A Study On Islamic Architecture History Essay

A Study On Islamic Architecture History Essay Construction of the  Great Mosque at Cordoba   marks the beginning of Islamic architecture in the  Iberian Peninsula. Muslims as well as the Christians consider it a wonder of the medieval ages. At the site of a Christian Visigothic Church, the construction of The Great Mosque of Cordoba began between 784 and 786. Abd ar-Rahman, who bought the church and his descendants, modified it over two centuries to transform it into a mosque, starting in 784. The mosque itself was built in four phases  and is observed as a trademark of sacred Islamic architecture. After taking over Cordoba in 1236, Ferdinand III king of Castile set apart the Great Mosque to be the city’s cathedral, Mezquita, and used it with negligible changes for the next three hundred years.   [ 1 ]    In 929, when Abd al-Rahman III declared himself caliph, the Spanish Umayyads had attained the peak of their supremacy. The caliph displayed his novel position by building, about 13 kilometres Northwest of Co rdoba, the palace city of Madinah al-Zahra, with its focus to impress the world and exhibit its massive military. He made it his empire’s managerial and legislative headquarters. The construction in Medina al-Zahra proceeded swiftly, particularly since Abd al-Rahman III put in one third of the state revenues in its progression. Finally, he brought in the largest and most grand secular venture of his period, which stayed matchless irrespective of the numerous cities founded until its end. As the caliphate fell in the 11th century, the city then was sacked and smoldered. The new Minister of Calipf Hisham II, Vizir-ul-Mansur shifted his attention towards the east of Cordoba and abandon the city during his reign. Later, the Berber troops destroyed this palace-city in 1010.   [ 2 ]    Iconography The Great Cordoba Mosque is most renowned for its giant arches, with 856 columns of  onyx,  marble  and  granite. These legendary arches were made from remains of the Roman te mple which had occupied the spot previously as well as other ruined Roman buildings As most of these components were different sizes, their amalgamation into an articulate piece, was in itself a major architectural achievement. The double arches were a novel introduction to architecture and helped carry the tremendous weight of the high ceilings. However, the hypostyle architecture consists of a rectangular prayer hall with extraordinary manifestation of its interior and an enclosed courtyard. The prayer Hall had aisles upright to Qibla and a wall showing the direction of the Qibla. The mosque also has luxuriously gilded prayer niches for the elites with a centrally located dome has blue tiles ornamented with stars. The Mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural skill, with geometric and fluid floral designs. The most opulent interior ornament is positioned in the maqsura, the prayer space reserved for the ruler, which was specially customized for the caliph, al-Hakam II. Screens crea ted of highly structured intersecting cloisters separate the maqsura evidently from the rest of the prayer hall. The main hall of the mosque came into use for a variety of purposes. It served as a central hall for teaching, and to manage law and order, during the tenet of Abd-Al-Rahman. The walls of the mosque were indulged in carved Quranic inscriptions. Some of the most prominent features were an open court (sahn) surrounded by screens of wood, minarets, colourful mosaics, and windows of coloured glass.   [ 3 ]