As I mentioned in my previous post, in order to create tension between the Turkish youth of Kreuzberg and their elders, I want to create my performance in a structure that resembles the classical Ottoman architecture that inspired the building of it's most iconic mosques such as the Hagia Sophia. Therefore I have done some research into mosques and what makes their architecture significant. My sole purpose of my design is to create tension however I do not want to offend or disrespect Turkish culture. I must do my research into mosques in order to not add elements into my design which are only to be used in a mosque (thus essentially making my structure a mosque) and then putting a break-dance performance within it.
Introduction to Mosque Architecture:
From Indonesia to the United Kingdom, the mosque in its many
forms is the quintessential Islamic building. The mosque, masjid in
Arabic, is the Muslim gathering place for prayer. Masjid simply means
“place of prostration.” Though most of the five daily prayers prescribed in
Islam can take place anywhere, all men are required to gather together at the
mosque for the Friday noon prayer.
Mosques are also used throughout the week for prayer, study,
or simply as a place for rest and reflection. The main mosque of a city, used
for the Friday communal prayer, is called a jami masjid, literally meaning
“Friday mosque,” but it is also sometimes called a congregational mosque in
English. The style, layout, and decoration of a mosque can tell us a lot about
Islam in general, but also about the period and region in which the mosque was
constructed.
The home of the Prophet Muhammad is considered the first
mosque. His house, in Medina in modern-day Saudi Arabia, was a typical
7th-century Arabian style house, with a large courtyard surrounded by long
rooms supported by columns. This style of mosque came to be known as a
hypostyle mosque, meaning “many columns.” Most mosques built in Arab lands
utilized this style for centuries.
Common features:
The architecture of a mosque is shaped most strongly by the
regional traditions of the time and place where it was built. As a result,
style, layout, and decoration can vary greatly. Nevertheless, because of the
common function of the mosque as a place of congregational prayer, certain
architectural features appear in mosques all over the world.
Sahn (courtyard):
The most fundamental necessity of congregational mosque
architecture is that it be able to hold the entire male population of a city or
town (women are welcome to attend Friday prayers, but not required to do so).
To that end congregational mosques must have a large prayer hall. In many
mosques this is adjoined to an open courtyard, called a sahn. Within the
courtyard one often finds a fountain, its waters both a welcome respite in hot
lands, and important for the ablutions (ritual cleansing) done before prayer.
Mihrab (niche):
Another essential element of a mosque’s architecture is
a mihrab—a niche in the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca,
towards which all Muslims pray. Mecca is the city in which the Prophet Muhammad
was born, and the home of the most important Islamic site, the Kaaba. The
direction of Mecca is called the qibla, and so the wall in which
the mihrab is set is called the qibla wall. No matter where
a mosque is, its mihrab indicates the direction of Mecca (or as near that
direction as science and geography were able to place it). Therefore, a mihrab in
India will be to the west, while a one in Egypt will be to the east.
A mihrab is usually a relatively shallow niche, as in the example
from Egypt, above. In the example from Spain, shown right, the mihrab’s
niche takes the form of a small room, this is [rarer].
Minaret (tower):
One of the most visible aspects of mosque architecture is
the minaret, a tower adjacent or attached to a mosque, from which the call
to prayer is announced.
Minarets take many different forms—from the famous spiral
minaret of Samarra, to the tall, pencil minarets of Ottoman Turkey. Not
solely functional in nature, the minaret serves as a powerful visual reminder
of the presence of Islam.
Qubba (dome):
Most mosques also feature one or more domes,
called qubba in Arabic. While not a ritual requirement like the
mihrab, a dome does possess significance within the mosque—as a symbolic
representation of the vault of heaven. The interior decoration of a dome often
emphasizes this symbolism, using intricate geometric, stellate, or vegetal
motifs to create breathtaking patterns meant to awe and inspire. Some mosque
types incorporate multiple domes into their architecture, while others only
feature one. In mosques with only a single dome, it is invariably found
surmounting the qibla wall, the holiest section of the mosque. The Great Mosque
of Kairouan, in Tunisia has three domes: one atop the minaret, one above
the entrance to the prayer hall, and one above the qibla wall.
Because it is the directional focus of prayer,
the qibla wall, with its mihrab and minbar, is often
the most ornately decorated area of a mosque. The rich decoration of the qibla wall
is apparent in this image of the mihrab and minbar of the
Mosque of Sultan Hasan in Cairo, Egypt.
Furnishings:
There are other decorative elements common to most mosques.
For instance, a large calligraphic frieze or a cartouche with a prominent
inscription often appears above the mihrab. In most cases the calligraphic
inscriptions are quotations from the Qur’an, and often include the date of
the building's dedication and the name of the patron. Another important feature
of mosque decoration are hanging lamps, also visible in the photograph of the
Sultan Hasan mosque. Light is an essential feature for mosques, since the first
and last daily prayers occur before the sun rises and after the sun sets.
Before electricity, mosques were illuminated with oil lamps. Hundreds of such
lamps hung inside a mosque would create a glittering spectacle, with soft light
emanating from each, highlighting the calligraphy and other decorations on the
lamps’ surfaces. Although not a permanent part of a mosque building, lamps,
along with other furnishings like carpets, formed a significant—though
ephemeral—aspect of mosque architecture.
No comments:
Post a Comment