Comparing and Contrasting Architecture - Suma Gadde

Suma Gadde

           

Comparing and Contrasting Architecture Between the Byzantine Empire and Islam

Architecture is a huge component of the cultures of the Byzantine Empire and Islamic civilization. The various structures are made by the different styles, ideas, and beliefs that each society embraces. Architecture is mainly used in these civilizations as areas to worship their god and combine the structures and decorations together, to create a place where all citizens can be (Tom Sizgorich). These buildings provided a location for social, political, and religious meetings.  Between the two civilizations, the Byzantine Empire and Islam, there are many similarities and differences between the way their architecture was built. Without these two civilizations, architecture would not be the same as it is today.

The Byzantine Empire was considered one of the most influential civilizations when it comes to architecture. The Byzantine Empire focused on creating their structures around Christianity. When the Roman Empire split, the Eastern Empire continued to preserve the roman culture and construct some of the most admired buildings of today's time. The Byzantines included the combination of a basilica and a symmetrical central plan, to adopt parts of the Roman culture. One of the most iconic buildings is the Hagia Sophia, it was built to be the largest church in the world, but after the fall of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque and museum. The Hagia Sophia consists of a dome, the center of attention and four towers in each “corner” of the building. The interior of the church provides lots of fine details such as various mosaics and murals. The Hagia Sophia was made as a foundation for the other structures made. Many of structures built followed the Hagia Sophia as an example, because the architects and the society believed that it was important for decorations to stay consistent between churches, so the travelers never felt away from their spiritual base (Marcus Rautman). The Byzantine architects focused on every detail, whether it was how to lay the foundation of the building to the patterns of the mosaics around the interior of the building. The architecture of the Byzantine Empire influenced many civilizations around them, including the Islamic civilization.

Even though Islamic architecture was heavily influenced by the Byzantine architecture, it provided lots of different characteristics and designs to society. The structures of the Islamic civilization reflect the Muslim history, of what they experienced and faced. The Muslim architects built their structures to shape their cities and provide areas for the social, political, and religious world (Tom Sizgorich). The Qur’an states that there should be no display of living beings or gods, so instead the architects decorated the interior with simple designs to show purity and so there is no confusion with other religions (J. Gordon Melton). The Dome of the Rock is a great example of Islamic architecture. It is an octagonal shaped building surrounded by many detailed geometric shapes and designs with a golden egg shaped dome in the center. Ceramics and calligraphy were important factors their structures, they were placed in specific places around the walls of the mosques. The patterns and designs of every piece of art mattered, the Muslim architects and artists paid attention to every detail, and made no room for error. Art was highly valued by the Muslims because it allowed areas of representation to worship. Islamic architecture evolved greatly over just years, they grew from a small worship area to large complex structures. The Islamic structures were “as beautiful as they were functional” (Tom Sizgorich).

There are a lot of similarities and differences between the architecture of the Byzantine Empire and Islam. In fact, the Byzantine’s influence of Islamic architecture was so tremendous that it affects architecture today. The process of laying the foundations of the structures, arrangements and patterns, and the inclusion of domes and arches are just a few examples of the similarities. Also, the use of mosaics and detailed designs was a very important similarity because it shows that all civilizations and beliefs have some aspects in common. All of these features were put together to create magnificent complex structures that were used to sculpt out holy spaces for the citizens without any distractions (Sir Banister-Fletcher). For example, the use of the dome in the Hagia Sophia and the Dome of the Rock, even though they represent different cultures, they are still used in similar fashion. Along with similarities, there are also a lot of differences. One of the major differences is that the churches have icons of god, strategically placed around the buildings, and Islamic architectures are not allowed to have representations of god. This shows that with or without holy figures, the architects created structures that provide spaces for the citizens to worship. Another difference is the way that the ideas of the structures were planned out. The Byzantine Empire left their minds open, so there was an endless amount of possibilities (Marcus Rautman). On the contrary, the Islamic civilization brought together their ideas by including features from older cultures and influences (Tom Sizgorich). The Byzantine Empire and Islamic civilization have many similarities and differences that provide the world a new perspective to look at and learn from.

Some aspects of modern day architecture are influenced by the architecture of the Byzantine Empire and Islam. The differences and similarities between these two civilizations had a huge impact on society, so great that architecture today would not be how it is now. The Byzantine Empire introduced many new ideas such as the thought of including domes in their structures. The Islamic civilization adapted older cultures and combined various designs together to create very simple, yet complex structures. These innovations helped inspire future architects and the creation of new buildings. In any way possible, architecture reflects the history of the cultures, and influences surrounding civilizations.

Gadde 1

Works Cited

"Art and Architecture, Islamic." Facts on File, online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/214379?q=islamic%20architecture%20.

"Byzantine Architecture." ABC-CLIO, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1510771?terms=byzantine%20architecture&webSiteCode=SLN_HANC&returnToPage=%2fSearch%2fDisplay%2f1510771%3fterms%3dbyzantine+architecture&sType=quick&token=D35E8B647459544B631B49EC8D8AB096&casError=False.

"Byzantine Architecture." Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/art/Byzantine-architecture.

"Byzantine/Byzantine Revival Architecture." Buffalo, www.buffaloah.com/a/archsty/byz/.

"Byzantine Churchs." ABC-CLIO, religion.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1643626?terms=byzantine%20architecture&webSiteCode=SLN_REL&returnToPage=%2fSearch%2fDisplay%2f1643626%3fterms%3dbyzantine+architecture&sType=multi&token=D35E8B647459544B631B49EC8D8AB096&casError=False.

"Islamic Architecture." ABC-CLIO, religion.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1527466?terms=islamic+architecture&sType=multi.

"Islamic Architecture." Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Islamic-architecture.

"Mosques." ABC-CLIO, religion.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1584845?terms=mosques&sType=multi.

Gadde 2

"10 Splendid Examples of Byzantine Architecture." History Lists, historylists.org/architecture/10-splendid-e