Dictionary of islamic architecture

particularly subject to outside influences, thus
settlements of al-
Ula, Tabuk and al-Wajh developed
as a result of the pilgrim routes. The medieval khan
of Qasr Zurayb near al-Wajh is a clear example of
this external influence.
Tihama and 
Asir
The Tihama is located in the south-west corner of
Saudi Arabia and comprises two distinct regions,
the hot humid coastal plain and the high
mountains of 
Asir. The architecture of the coastal
plain is of two types, town houses and rural
houses. The town houses are built of coral and are
Saudi Arabia

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usually rectangular single-storey buildings with
a courtyard. Rural houses are made of wood and
thatch and are related to the architecture of nearby
East Africa. The architecture of the mountains is
built of stone and is related to the mountain
architecture of Yemen.
Najd
The Najd is a plateau in the centre of Arabia south
of the Nafud desert. The principal areas of
occupation are clustered around the Jabal Tuwayq
and include Riyadh, the present capital of the country
as well as Ha
il, the nineteenth-century capital. North
of the Nafud desert is the oasis town of Dumat al-
Jandal which has a mosque attributed to the second
caliph, 
Umar ibn al-Khattab (634–44).
Al-Hassa
The great oasis of al-Hassa stands about 60 km from
the coast of the Arabian Gulf. The architecture of the
area is predominantly stone and mud, although its
position near the coast means that it is open to
outside influences, the most obvious of which is the
white plaster decoration used to create stucco panels
and decorative arches. During the sixteenth century
the oasis was occupied by the Ottoman Turks in an
attempt to curb Saffavid or Portuguese ambitions in
the area, and Ottoman influence may still be seen in
Hufuf, the principal town of the oasis. The mosque
of Ibrahim has a large central dome resting on four
large squinches and a domed portico similar to
classical Ottoman mosques. Nevertheless, the
mosque is not Ottoman in details such as the
muqarnas hood of the mihrab or the use of polylobed
arches.
The Gulf Coast
The Gulf coast includes the towns of al-Jubayl, al-
Qatif and the modern city of Dhahran. As on the
west coast coral is the traditional building material
although it is used in a different form. One of the
notable features of this architecture is the use of
thin coral panels held between piers. Also the
buildings of this region are distinguished by their
use of decorative arches and ornamental
plasterwork.