Isfahan and Dome of the Rock

How does the article describe the way in which the Great Mosque of Isfahan moves beyond its principal function as a place of prayer?

A vaulted space that opens up to a courtyard is referred to in Islamic architecture as

• Pishtaq

• Hajj

• Iwan

• Kiswa

Answer explanation

Since the interior of the building is supported by several rows of pillars, the building is considered a type of (a)   .

Answer explanation

Here is an image that better shows the hypostyle interior of the Great Mosque.

Circle the oculus.

Because of how large it is, the problem that arose with The Great Mosque of Isfahan was the difficulty to locate the direction in which to pray. Describe how the architects solved this issue.

The​​ (a)   is the wall in a mosque that faces Mecca. The​​ (b)   is the niche in the wall that also helps indicate the direction.

• qibla
• mihrab

Answer explanation

List the five pillars of Islam.

The mihrab is decorated with verses from the (a)   .

Answer explanation

The verses are written in arabic.

The Dome of the Rock is located in (a)   .

What was the original function of the Dome of the Rock when it was initially built?

Answer explanation

It served as a religious focal point for the supporters of Umayyad caliph Abd- al-Malik whose army, at that point, had focused less on creating buildings and more on conquering land.