Djingareyber Mosque of Timbuktu: Expression and Innovation at the Saharan Crossroads Ashley Miller Synopsis: This presentation examines the history and meaning of Djingareyber Mosque, the Great Mosque of Timbuktu in Mali. Constructed beginning in the fourteenth century under the patronage of Mansa Musa (ruler of the Mali empire from 1312 to 1337), the mosque was…
Tag: Architecture Topics
The Ashab Mosque in Quanzhou: A Coastal Mosque in South China
The Ashab Mosque in Quanzhou: A Coastal Mosque in South China Sylvia Wu Khamseen Graduate Student Presentation Award 2022 Recipient Synopsis: This presentation examines the Ashab Mosque in Quanzhou, China. Although it has long been considered an exception among premodern Chinese mosques, the structure is rarely examined beyond formal comparisons against local and global architectural…
Swahili Mosques Between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean
Swahili Mosques Between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Stéphane Pradines Synopsis: Running along the East African coast, Swahili mosques count among the best examples of Islamic architecture in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study of the Swahili architecture allows us to analyze the diffusion of ideas, people, and material cultures in the Indian Ocean, as well…
Mihrab at the Great Mosque of Córdoba
Mihrab at the Great Mosque of Córdoba Glaire Anderson Synopsis: This talk briefly introduces the architecture and decoration of the mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba. Taking the form of a discrete chamber, and richly ornamented with carved marble and gold mosaics, the mihrab is the focal point of the mosque’s prayer hall as expanded…
The Nuruosmaniye Mosque and the Ottoman Baroque
The Nuruosmaniye Mosque and the Ottoman Baroque Ünver Rüstem Synopsis: Focusing on the imperial Nuruosmaniye Mosque (1748–55), this presentation explores the Ottoman Baroque, a new, globally resonant style of architecture that reshaped the Ottoman capital of Istanbul during the eighteenth century, when shifting political and cultural circumstances prompted the Ottoman court to develop novel strategies…
The Dome of the Rock: Original Mosaics
The Dome of the Rock: Original Mosaics Heba Mostafa Synopsis: This presentation explores fragments of the original exterior mosaics of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, currently housed at al-Aqsa Museum in the Haram al-Sharif. They represent a lost chapter in the history of the Dome of the Rock, while also raising important questions…
Al-Aqmar Mosque
Al-Aqmar Mosque Jennifer Pruitt Synopsis: Cairo’s al-Aqmar mosque was founded in 1125 during the reign of the Fatimids. This presentation explores the mosque’s architectural features, façade ornamentation, and Isma‘ili Shi‘i symbolism. Its engagement with already existing structures and streets also highlights a major turning point in the city’s built environment, heralding a new trajectory for…
Monumental Mosques in Latin America: Key Modern and Contemporary Case Studies
Monumental Mosques in Latin America: Key Modern and Contemporary Case Studies Caroline “Olivia” Wolf Synopsis: Although largely overlooked in the study of Islamic art, the architecture of purpose-built mosques and Islamic Cultural Centers in Latin America powerfully negotiate religious space and identity for diverse Muslim communities in predominantly Catholic countries. This presentation provides a brief…
The Baths of al-Walid at Qusayr ‘Amra
The Baths of al-Walid at Qusayr ‘Amra Alexander Brey Synopsis: Qusayr ʿAmra (sometimes called Qasr ʿAmra) is an eighth-century bathhouse located in eastern Jordan. Decorated for the Umayyad crown prince al-Walid ibn Yazid before he ascended to the caliphate in 743, the baths are filled with an astonishing variety of figural imagery. Synthesizing work by…
The Khanqah of Baybars al-Jashinkir, 1306-1310
The Khanqah of Baybars al-Jashinkir, 1306-1310 Bernard O’Kane Synopsis: This presentation discusses the complex of Baybars al-Jashinkir (1309), a Cairene Mamluk monument that comprises a khanqah (Sufi convent) and mausoleum. It situates it within its historical context and compares it with other Mamluk monuments, highlighting features that are both typical and unique (such as its plan).…