Middle Ages and Islamic architecture

Islamic architecture

Islamic architecture began in the 7th century CE, incorporating architectural forms from the ancient Middle East and Byzantium, but also developing features to suit the religious and social needs of the society. Examples can be found throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Spain and the Indian Sub-continent.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem.

Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Alhambra, Granada, Spain.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.

⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇼⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝⇲⇼⇼⇼⇼

Middle Ages

In Europe during the Medieval period, guilds were formed by craftsmen to organise their trades and written contracts have survived, particularly in relation to ecclesiastical buildings. The role of architect was usually one with that of master mason, or Magister lathomorum as they are sometimes described in contemporary documents.

Notre Dame de Paris, France.

The major architectural undertakings were the buildings of abbeys and cathedrals. From about 900 CE onwards, the movements of both clerics and tradesmen carried architectural knowledge across Europe, resulting in the pan-European styles Romanesque and Gothic.

Notre Dame de Paris, France.

Notre Dame de Paris, France.

⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪⧪

 Thank you 

Writer: Pankaj Sonwane.

Bibliography:

 1) Photos from google photos.

 2) Information from books.

Asian architecture

Asian architecture

Early Asian writings on architecture include the Kao Gong Ji of China from the 7th–5th centuries BCE; the Shilpa Shastras of ancient India; Manjusri Vasthu Vidya Sastra of Sri Lankaand Araniko of Nepal .

The architecture of different parts of Asia developed along different lines from that of Europe; Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh architecture each having different characteristics. Buddhist architecture, in particular, showed great regional diversity. Hindu temple architecture, which developed around the 3rd century BCE, is governed by concepts laid down in the Shastras, and is concerned with expressing the macrocosm and the microcosm. In many Asian countries, pantheistic religion led to architectural forms that were designed specifically to enhance the natural landscape.

Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto, Japan.

The Great Red Gate at the Ming Tombs near Beijing, China.

Bahay na Bato houses in Philippines.

the view of Janaki mandir, Nepal.

Most Asian architecture was influenced by ancient religions, with influences from Hinduism and Buddhism becoming evident. Temples and worship sites incorporate or heavily focus on the influences of nature, even being carved as tunnels out of mountainsides.

⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀⇀↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽↽

Ancient architecture

Ancient architecture

In many ancient civilizations, such as those of Egypt and Mesopotamia, architecture and urbanism reflected the constant engagement with the divine and the supernatural, and many ancient cultures resorted to monumentality in architecture to represent symbolically the political power of the ruler, the ruling elite, or the state itself.

The architecture and urbanism of the Classical civilizations such as the Greek and the Roman evolved from civic ideals rather than religious or empirical ones and new building types emerged. Architectural "style" developed in the form of the Classical orders. Roman architecture was influenced by Greek architecture as they incorporated many Greek elements into their building practices.


Texts on architecture have been written since ancient time. These texts provided both general advice and specific formal prescriptions or canons. Some examples of canons are found in the writings of the 1st-century BCE Roman Architect Vitruvius. Some of the most important early examples of canonic architecture are religious.

The Great Pyramids at Giza in Egypt.

The Parthenon in Athens, Greece.

Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain.

⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁⤁