Mosques

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1. Blue Mosque - Domes	2. Blue Mosque - Interior	3. Hagia Sophia	4. Hagia Sophia - Gallery vi	5. Serefettin Mosque

6. Taj Mahal at sunset, Agra

Using the World Civilizations Image Repository, select images of one of the mosques or examples of Islamic architecture that you are particularly interested in researching, such as the Taj Majal, the Blue Mosque, the Haggia Sophia, or the Serafettin Mosque. Then, using online resources or books from the library, choose another mosque or example of Islamic architecture from either a different geographical region or a different time period to research. You may want to consider options such as Dome of the Rock, the Great Mosque of Samarra, the Great Mosque of Damascus, the Alhambra, or the Mosque at Cordoba. Keep in mind the extent of Islamic conquest and exploration as you decide on your second structure.

Provide a detailed description of the architecture of each building, its religious and social significance, its role in Islamic culture and its influence on the region in which it is located. Include who ordered the construction of the structure, how long it took to build, and how it might have been modified since its original construction. Be sure to note how the society accepted the spread of Islam and any episodes of religious conflict associated with the buildings you’ve selected. Include images of both structures in your written report.

Once you have described the historical background and significance of both examples, compare and contrast what you have discovered. If you chose structures located in different geographical regions, what similarities or differences in style and architecture did you notice and how might you explain them? If you selected buildings constructed in different eras, what changes did you notice and what remained the same? How advanced was the design and the construction of the mosque, palace, or tomb for its era? Do you notice any elements of style that remain the same throughout time or across geographical boundaries? How might you explain this consistency? Is anyone restricted from worshipping in a mosque and what does this reflect about the religion or culture?

Finally, how would you relate this assignment to current world trends and religious disputes? Do you find examples of history repeating itself through religious conflict, or are recent conflicts something new? How has this assignment changed your understanding of Islamic culture, heritage, and religious practices? Did you find anything that surprised you as you completed your work?

Reading Suggestions:

Documents in World History 1: The Koran and the Family, Global Contacts: Travelers to Holy Places (two excerpts from Muslim pilgrims).

Documents in World History 2: The Resurgence of Islam. This section is a bit more difficult to connect directly to architecture, but can be used to challenge students to think about current attitudes toward Islamic tradition and to analyze Islam in the modern world.

The West in the Wider World 1: Excerpt from the Koran and a secondary source regarding the architectural importance of Dome of the Rock.

World History in Brief: Major Patterns of Change and Continuity 1: Islam and Middle Eastern Culture (159-165) provides an overview of architecture, culture, literature, art, and religion in the Middle East and acts as a concise summation of religious practices for students researching this project. It also explains the five pillars of Islam.

Grading Rubric

Substantially Developed: A student who receives full credit for this assignment will have displayed both an understanding of the historical background, architecture, and cultural significance of both buildings as well as providing a substantial comparison and contrast between the two structures that answers the questions posed above. The student analyzes the architecture and history with a clear understanding of scope and context. Finally, the student displays the ability to apply what he or she has learned about the past to the present and analyzes the factors that have contributed to religious conflicts. The student should also thoughtfully consider what he or she has discovered through this assignment and how this might contrast with other portrayals of the Islamic faith.

Scant/Average: The student answers most of the questions posed in the assignment but fails to make connections between the two mosques or fails to consider present conflicts between world religions. The student does not explore changes in architecture or significant alterations to the buildings throughout history and what this indicates about culture or religion. The historical context, background, or continued significance of each structure is only briefly explored.