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Throughout the cultural histories of religions, the style of churches, mosques, stupas, synagogues, and temples has developed. It has great value for the respective faiths. While a particular style of architecture might reveal cultural changes, usually the religious significance remains constant. Many cultures devoted considerable resources to their sacred architecture and places of worship.
Sacred architecture spans several ancient architectural styles, from the ancient architecture of the Mayans in what is now Latin America to the ancient classical architecture of Greece and Rome, as well as the refined classical architecture of Asia. It is categorized as Byzantine, Gothic, et cetera.
The most important structure in the religion of Islam is the mosque. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also called the Blue Mosque, in Istanbul, Turkey, was built in the 17th century. It’s an example of a combination of styles: the Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church. This blending of styles is not uncommon and is an interesting way to note the historical moments of religious tolerance, overlap, and exchange.
Many forms of mosques have developed in different regions of the world. Notable mosques include the early Abbasid mosques, T-type mosques, and the central dome mosques of Anatolia.
A common feature in mosques is the minaret. This tall, slender tower, which is used to call Muslims to prayer, usually is situated at one of the corners of the mosque’s structure. If a mosque has a minaret, it is always the highest point of the building. It’s also the highest point in the immediate area. One can therefore see and hear the call to prayer, the Adhan, from a long way off.
Prayer halls contain no images of people, animals, or spiritual figures. They may be decorated with Arabic calligraphy and verses from the Qur’an on the walls. The first mosques had no minarets. Even nowadays, the most conservative Islamic movements, such as Wahhabis, avoid building minarets, seeing them as ostentatious and unnecessary. Domes have been a hallmark of Islamic architecture.
The prayer hall, also known as the musalla, has no furniture, chairs, or pews. They’re absent from the prayer hall to avoid distraction. The simplicity of the space allows for a more dedicated worship. A musalla also does not need to be inside a mosque. Any clean and open space can serve as a space for prayer.
On the other end of the spectrum are Hindu temples. In Hinduism, temples are busy with images and statues of gods, hanging mandalas, incense, candles, et cetera.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY TED FAIRCHILD FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. Please see our Terms of Use.
Image Credits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_architecture#/media/File:Tikal6.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_architecture#/media/File:Parthenon-2008_entzerrt.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minaret#/media/File:Grande_mosqu%C3%A9e_de_testour.jpg
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