Dictionary of islamic architecture

See also:
Baku
avulu

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al-Azhar
One of the main mosques in Cairo and also important as
one of the oldest universities.
The name of the mosque, al-Azhar, means ‘the
flourishing’. The mosque was built in 970 by the
Fatimid caliph al-Muciz as the main mosque of the
new city of al-Qahira. In 989 the mosque was given
the status of theological college to teach the Isma’ili
theology. Because of its age and importance the
mosque has undergone many alterations and
developments although the core of the tenth-century
mosque is preserved. The original mosque consisted
of a central courtyard with three arcades, two either
side of the qibla and the qibla arcade itself. A raised
transept runs from the mihrab to the courtyard and
there were originally three domes in front of the qibla
wall, one above the mihrab and one at either corner.
The plan shares many features with the Fatimid
architecture of North Africa, in particular the
arrangement of the aisles and the projecting entrance
similar to that of Ajdabiya in Libiya.
Later in the Fatimid period the size of the
courtyard was reduced by adding four extra arcades
around the courtyard. Also a dome was added to
the courtyard end of the transept and was hidden
by a pishtaq or raised wall above the arcade. Some
of the original Fatimid stucco decoration is also
preserved, in particular the hood of the prayer niche
and on the interior of the arcades. The style is similar
to stucco found at Samarra but includes scrolls and
palmettes typical of Byzantine decoration.
Further reading:
D.Berhens-Abouseif, 
Islamic Architecture in Cairo: An
Introduction,
Supplements to Muqarnas, Leiden 1989, 3:
58–63
K.A.C.Creswell, 
The Muslim Architecture of Egypt,
Oxford
1952–60, 1: 36 ff.
azulejo
Spanish term for small glazed tiles often used as
dadoes in courtyards and palaces.
azulejo

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