by Chris Pearce

Created on: March 02, 2008   Last Updated: October 03, 2009

Islamic architecture can be seen most prominently in mosques, tombs, palaces, and forts. It is also seen in subordinate structures like dwellings, fountains, and public baths. The use of large domes, minarets, and courtyards convey power. A feature of Islamic architecture is that the interior space of buildings is more impressive than the outside, and for this reason it is sometimes called the "architecture of the veil."

The features of Islamic architecture stem from the first mosque, which was built by Mohammad. The original mosques were built on the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century and were open at one end. As Islam spread across much of Europe and Asia, mosques became more elaborate and took on elements of design that were influenced by the architecture and culture of those who built them, but always maintaining the broad basis of the original form.

Most mosques have minarets, domes, and prayer halls. The most visible part of a mosque is its minarets. These are tall, slender spires with a hemisphere or onion-shaped crown and are generally about twice as high as the dome. The number of minarets per mosque varies from one to about six. They are often regarded as the gate from heaven to earth and are used to call Muslims to prayer. Minarets were first built in the seventh century and were based on the bell towers of Christian churches, also used as a call to prayer.

A mosque's dome is built directly above the prayer hall and represents heaven and sky. Domes are large and usually cover the whole of the prayer hall. Some mosques will have one or more smaller domes too. A cupola, which is a much smaller ornamental piece, sits on top of the dome. It too is usually dome-shaped but can be quadrilateral-shaped.

The prayer hall, or musalla, is a large room where Muslims gather to pray. Unlike the places of worship of most other religions, the prayer hall contains no pews, chairs, or other furniture. This enables as many people as possible to pray at once. Verses from the Qur'an and Arabic calligraphy line the walls. Calligraphy is used rather than pictures, which are forbidden in mosques. Also used are series of repetitive artwork and geometric shapes. Bright colours are a feature. Images of people, animals, and plants are rare in decorative art as the work of Allah is considered to be superior.

A qibla wall is situated opposite the prayer hall's entrance, indicating the direction to face during prayer. This wall is set perpendicular to the holy city of Mecca. At

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