ART 140 Lecture 10: Art of the Islamic world
Document Summary
Abd al-rahman i, eminent umayyad that escaped the abbasid massacre of the umayyad"s in. Syria, fled to spain in 750 where the arabs had overthrown the christian kingdom of the. Arab military governors took in al-rahman i as their overlord. It became center of brilliant culture rivaling that of the abbasids at baghdad and influences the civilization of the christian west. Great mosque began construction in 784 and enlarged numerous times during 9th and. 10th centuries and became the largest mosque in the islamic west. Hypostyle prayer hall with 36 piers and 514 columns topped by double tiered arches that held up a wood roof (later replaced by vaults) Arches used to raise roof because columns, reused from previous structure, were too short. Lower arches are horseshoe shaped = adapted from earlier near eastern architecture or of. Horse shoe arch became associated with muslim architecture in the west. Arches contribute to light and airy effect of mosque"s interior.
