5- Abbasid Palatial Architecture: (Click on images to enlarge)

The Abbasids: The second Islamic dynasty (flourished 750-950)

• Abu Ja‘far al-Mansur: (754-75) Second caliph and founder of Baghdad.
• Haroun al-Rashid (786-809): Established many large settlements along the Tigris and the Euphrates. His name became inexorably linked to the tales of Arabian Night.
  

 

The Architectural Precedents:

The Umayyad Palaces

The Iwan of Kisra (Khosroe) at Ctesiphon: The Seat of Sasanian Kingsgs.

A photo of the iwan taken before 1883 when the flood destroyed the monuments right wing

 

The New Image of the Ruler:

The influence of Persian traditions and court ceremonials.
The gradual seclusion of the ruler behind walls and courts.

The Foundation of Madinat al-Salam (City of Peace, later Baghdad), 762-67:

The new, ordered capital of the Empire, with all the appropriate symbolism of a round city with axial division.
The Palace of al-Mansur: Qubbat al-Khadra (the Green Dome).

Plan of the round city of Baghdad

The Palace of Ukhaydir, south of Baghdad (probably 778):

A monumental princely retreat composed of a fortified enclosure. Defensive stone structure with a magnificent court of honor and an iwan

Palace of Ukhaydir: View from northwest, Outer/northern annex at left, main gate beyondr

North side, Bay and tower directly east of north gate (at right)

Samarra:

The new capital city established on the Tigris, 60 miles north of Baghdad, by caliph al-Mu‘tasim in 836 to house his personal army of Turkish slave-warriors (mamluks).  It developed into a conglomeration of secluded caliphal palaces and houses for the troops on a grandiose scale.  The city remained capital of the Abbasid Empire until 883.

Iraq, Samarra aerial view

 

The Palaces of al-Mu‘tasim (833-42):

• The Jausaq al-Khaqani
• The Qasr al-Jiss (Gypsum Palace)
• Al-Istabulat: Residences for the troops.

Qasr al-Jiss plan

Al-Istabulat near Samarra, Plan

 

The Qubbat al-Sulaibiyya: 

First caliphal mausoleum built for the caliph al-Muntasir (862).

Qubbat al-Sulaibiyya Tomb plan

Qubbat Al-Sulaibiyya reconstruction by Northredge

 

Stucco Decoration:

Samarra Style: Three styles have been identified following their degree of abstraction:

• Style A: Vine-leave ornament still bearing resemblance to the Hellenistic, naturalizing origin.
• Style B: Vegetal ornament with some abstraction.
• Style C: Moulded pattern, very abstract and have a combination of vegetal and geometric motifs. Patterns are normally inscribed within borders.

Samarra Style A

Samarra Style B

Samarra Style C