster - which is a bit the 'make-up' of a building


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## Dr.Mabuse (Jun 6, 2009)

Cyrus said:


> That is the King of Light (Shah Cheragh) Mosque in Shiraz.


thanks, but you dont have videoclips of that mosque? 



Concrete Stereo said:


> with bricks it's even more impressive, because you really have to build delicately, instead of to decorate well
> 
> I love brick churches for the same reason - it's much more direct than plaster - which is a bit the 'make-up' of a building


yes, but i do not like this, because it is too brown and dark and simple to me


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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

This one is quite famous for intricate stonework: Patwon ki haveli in Jaisalmer, built by rich merchants back in the 19th century.


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## Cyrus (Jan 28, 2005)

> thanks, but you dont have videoclips of that mosque?


The fact is that even photography is not permitted inside the mosque but there is also a smaller mosque named "Ali-ibn-Hamzeh" which is very similar to this one and I think tourists can take photos and even videos there,you can watch a clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CslBXcCd438 

A photo:


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## kayanathera (Oct 30, 2008)

Mind-blowing pictures:nuts::nuts::nuts::uh::uh::uh:


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