ARCHES and MINARETS

Submitted by:-Sakshi Aggarwal-Prashant ShishodiaIdeal School of Architecture, Ghaziabad(B.Arch III Year)

ARCHES• The Muslims mastered the use and design

of the arch more than any other civilization.

• The mystic meaning derived from the spherical nature of the universe and the divine symbolism of the dome from which the arch is derived.

• Knowledge of geometry and laws of statics must also have played a leading role in their choices of various types of arch.

• The arch was first employed for structural and functional purposes but progressively it became used for decorative purposes.

Source: muslimheritage.com

ARCHES IN SHEIKH ZAYED MOSQUE, ABU DHABI

GREAT MOSQUE CORDOBA, SPAIN

TYPES OF ARCHES• HORSESHOE ARCH:

– The horseshoe arch was derived from the symbolic use of the horseshoe in earlier ages where it represented a superstitious emblem for many societies.

– The use of the horseshoe as a protector against the evil eye in North Africa is maintained to the present day.

• TRANSVERSE ARCH:– First time used in the palace of

Ukhaidir, Baghdad.– The use of the transverse arch over

the nave not only provided greater safety and durability but also gave the final shape of the nave especially in terms of height and roof.

HORSESHOE ARCHES IN THE UMAYYAD MOSQUE, DAMASCUS

ARCADE OF TRANSVERSE

ARCHES IN MAHDIA MOSQUE TUNISIA

Source: muslimheritage.com

• POINTED ARCH– The first appearance of the

pointed arch in the Muslim World was traced to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. However, the Ibn Tulun Mosque (Egypt) remains the first building where the pointed arch was used constructively and systematically.

– The main advantage of the pointed arch was that it concentrated the thrust of the vault on a narrow vertical line that could be supported by flying buttresses.

– Additionally, it resolved the difficulty of achieving level crowns in the arches of the vault, allowing the vault to become suitable for any ground plan.

AL-AQSA MOSQUE INSPIRED THE CRUSADERS TO IMITATE THE MUSLIM POINTED ARCH IN EUROPE

RAISED SEMI-CIRCULAR ARCHES, CORDOBA MOSQUE

GREAT MOSQUE OF KAIRAWAN, CITY OF KAIRAWAN, TUNISIA

Source: kairouan-cci2009.nat.tn

• ARCADES:– An arcade is a succession of arches, each counter-thrusting the next,

supported by columns, piers, or a covered walkway enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides.

– In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians.

ARCADE IN INNER COURTYARD OF SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE, ISTANBUL

MINARETS• A minaret is a distinctive

architectural feature of mosques, generally a tall spire with a conical or onion-shaped crown, usually either free-standing or taller than associated support structure (mostly the prayer hall).

• In earlier times, from minarets the call to prayer was announced.

• Minarets also function as air-conditioning mechanisms: as the sun heats the dome, air is drawn in through open windows then up and out of the minaret, thereby providing ventilation.

Source: khanacademy.org

MIMAR SINAN, MINARET, SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE,

ISTANBULMINARET AT THE GREAT MOSQUE OF SAMARRA,

IRAQ

• The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery.– The minarets rest on the best- the

lowest portion of minarets.– The stairs in a counter-clockwise

fashion circle the shaft, providing necessary structural support to the highly elongated shaft.

– The gallery is a balcony which encircles the upper sections from which the muezzin may give the call to prayer.

• In most modern mosques, call for prayer is called via microphone to a speaker system on the minaret.

Source: skyscrapercity.com

MINARET OF TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA

GALLERY

SHAFT

BASE

MINARET OF ARGHUN SHAH MOSQUE, IRAN Source: archnet.org

OTTOMAN MINARET, ISTANBUL

SÜLEYMANIYE MOSQUE, ISTANBUL

MINARET OF A MOSQUE IN LANZHOU, CHINA