Dictionary of islamic architecture

qasaba
Central part of a town or citadel.
qasr
Palace or mansion.
Qasr al-Hayr East (Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi)
Settlement in the Syrian desert built by the Umayyads in
730
CE.
Qasr al-Hayr East is located 80 km east of Palmyra
and 80 km south of Dayr al-Zor on the Euphrates.
The Qasr represents a large complex which may be
divided into four main groups: the small enclosure,
the large enclosure, the bath house and the outer
enclosure.
The small enclosure is a square building,
approximately 70 m per side, with two solid semi-
circular buttress towers on each side and four round
towers at the corners. The entrance is on the western
side through a monumental gateway flanked by two
half-round towers. The lintel of the gateway is made
of joggled voussoirs above which there is a relieving
arch outlined by a continous moulding which also
runs along the front of the towers. Either side of the
relieving arch there are shallow recessed niches with
engaged side columns. At the top of the gateway is
a panelled frieze, in the centre of which there is a
projecting machicolation. Inside there is a courtyard
with a central pool around which there is a columned
arcade or portico. On the north, east and south sides
the rooms are arranged in groups of three with a
central room and two rooms either side. At the north-
and south-east corners there are small rooms with
latrines set into the wall. On the west side there are
two long vaulted rooms either side of the gateway
which includes a mihrab in its south wall. The pattern
of the upper floor is similar to the ground floor. The
building probably funtioned as a khan.
The large enclosure has a similar plan to the small
enclosure but is much larger, measuring 167 m per
side. This building also differs in having four axial
entrances leading into a large central courtyard lined
with an arcade. The internal plan comprises twelve
structural units, eight of which (two per side) are
courtyard buildings. Three of the four corner units
seem to have been open areas, whilst the south-east
corner contains a small mosque with a raised central
aisle. One of the courtyard buildings on the east side
appears to have been an industrial building for the
production of olive oil (i.e. presses and vats). The
function of the building is not clear although it may
have been a governor’s residence.
The bath house comprises a triple-aisled hall with
cold plunge pools, a series of three hot rooms and a
warm room with a heated pool. The complex
included a furnace, latrines and two service rooms.
There were two separate sets of latrines and two
entrances which implies there may have been some
sexual segregation.
The outer enclosure from which the complex
derives its name (Hayr) is a vast wall of irregular
shape which stretches for more than 15 km. The wall
is approximately 1 m wide and is buttressed
internally and externally with solid semi-circular
buttresses. Four gates were discovered, each
contained within pairs of circular buttress towers.
The purpose of the enclosure is debated, although it
may have been partially for water conservation, for
agriculture and animals (domestic or wild?).