Episode 18 Mosques Architecture and the Gothic Revival 

Islamic Golden Age (2017)

By Eamon Gearon

Film Review

In this lecture, Gearon makes the case that Islamic architecture, not Visogoth and Ostrogroth invasions, were responsible for Europe’s 12th-14th century so-called gothic architecture. Islamic architecture also profoundly influenced 16th century Ottoman architecture and the architecture of 17th century Safavid Persia.

The great mosques of the Ummayyed caliphate (661 to 750 AD) in Damascus and elsewhere were distinctive for the Hellenic (columns) and Byzantine (rounded arches) features.

Following the Abbasid caliphate’s move to Baghdad in 750AD, Persian,rather than Byzantine influences, prevailed. As the Fatamid caliphate (ruled North Africa 909-1171 AD), Mamluk caliphate (ruled North Africa 1250-1517 AD) and Cordoba caliphate (ruled Iberian peninsula 929-1031) broke away from the Abbasid caliphate, each developed their own architectural style.

Examples of distinctive Islamic architecture is mainly found in mosques, palaces and military fortresses.

Umayyad and early Abbasid architecture is characterized by rounded arches (known as Romanesque or Norman arches) early Muslim architects adopted from the Romans (who borrowed them from the Etruscans). The earliest arches date from 2000 BC (Iraq) and 1850 BC (Israel).

In 691 the Umayyad caliphate built the Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem on the former site of Solomon’s temple (destroyed in 586 BC by Babylon).

In later years, the Abbasids adopted a lancet arch, dubbed a Gothic arch when adopted by Europeans. This arch can support three times as much weight as a rounded arch.

Cordoba saw the development of the Moorish arch, also known as the horseshoe or keyhole arch.

Two-tiered arches were also common in Moorish architecture.

In the early Middle Ages, Europeans also used the romanesque arch in their cathedrals.

The flood of Europeans into the Middle East during the Crusades would lead to wide adoption of Islamic architectural styles in Europe.

*Owing to political instability the Abbassid capitol  moved north from Baghdad to Samarra in 836 AD and back to Baghdad in 892 AD.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/5756987/5757023