Dictionary of islamic architecture

See also:
Marakesh, Morocco, Rabat, Seville
Further reading:
H.Basset and H.Terrasse, 
Sanctuaires et fortresses
almohades,
Paris 1938.
The Partal Palace Alhambra, © J.W.Allan, Ashmolean Museum
Almohads

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18
Amman (Roman Philadelphia)
Capital of Jordan containing palace of Umayyad
princes.
The Ummayad palatial complex which probably
dates from the early eighth century occupies the
ancient citadel area in the centre of modern Amman.
The most famous part of the complex is the
cruciform reception hall which stood at the entrance
to the palace. This building consists of four arched
iwans set around a central square space which was
probably an open courtyard rather than a roofed
space. The interior of the courtyard and iwans are
decorated with blind niches which are reminiscent
of Sassanian buildings in Iraq and further east. Each
iwan comprises a tall slightly pointed arch facing
the courtyard with a semi-dome behind. In general
the form of the building seems to represent an
eastern tradition whilst the materials and method
of construction suggest a more local (Roman)
ancestry.
The rest of the palatial complex forms a rough
parallelogram bisected by a central street or proces-
sional way. On either side of the central street there
are separate buildings or apartments each built
around its own courtyard. At the end of the main
street a gateway leads into a large courtyard
dominated by a large iwan. A door at the back of
the iwan gives access to a cruciform domed
chamber which may have served as the throne
room. The other important Umayyad building in
Amman was the Friday mosque which was
demolished and completely rebuilt in 1923. This
was a large rectangular building measuring 60 m
by 40 m with three entrances on the north side
opposite the mihrab. At some later period, probably
during the thirteenth century, a square minaret was
built at the north-east corner.