City of Al- Rafiqa , Syria - Islamic Arts And Architecture

Baghdad was not the only city founded by Caliph Al-Mansur. He also developed a site in northern Syria on the east bank of the Euphrates River. The area had been settled in classical times, but in 772, as part of the program of border Extention, Al- Mansur founded a settlement known as al-Rafiqa.

Al-Rafiqa was modeled after the round city of Baghdad, and the surviving fortifications confirm this statement. Al- Mansur commissioned his son and successor  Al-Mahdi to oversee the construction of this city. Later additions such as outer walls were carried under Al-Mahdi son Harun ur Rashid. The place served as a garrison town for his Khorasanian Persian army on the border with Byzantine Empire to protect Abassids Territories. it was also suited at the crossroads of important caravan routes at the confluence of the river Euphrates with the river Khabur.

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In plan, Al-Rafiqa consists of a closed horseshoe-shaped area 1.3 km wide. It was protected by a massive wall, nearly 5 km long and fortified by 132 defensive round towers, as well as an outer wall and a moat. 3 gates led to the interior, the small western gate, the bulky northern gate, and the gate located on the southeastern corner of the city wall known as Baghdad gate, In the center of La-Rafiqa stood a large Friday Mosque, built to serve the garrison of soldiers from Khorasan. Its massive mud bricks wall were faced with baked brick. The interior courtyard was surrounded by hypostyle halls carried on brick piers. The prayer hall on the Qibla side was 3 bays deep, while those on the other3 side of the court were only 2 bays deep.

Raqqa, together with al-Rafiqa, formed the largest urban entity in Syria. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that Harun al-Rashid, who disliked Baghdad, transferred his residence there in 796, and it remained his base until 808. During his 12 years of residence, he not only added to the city's fortifications but also constructed an impressive palace quarter to the north. Covering almost 10 square km, it included 20 large palace complexes. The largest of them, set in the center, measured about 1150x980 feet. it can be identified with Harun's residence.

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Architectural Features and Influences of Umayyad - Arts and Architecture

 Materials :

Umayyad architecture represents the birth of the first Islamic architecture tradition, one that adapted features from the Sassanian and Byzantine empires.

The Umayyad's used stone extensively in their architecture as this material is abundant in great Syri, where most of their surviving buildings are located.

They used stone in their architecture as this material

Brick is also used frequently, often in the combination with stone.

Mosaics are used widely as a surface cover for both floors and walls.

Mosaics are used widely in Umayad's Architecture

Stucco is used as a decorative material and becoming particularly widespread during the later Umayyad period.

Stucco is used as a decorative material 

Wood is used as a construction material for roofs and domes, and also as a decorative material for elements such as doors and panels.

Wood is used as a construction material

Reused Roman and Byzantine elements, such as column shafts and capitals, are commonly incorporated into Umayyad buildings.

Architectural Features :

In general terms, Islamic Architecture can be classified into two categories:

Religious Architecture

Secular Architecture.

Religious Architecture :

Mosques :

The Mosque for obvious reason lies at the very heart of Islamic Architecture. It is a symbol of faith.

The symbolic role was understood by Muslims at a very early stage and played an important part in the creation.

The First Mosque in Islam was the courtyard of the Prophet's house in Madina, with no architectural features.

Early Mosques built by Muslum as their empire was expanding were simple.

The general plan consists of a large courtyard by arched porticoes, with more aisles or arcades on the side facing Mecca / Qibla.

The great mosque of Damsusc followed the same plan of the Prophet PBUH mosque and became the prototype of many mosques built in various parts of the Islamic world.

The minaret, mihrab, and minbar make their first appearance in the religious architecture of the period.

The arch in Umayyad architecture is primarily round in shape, which becomes predominant in later periods.

 

Secular Architecture :

Whereas the functions of the religious buildings of early Islam could not have existed without the new faith, the functions of secular Muslim architecture have a priori no specifically Islamic character.

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The Great Ottoman Architect - Mimar Sinan

Background :

Mimar Koca Sinan, the ''Great Architect Sinan'', was born in Anatolia, Turkey in 1489, he died in Istanbul in 1588. In general, think of him as the greatest Ottoman architect, Sinan's career spanned 50 years since he was appointed chief architect by an Ottoman court by Sultan Suleyman I in 1539. His great mosques are the representative image of Turkish Ottoman architecture.

During his long career, Sinan built hundreds of buildings including temples, palaces, palaces, churches, tombs, schools, madrassahs, caravanserais, fountains, canals, and hospitals.

The Heritage of Sinan :

Sinan's training at the Janissary Corps and his many connections to construction enhanced his vision and enhanced his skills. His travels with an army traversing a vast area of ​​the country from the Mediterranean Basin from Anatolia to Italy.

Sinan was the first employed by Hurrem, the wife of Sultan Suleman I, to construct a Kulliye and a public bath. The Kulliye was a building complex consisting of a mosque, a hospital, a school, and a public kitchen.  

Later, a mihrimah, Suleyman's daughter commissioned him to build adjoining churches in the Uskudar and Edirnekapi districts of Istanbul. Sinan was first commissioned by Suleyman I himself, it was the construction of Sehzade Cami built in memory of his first son, Sehzade Mehmed who died young.

Sinan historian Sai Mustafa Celebi, who was a friend of his, listed 343 buildings. During this long career, Sinan served three Sultans, Suleyman I, Selim II, and Murat III. His works include, Khorsow Pasha Mosque in Aleppo, Sultan Suleyman's Mosque in Damascus, AL-Haram AL Shareef in Al-Quds and Sultan Suleyman's school in Makkah, Mosque of Mehmed Pasha in Sofia and Herzegovina, Mustapha Pasha's Mosque of Ofen and the palace of Mehmed Pasha in Sarajevo.

The Mosque of Khorsow Pasha in Aleppo

The Mosque of Sultan Suleyman in Damascus

The dome of AL-Haram AL Shareef in Al-Quds

Early in his career as an architect, Sinan had to contend with traditionally established art. His training as a Military engineer led him to draw closer to architecture from a visual standpoint, rather than from theoretical.

By the time Sinan died, the Classical Ottoman Architecture had reached its climax. No follower was given enough to improve the structure of the Mosque and further developed it. Her student reverted to previous models, such as the Sehzade mosque,. The establishment ended, and it began to decline.