Muqarnas: Islamic honeycomb architecture

[Tanuki]

https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/muqarnas-middle-east-mosque-architecture-historical-buildings-honeycombs

?itok=UhOmiwGT

"From Spain's Alhambra, to Bosnia's Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and Iran's Hasht Behesht Palace, the interior domes of many of the striking mosques and palaces across the Middle East and beyond feature a "honeycomb-like vaulting": this exclusive design has a name of its own – muqarnas.

This centuries-old style of architectural grandeur may adorn a building for purely aesthetic reasons, creating a smooth decorative zone that transitions between the bare walls and the ceiling of a building. But it can also serve a purpose in structural design - as load-bearing formations - with the earliest examples found in Mesopotamia.

Historically, muqarnas grew in their decorative use some time in the 12th century, during Islam's golden age, when Muslims made significant advancements in architecture, mathematics, science and the arts.

The concave structures are not sanctioned just for domes. They can also be found beautifying half-dome entrances as well as iwans - a rectangular space that serves as an entrance into a mosque from the courtyard - and the mihrab, a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of prayer for Muslims."...(more)

[SaveOurDemocracy]

1. Gorgeous, impeccable craftmanship.

[SMC22307]

2. Exquisite. (n/t)

[Aristus]

3. One thing I've always loved about Islamic architecture is the way they make a virtue

of necessity.

In Islam, graven images of human beings are prohibited. So they go with geometric designs, abstract images, and calligraphic verses from the Q'uran.

And this breathtaking loveliness is the result...

[captain queeg]

4. Just think of the labor that went into this

The stuff built by the ancients always stuns me to think about. I guess this stuff isn’t exactly ancient but the man hours that went into stuff back then with next to no machinery is amazing. Stuff like the pyramids would take generations.

[crickets]

5. Stunning. Absolutely beautiful. nt