Architecture of the Islamic West
North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, 700–1800
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Yale University Press
Published:23rd Jun '20
Should be back in stock very soon
An authoritative survey situating some of the Western world’s most renowned buildings within a millennium of Islamic history
Some of the most outstanding examples of world architecture, such as the Mosque of Córdoba, the ceiling of the Cappella Palatina in Palermo, the Giralda tower in Seville, and the Alhambra Palace in Granada, belong to the Western Islamic tradition. This architectural style flourished for over a thousand years along the southern and western shores of the Mediterranean—between Tunisia and Spain—from the 8th century through the 19th, blending new ideas with local building practices from across the region.
Jonathan M. Bloom’s Architecture of the Islamic West introduces readers to the full scope of this vibrant tradition, presenting both famous and little-known buildings in six countries in North Africa and southern Europe. It is richly illustrated with photographs, specially commissioned architectural plans, and historical documents. The result is a personally guided tour of Islamic architecture led by one of the finest scholars in the field and a powerful testament to Muslim cultural achievement.
“For more than a millennium, as this richly illustrated volume affirms, Islamic architectural styles prospered around the western and southern Mediterranean - from the Alhambra to the Cappella Palatina.”—Apollo Magazine
“Offers a tantalising glimpse into the richness of the buildings of the Western Mediterranean, leaving the reader hungry for more- in short this volume serves as the perfect amuse-bouche for the non-specialist, and a welcome contribution for specialists in need of a competent, survey text to introduce Islamicate architecture of North Africa and al-Andalus to new students.”—Sarah Slingluff, Al-Masāq (Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean)
“[A] thorough and well-researched book, which draws attention to the fascinating histories of a variety of different Muslim peoples, as well as to the architectural history of regions across the Islamic West…Engaging and informative...Bloom persuasively suggests that the transmission of architectural knowledge, ideas, and motifs was a great deal more complex than scholars previously thought.”—Lydia Ann Jesudason, Aspectus [Journal of Visual Culture, University of York]
“A confident and accurate book that could only be accomplished by a mature scholar...Far more than this, it is a book of someone whose enthusiasm for his subject is as strong as his ability to use a broad knowledge of Islamic and European art to focus it.”—Nancy Steinhardt, Orientations
“A formidable collection of architectural knowledge...It is made more accessible by being woven into a rich narrative thread that takes the reader from the medieval to the modern world...An unparalleled collection through which the Islamic architectural history of the region can be better understood and relished.”—Shahed Saleem, Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society
CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles 2021
ISBN: 9780300218701
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
320 pages