Blog Post #5 - Romanesque and Islamic

 

     The Romanesque period derives its name from its attempt to emulate the grandeur of ancient Rome. One piece of furniture from the time is the Throne of Dagobert, which was an elegant bronze folding chair with lions’ paw feet. Another significant piece is Charlemagne’s throne, which featured marble steps to represent authority and power. Most homes were made of wood, mud, and twigs and had shops underneath and multipurpose rooms that were used for cooking, entertaining, and sleeping. As a result, there was very little privacy in these homes. Churches were primarily basilica style with an added transept. Some churches, such as Fontenay Abbey, had an austere and simple look, while others such as Pisa Baptistry were grand and elegant.

     The Islamic period is unique because there was a great variety of regional architecture styles that all served to create Mosques for the same type of worship. For example, architects in Saharan Africa created the Great Mosque of Djenné, which is composed of sun-dried mud bricks and torons, or permanent scaffolding. On the other hand, Islamic architecture in Persia had a much grander look, as in the example of the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed. Also known as the “Blue Mosque,” this structure features beautiful glazed blue brick domes and walls that reflect the textile patterns of rugs. In Spain, Islamic architecture took the form of the Alhambra, a beautiful building with stucco, tile, arabesque design, and gardens.

Romanesque: a wattle-and-daub style home.

 

Fontenay Abbey is simple yet elegant.

 

The Great Mosque of Djenné

 

Muqarnas in the ceiling of Alhambra

These interior arches were inspired by Islamic arches.

Another application of Islamic arches.

Above is a modern mosque that maintains some original elements such as the arches but also adds a modern white color and details on the façade.

One Step Further

        The Sultan Ahmed Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed and built by Sedefkar Mehmed Agha in the Ottoman era in Istanbul, Turkey. Agha studied music and was very skilled with inlay in mother-of-pearl before he switched to studying architecture under Mimar Sinan, so he was very familiar with being detail-oriented. He designed the Blue Mosque after Hagia Sophia, echoing the large dome and minarets.

Textile-inspired wall tiles

Another view of the Blue Mosque’s tiles.

Closing Reflection

 

 

Overall, I am startled by the contrast between elegant Romanesque churches and simple and crowded homes. On the other hand, I appreciate that the Islamic architects stayed true to their regional styles when designing mosques, allowing the culture of each place to be expressed while retaining a common purpose of worship. This approach led to many beautiful structures that are each unique yet unified.