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Bab
Zuwayla with the two minarets of al-Mu'ayyad. |
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The
Mashhad al-Juyyushi:
Built by Badr in 1085 and identified as a mashhad, though its real
function is puzzling. The current interpretation is that Badr built
it as a memorial to commemorate his victories and rise to power.
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General
view of the Mashhad al-Juyyushi on top of the Muqattam before restoration. |
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General
view of the Mashhad al-Juyyushi after restoration. |
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Mihrab
of the Mashhad al-Juyyushi after restoration. |
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The
Mashhad of Umm Kulthum:
(1122) A memorial for Umm Kulthum, a popular saint and descendant
of `Ali. |
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Al-Aqmar
Mosque:
A small mosque built in 1125 north of the Eastern palace and celebrated
for its unusual decorated façade and its plan which accommodate
both the qibla orientation and the streets
pattern. |
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Plan
of Al-Aqmar Mosque |
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View
of the original two bays of the facade. |
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Facade
of the mosque after the recent addition of the third missing bay. |
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The
chamfering of the side walls of the mosque with inscription. |
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The
central medallion above the entrance door with a Qur'anic verse inscribed
around the central ring, which contains the words "Muhammad" and "`Ali". |
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The
Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya:
(1133) A memorial for Ruqayya, a popular saint and descendant of `Ali. |
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Mihrab
of the Mashhad of Sayyida Ruqayya. |
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The
Mausoleum of Yahya al-Shabih:
(ca. 1150) A mausoleum built around the cenotaph of Yahaya, called
al-shabih (the look-alike) because he resembled the Prophet, and other
descendants of `Ali, all buried there in the 870s-80s.
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The
mihrab of Yahya al-Shabih. |
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Al-Salih
Tala'i` Mosque:
Built south of the walls of al-Qahira
in 1160 by the vizier al-Salih Tala'i` and intended as a mashhad for
the head of Husayn, the son of `Ali and most venerated martyr in ShiÔism.
It was turned into a mosque when the caliph decided that the head
of Husayn should be buried inside his palace. |
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Plan
of al-Salih Tala'i` mosque. |
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Aerial
view of al-Salih Tala'i` mosque. |
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View
of the courtyard and porticos of al-Salih Tala'i. |
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Inscription
on the minbar of Baktimur al-Jukandar in the mosque of al-Salih Tala'i`
dated 1299. |
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Architectural
terms: |
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Qubba:
Literally "dome", but the word often signified the mausoleum of an
amir or a pious man, which was usually, but not always, a cubical
structure covered with a dome. |
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Mashhad:
A complex term that means either a memorial for a shahid (witness
of the greatness of God, but later exclusively meaning martyr) or
a memorial for a true vision, which mostly involves the Prophet or
members of his family. |
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Muqarnas:
One
of the most distinctive architectural elements, called usually the
stalacite pendentives or honeycomb vaults. Muqarnas units appear in
domes' transitional zones, in cornices and friezes, in conches above
entrances, and on friezes supporting balconies of minarets.
The origin and date of first appearance of muqarnas are not clear.
It is used for decorative purposes and several symbolic meanings have
been proposed for it. |
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The
muqarnas dome of the mausoleum of Nur al-Din in Damascus (1167-68),
one of the earliest muqarnas domes in Syria. |
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