Thursday, September 26, 2013

Ayyubid Architecture


 Ayyubid Architecture

Military architecture was the supreme expression of the Ayyubid period, as well as an eagerness to fortify the restoration of Sunni Islam, especially in a previously Shia-dominated Egypt by constructing Sunni madrasas. The most radical change Saladin implemented in Egypt was the enclosure of Cairo and al-Fustat within one city wall. Some of the techniques of fortification were learned from the Crusaders, such as curtain walls following the natural topography. Many were also inherited from the Fatimids like machicolations and round towers, while other techniques were developed simultaneously by the Ayyubids, particularly concentric planning.

Muslim women, particularly those from the Ayyubid family, the families of local governors, and the families of the ulema ("religious scholars") took an active role in Ayyubid architecture. Damascus witnessed the most sustained patronage of religious architecture by women. They were responsible for the construction of 15 madrasas, six Sufi hospices, and 26 religious and charitable institutions. In Aleppo, the Firdaws Madrasa, known as the most impressive Ayyubid building in Syria, had regent queen Dayfa Khatun as its patron.

In September 1183, construction of the Cairo Citadel began under Saladin's orders. According to al-Maqrizi, Saladin chose the Muqattam Hills to build the citadel because the air there was fresher than anywhere else in the city, but its construction was not so much determined by the salubrious atmosphere; rather it was out of defensive necessity and example of existing fortresses and citadels in Syria. The walls and towers of the northern section of the citadel are largely the works of Saladin and al-Kamil.[106] Two of Saladin's towers were totally encased by semi-circular units. Al-Kamil completed the citadel; he strengthened and enlarged some of the existing towers, and also added a number of square towers which served as self-contained keeps. According to Richard Yeomans, the most impressive of al-Kamil's structures was the series of massive rectangular keeps which straddled the walls of the northern enclosure.  All of al-Kamil's fortifications can be identified by their embossed, rusticated masonry, whereas Saladin's towers have smooth dressed stones. This heavier rustic style became a common feature in other Ayyubid fortifications, and can be seen in the Citadel of Damascus and that of Bosra in Syria.

Aleppo underwent major transformations in the Ayyubid period, specifically during the reign of az-Zahir Ghazi. Ayyubid architectural achievements focused on four areas: the citadel, the waterworks, fortifications, and the extramural developments. The total rebuilding of the city enclosure began when az-Zahir Ghazi removed the vallum of Nur ad-Din—which by then outlived its temporary need—and rebuilt the northern and northwestern walls—the most susceptible to outside attack—from Bab al-Jinan 

to Bab al-Nasr. He parceled out the building of the towers on this stretch of the wall to his princes and military officers; each tower was identified with a particular prince who inscribed his name into it. Later, az-Zahir Ghazi extended the eastern wall to the south and east, reflecting his desire to incorporate a dilapidated fortress, Qala'at al-Sharif, outside the city into Aleppo's enclosure. Bab Qinnasrin was completely rebuilt by an-Nasir Yusuf in 1256. This gate stands today as a masterpiece of medieval Syrian military architecture. Cumulatively, Ayyubid architecture left a lasting impression in Aleppo. The citadel was rebuilt, the water network was expanded, and streets and quarters were provided fountains and baths. In addition, dozens of shrines, mosques, madrasas, and mausoleums were built throughout the city.

The Ayyubid period in Jerusalem following its conquest by Saladin was marked by a huge investment in the construction of houses, markets, public bathes, and pilgrim hostels. Numerous works were undertaken at the Temple Mount. Saladin ordered all the inner walls and pillars of the Dome of the Rock to be covered in marble and he initiated the renovation of the mosaics on the dome's drum. The mihrab of the al-Aqsa Mosque was repaired and in 1217, al-Mu'azzam Isa built the northern porch of the mosque with three gates. The Dome of the Ascension was also built and restoration work was done to the existing free-standing domes of the Temple Mount.


 The Map Of Cairo Citadel






Cairo Citadel



The Barrier of the Cairo Citadel, build by Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb King of Jerusalem and founder Ayyubid Dynasty.



Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb (Born September 19, 1173, Died March 4, 1193)





The machicolations and round towers were part of the adaptation by Ayyubid dynasty where it came from the Fatimid era. 3D laser scan data image of the Bab al-Barqiyya Gate in the 12th century Ayyubid Wall that borders Al-Azhar Park. This fortified gate was constructed with interlocking volumes that surrounded the entrant in such a way as to provide greater security and control than typical city wall gates; image from the Aga Khan Foundation/CyArk research partnership


 The machicolations and round tower of the citadel







The iwan feature in the Cairo Citadel quarters



    Other features were the ‘Iwan” where in Ayyubid era some of it was used as an opening for war time where heavy object were thrown away through the ground upon the enemy. Iwan is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called pishtaq, a Persian term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tile work, and geometric designs commonly associated with Islamic architecture.








With “Motifs” detail inside of the Cairo Citadel made by marble and mosaic to show the wonder and beauty of islam and the all mighty Allah. It shows the sincerity and honesty of the design and built with "Tawhid"  understanding in mind just to glorify the almighty God.





























The Firdaws Madrasa

Al-Firdaws Madrasa (Arabic: مدرسة الفردوس‎) is a madrasah complex located southwest of Bab al-Maqam in Aleppo, Syria. It is the largest and best known of the Ayyubid madrasas in Aleppo. Due to its location outside the city walls, the madrasa was developed as a freestanding structure.



History :

Firdaws was built in 1235-36, during the Ayyubid era of rule in Syria. Its patron was Dayfa Khatun, the wife of the Ayyubid governor of Aleppo, al-Zahir Ghazi. She was the queen of the region between 1236-1243 and one of the most prominent architectural patrons in Syrian history; she established large endowments for the maintenance and operation of her charitable foundations. Although built by the Ayyubids, Roman and Byzantine heritage of Aleppo is reflected in the madrasa as it is the only one with an arcaded courtyard.

Architecture:

 Facade and courtyard
The courtyard of al-Firdaws, seem from the main iwan

The Ayyubid building has a stark facade that appears as a solid mass of stone, with eleven domes.Although the madrasa has four entrances, three of the secondary ones are now blocked up, leaving the main eastern entrance as the only current entry point inside. The main entrance is typical of Ayyubid architecture, with its elongated and narrow proportions and three-tiered muqarnas vault.
Through a vaulted corridor, the portal leads to the rectangular courtyard of al-Firdaws. Three large chambers and residential cells are arranged around the rectangular courtyard, which is enveloped by an arcade (riwaq) on the eastern, western and southern sides, with a large iwan on the northern side. The columns have muqarnas capitals. The Roman and Byzantine heritage of Aleppo is reflected in this Ayyubid madrasa as it is the only one with an arcaded courtyard.

Iwan

The madrasa has a large iwan, or classroom, is across the courtyard from the prayer hall. Its walls are carved with three niches used for book storage. This iwan is backed by a larger iwan that faces north. Though this iwan currently faces a wall due to the dense urban growth around al-Firdaws, it is believed to have been originally open to a walled garden and a large pool.
Firdaws's double-sided iwan is similar to those in madrasas in Baghdad, palatial structures in Mardin, and early Islamic palaces in Samarra, tracing its origins to the palatial typology. Residential cells are located in the northeastern and northwestern parts of the building.

Mosque

The southern chamber of the madrasa is used as a mosque. The structure has two domes on the corner bays. All the domes were built alike, except for the mihrab dome, which has an elaborate muqarnas base and twelve small openings. The mihrab is made of veined white marble, red porphyry and green diorite. Its niche is composed of granite columns with muqarnas capitals.



Plan and section of the Madrasa

The centralized courtyard

The "Iwan"

The Muqarnas




Another aspect of Ayyubid architecture was the Muqarnas. Muqarnas is a type of corbel employed as a decorative device in traditional Islamic and Persian architecture. The related mocárabe refers only to projecting elements that resemble stalactites, alveole. An architectural ornamentation reminiscent of stalactites, muqarnas developed around the middle of the 10th century in northeastern Iran and almost simultaneously but seemingly independently in central North Africa; they take the form of small pointed niches, stacked in tiers which project beyond lower tiers, commonly constructed of brick, stone, stucco, or wood, clad with painted tiles, wood, or plaster, and are typically applied to domes, pendentives, cornices, squinches and the undersides of arches and vaults.



Reference : Wikipedia