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heavy, incongruousBaroque choir was sanctioned in the very heart of the mosque
by Charles V in the 1520s.
Mosque of Cordova (Andalusia, Spain)
Mosque of Cordova (Andalusia, Spain)Characteristics giant arches and its forest of
over 856 (of an original 1,293) columns of jasper, onyx,marble, and granite. These
were taken from the Roman temple which had previouslyoccupied the site and other
destroyed Roman buildings. The Mezquita also features richly gilded prayer niches
and the mihrab, a domed shrine ofByzantine mosaics built by Al Hakam II (961-76).
In front of the Mihrab is the Maksoureh, akind of anteroom for the caliph and his
court; its mosaics and plasterwork make it amasterpiece of Islamic art. the 16thcentury Baroque choir is an impressive sight, with an intricate ceiling and
richlycarved 18th-century choir stalls. Outside the Mezquita is the Courtyard of the
Orange Trees (Patio de los Naranjos), whichin springtime is perfumed with orange
blossoms and has a beautiful fountain. The Torre del Alminar, the minaret once
used to summon the faithful to prayer, has aBaroque belfry.
Mosque of Cordova (Andalusia, Spain) Wooden vault Gilded dome over the mihrab
Intricacy decoration Courtyard of the orange tree Striped VousoirsRenaissanse choir
of theCathedral Horseshoe Arch
The Taj Mahal (Agra, India)Historical background Taj Mahal was built in 22 years
(1631-1653) with the orders of Shah Jahan and it wasdedicated to Mumtaz Mahal
(Arjumand Bano Begum), the 14th wife of Shah. Shah Jahansreal name was Shahabud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before ascending tothe throne in
1628. 20.000 workers labored and 32 crore rupees were spent during the
construction of themonument and it was built according to Islamic architecture with
influence of Mughalstyle. Taj Mahal means the Palace of the Crown because; Taj
means Crown and Mahalmeans palace. It is myth told that Shah Jahan got the
hands of his sculptors and architects cut off so thatthey would never be able to
build a monument as magnificent and beautiful as the Tajagain and he even got
their eyes pulled out so that they would never be able to witnessanything bigger
and more beautiful than the monument that they had built during theirlifetime.
The Taj Mahal (Agra, India)
The Taj Mahal (Agra, India)Characteristics
The Taj Mahal (Agra, India)CharacteristicsWhile the white domed marble
mausoleum is its most familiar component, the Taj Mahal isactually an integrated
complex of structures.it is known that a large team of designers and craftsmen
were responsible with Jahanhimself taking an active role. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri is
considered as the principal designerwith help of ustad Isa from Persia.refined
elegance is a conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture of preIslamicIndia, with its thick walls, corbeled arches, and heavy lintels, and to the Indo-
Islamic styles,in which Hindu elements are combined with an eclectic assortment of
motifs from Persianand Turkish sources The architectural design uses the
interlocking arabesque concept, in which eachelement stands on its own and
perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses theprinciples of self-replicating
geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements. The mausoleum is a part of a
vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborategarden, a mosque (to the
left), a guest house (to the right). The Taj is at the farthest end ofthis complex, with
the river Jamuna behind it. The large garden contains four reflectingpools dividing it
at the center.