Central Java Grand Mosque, Semarang

Central Java Grand Mosque is located in Jalan Gajah, Semarang City. The mosque is an extraordinary building and a large area. Even from a distance the building will appear upright supported by the high tower.This mosque is more than a year ago opened and has been used for Eid prayers 1024 H ago, however so far the building process continues. On the front page is currently being installed giant columns to the umbrella of the mosque. The tower is also still in the process of completion. Central Java Grand Mosque tower is 99 meters tall or equal to the 19-story building. The plan on the 2nd floor of the tower will be used as a library for the Islamic literature, while in another floor will be used as a museum of Islamic culture. The atmosphere is fresh and cool in the different when in the heat under the afternoon. At the top of the tower will also have binoculars binoculars sophisticated look. Kota Semarang can be seen from there, until the ship docked at the port would also be clearly seen.

As-Syafa'ah Mosque of Singapore

As-Syafa'ah Mosque of Singapore is quick not look like the mosque in general. Starting from its shape which does not rise as a dome which contained the mosques in the Middle East. The shape is very modern buildings around the mosque.

However, although the shape of a mosque that the mosque remains as is, which is a place of worship of Muslims. There were "haram" or the main worship space is the size is very small, because the Muslims in Singapore are among the minority. The existence of the main worship space is very small also represents modernity in Islam. This is directly related to the Islamic teachings flexible to culture, age and tradition in society. Including to meet the needs of modern society but also need a place of worship for relaxation, dining, seminars and others.

When you are going to the mosque and asked where the As-Syafa'ah Mosque is, the people there will say that the mosque did not look like a mosque. Yet, as signifying that the building is the mosque at Mosque As-Syafa'ah minaret there. View minaret is also a modern form and there is also writing Allah who is in there As-Syafa'ah Mosque.

The Nature of Islamic Architecture

Islamic architecture, basically no damage. Islam is always a blessing to others, or in the term is "Rahmatan lil 'alamin". why say like that? some visual reference on Islamic architecture always gives us treats that are the substance was completely reflect Islamic values in them. For example, when we imagine the Islamic architecture, the image is always fixed on architecture in the Middle East in general boast a proud and impressed and wasteful. Islam is not always taught about thrift, humility, tolerance, and the other well. We certainly agree that so far we have seen regarding Islamic architecture is not something good. Instead the concept of Islam arstektur I found lots of buildings that house the designer is not from Islamic religious circles. As an example of Falling Water, Frank Lloyd Wright's work which of course he's not a religion Islam. But he understands that what is good architecture and architecture which in fact destructive. Therefore, in my little heart arises a great question, actually in the Islamic architectural principles that warned it was human or divine? This question may be very trivial, but when implemented into the architectural design will be very different physical form and the value of both. If god who feel the need, then the realization is to the magnificent Islamic architecture that seems to need a symbol of the god power. Without the symbol of it all, God has power over the natural universe is a god that does not need to demonstrate its existence with the symbols.

But if people need to be warned, then in its design is best to inculcate human values in the human. love of nature and blend with the surroundings.

English Mosque Design : text from Makespacearchitects

Muslims are the fastest growing population in Britain, and mosque building has expanded exponentially over the last two decades to reflect this this trend. With debate raging on how Muslims position themselves in modern Britain, we think the buildings they build can positively contribute to an emerging and confident British Islamic culture.

Makespacearchitects have been working on a series of mosque designs in and around London, and in each have been developing a contemporary language of Islamic architecture that could be considered as a British evolution of the Islamic tradition.

A key aspect of mosque design lies in the close working relationship the architect has with the mosque committee and local community. Mosques are mostly small and local, set up and supported by the local muslim community, and therefore above all it must have a resonance for these users and meet their practical and symbolic needs.

Each mosque is therefore a negotiation between the communities expectations, the requirements of local planning policies, and the architect's aesthetic and cultural vision.

Mosque committees often have particular expectations of what a mosque should look like. These ideas are often rooted in certain interpretations of Islamic history, which centre on the architectural elements of the dome and minaret. The form of these elements and the style of their decoration has varied throughout Islamic history, depending on which culture implemented them.

We believe that an indigenous British Islamic architecture is a continuation of this process of interpretation and reference to tradition. As there are no actual requirements of what a mosque needs to be, other than the prayer being oriented towards Makkah, the formal responses are open to interpretation and suggestion. It is important to refer to elements that people perceive as traditional, as the mosque must have meaning for the people that use it as well as being a symbol for the ongoing evolution of the Muslim world, of Islamic tradition and of the diversification of British society.

Mosque building in London is a sensitive and intricate process. As architects we are negotiating the complexities of London's urban fabric, the desires and politics of a mosque community, the weight of Islamic architectural history, and demands of rapid cultural change.

London Mosque Design Images / information from Makespacearchitects 240409,or go to this url site on English Mosque.

Niu Jie Mosque, Beijing

Built in 995, the Niu Jie Mosque is Beijing's largest and oldest mosque and the spiritual center for the city's estimated 200,000 Muslims.

History

The mosque was constructed by two Arabs in 995. Throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing periods (13th-19th C), it underwent several alterations and since 1949 it has been repeatedly restored.

What to See

Niu Jie (Ox Street) is a cramped road running north-south in the Muslim Quarter, about a mile directly west of the Temple of Heaven. It is lined with offal stalls and vendors selling fried dough rings, rice cakes and shaobang (muffins), and populated by men wearing white hats and beards.

The Niu Jie Mosque occupies a site of over 6000 m² and includes several buildings: the prayer hall, the Bangge Lou (minaret), a six-cornered moon observatory tower, and two pavilions with stone steles.

The exteriors are designed in classic Chinese style, looking very much like Buddhist temples, but the interiors are more traditionally Arab. And of course, there are no idols to be seen. Both Chinese and Arabic inscriptions adorn the buildings.
Non-Muslim visitors cannot enter the prayer hall (which is usually fairly empty except on Fridays), but can admire the architecture of the exteriors and look around the courtyards. A small courtyard on the south side contains the graves of two Persian imams who preached here in the 13th century. Nearby is a copper cauldron, used to prepare food for devotees.

Blue Mosque, Istanbul

The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Sultanahmet Mosque (better known as the "Blue Mosque") dominate the skyline of Istanbul. In the 17th century, Sultan Ahmet I wished to build an Islamic place of worship that would be even better than the Hagia Sophia, and the mosque named for him is the result. The two great architectural achievements now stand next to each other in Istanbul's main square, and it is up to visitors to decide which is more impressive.

History

The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I when he was only 19 years old. It was built near the Hagia Sophia, over the site of the ancient hippodrome and Byzantine imperial palace (whose mosaics can be seen in the nearby Mosaic Museum). Construction work began in 1609 and took seven years.

The mosque was designed by architect Mehmet Aga, whose unfortunate predecessor was found wanting and executed. Sultan Ahmet was so anxious for his magnificent creation to be completed that he often assisted in the work. Sadly, he died just a year after the completion of his masterpiece, at the age of 27. He is buried outside the mosque with his wife and three sons.

The original mosque complex included a madrasa, a hospital, a han, a primary school, a market, an imaret and the tomb of the founder. Most of these buildings were torn down in the 19th century.

What to See

One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: its six minarets. This is very unique, as most mosques have four, two, or just one minaret. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets, which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets.

Whatever the origins of the unique feature, the six minarets caused quite a scandal, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca (the holiest in the world) also had six minarets. In the end, the sultan solved the problem by sending his architect to Mecca to add a seventh minaret.

The other striking feature of the exterior is the beautifully-arranged cascade of domes that seem to spill down from the great central dome. The arcades running beneath each dome add further visual rhythm. None of the exterior is blue - the name "Blue Mosque" comes from the blue tiles inside.

The main west entrance is beautifully decorated and very much worth a look. However, to preserve the mosque's sanctity, non-worshippers are required to use the north entrance, off the Hippodrome. Hanging from this gate are symbolic chains that encourage everyone, even the sultan who entered on horseback, to bow his or her head upon entering.

Inside, the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name. Fine examples of 16th-century Iznik design, the oldest tiles feature flowers, trees and abstract patterns. The overall effect is one of the most beautiful sights in Istanbul. The Iznik tiles can be seen in the galleries and and on the north wall above the main entrance. The remaining tiles, which have a less delicate design, were made in Kütahya.

The interior is lit with 260 windows, which were once filled with 17th-century stained glass. Sadly, this has been lost and replaced with inferior replicas.

For more info about this articel, please click www.sacred-destinations.com

The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Sultanahmet Mosque (better known as the "Blue Mosque") dominate the skyline of Istanbul. In the 17th century, Sultan Ahmet I wished to build an Islamic place of worship that would be even better than the Hagia Sophia, and the mosque named for him is the result. The two great architectural achievements now stand next to each other in Istanbul's main square, and it is up to visitors to decide which is more impressive.

History

The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I when he was only 19 years old. It was built near the Hagia Sophia, over the site of the ancient hippodrome and Byzantine imperial palace (whose mosaics can be seen in the nearby Mosaic Museum). Construction work began in 1609 and took seven years.

The mosque was designed by architect Mehmet Aga, whose unfortunate predecessor was found wanting and executed. Sultan Ahmet was so anxious for his magnificent creation to be completed that he often assisted in the work. Sadly, he died just a year after the completion of his masterpiece, at the age of 27. He is buried outside the mosque with his wife and three sons.

The original mosque complex included a madrasa, a hospital, a han, a primary school, a market, an imaret and the tomb of the founder. Most of these buildings were torn down in the 19th century.

What to See

One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: its six minarets. This is very unique, as most mosques have four, two, or just one minaret. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets, which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets.

Whatever the origins of the unique feature, the six minarets caused quite a scandal, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca (the holiest in the world) also had six minarets. In the end, the sultan solved the problem by sending his architect to Mecca to add a seventh minaret.

The other striking feature of the exterior is the beautifully-arranged cascade of domes that seem to spill down from the great central dome. The arcades running beneath each dome add further visual rhythm. None of the exterior is blue - the name "Blue Mosque" comes from the blue tiles inside.

The main west entrance is beautifully decorated and very much worth a look. However, to preserve the mosque's sanctity, non-worshippers are required to use the north entrance, off the Hippodrome. Hanging from this gate are symbolic chains that encourage everyone, even the sultan who entered on horseback, to bow his or her head upon entering.

Inside, the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name. Fine examples of 16th-century Iznik design, the oldest tiles feature flowers, trees and abstract patterns. The overall effect is one of the most beautiful sights in Istanbul. The Iznik tiles can be seen in the galleries and and on the north wall above the main entrance. The remaining tiles, which have a less delicate design, were made in Kütahya.

The interior is lit with 260 windows, which were once filled with 17th-century stained glass. Sadly, this has been lost and replaced with inferior replicas.

For more info about this articel, please click www.sacred-destinations.com