Architecture of the Islamic World: Its History and Social Meaning (Paperback)

by Ernst J. Grube (Author), James Dickie (Author), Oleg Grabar (Author), Eleanor Sims (Author), Ronald Lewcock (Author), Dalu Jones (Author), Gut T. Petherbridge (Author), George Michell (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From mosques to markets, from citadels to cemetries, this text is a survey of the entire field of Islamic architecture. Although Islamic buildings may make an immediate visual impact, it can be useful to know something of the society which they serve. This text relates the architecture to the social areas of religion, power structure, commerce and communal life, placing emphasis on function and meaning rather than on style and chronology. The text contains photographs, drawings and plans that highlight the variety of building type and design. Building materials, techniques, and principles of decoration are also described and explained, and a comprehensive inventory of the key buildings of the Islamic world concludes this study.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500278474
• ISBN-13: 978-0500278475
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #259,047 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > History & Periods > Islamic Architecture
  #6 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > International > Middle Eastern
  #28 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Architecture > International > Asian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very comprehensive introduction to muslim architecture, November 20, 1997

By	[e-mail] "konstanzewagenhofer" (Vienna, Austria) - See all my reviews

I love this book. It gives you a very good insight to muslim architecture and is at the same time easy to read and entertaining. As an orientalist in a postgrad study program I got to read books on the subject that are much more confusing or that are written in a slightly boring style. This book is a thorough introduction that never just stays on the surface of the matter. It does not give you a chronological account of architecture history, but answers a lot of questions like "Why it was built like it was built?" In the back part of the book you find plans and short descriptions of the most important buildings, in the first part you find a lot of good photographs and even better articles on single subjects like materials or building techniques. But the most important thing: It's NEVER boring.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for people who start, May 7, 2004

By	Vladyslav Serdyuk "Vlad" (Kiev, Ukraine) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A Person who just starts to learn something about Islamic culture should read it. For people who knows a lot the catalogue at the second part of the book would be helpful but it is also not complete.