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White marble arches and gilded palm columns at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi

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Islamic Art and Architecture

Islamic architecture has given the Middle East some of the world's most beautiful buildings, from the Dome of the Rock to the blue domes of Isfahan and the white marble of Abu Dhabi. This guide to Islamic art explains the key features and styles, and where travelers can see the finest examples.

At a glance

Islamic Art and Architecture at a glance

Oldest major monument
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 691
Largest mosque in the UAE
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi
Signature features
Domes, minarets, courtyards, arches, geometric patterns
Best museum
Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

A shared visual language

From Morocco to Iran, Islamic art and architecture share a set of ideas: geometry that suggests the infinite, calligraphy as decoration, the arabesque of interlacing vines, and light and water used to create calm. Buildings face inward around courtyards and gardens, offering shade and quiet from the street.

Each dynasty added its own accent. The Umayyads blended Byzantine and Persian traditions; the Abbasids built on a vast scale; the Fatimids and Mamluks filled Cairo with domes and minarets; the Ottomans perfected the central dome; the Safavids clad Isfahan in blue tile; and Morocco developed its own world of carved cedar, stucco and zellige mosaic.

The honeycomb muqarnas vault of the entrance iwan of the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, sheathed in blue tilework.
Photo: Radosław Botev · CC BY 3.0 PL · Wikimedia Commons

Key features to look for

The dome

A symbol of the heavens, domes range from the gilded Dome of the Rock to the vast Ottoman domes of Istanbul.

The minaret

The tower from which the call to prayer is made, square in North Africa, slender and pencil-like in Ottoman lands, spiraling in Samarra.

The mihrab and courtyard

The mihrab niche shows the direction of Makkah; the courtyard, often with a fountain for ablutions, is the heart of the mosque.

Muqarnas

Honeycomb vaulting that seems to dissolve ceilings into light, seen at its finest in Isfahan and in Moroccan palaces.

Geometric tilework

Star patterns in zellige, Iznik and Persian tiles that repeat endlessly, a meditation in color.

Mashrabiya

Carved wooden lattice screens that cool and shade, reinterpreted in modern towers and in the Louvre Abu Dhabi's dome.

Masterpieces to visit

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Abu Dhabi

White marble, 82 domes and one of the world's largest hand-knotted carpets; open to visitors outside prayer times. Combine with a stay among Abu Dhabi's luxury hotels.

Hassan II Mosque

Casablanca

Set over the Atlantic, with one of the tallest minarets in the world; guided tours are open to non-Muslims. See Casablanca.

Süleymaniye and the Blue Mosque

Istanbul

The Ottoman architect Sinan's masterpiece and the six-minaret Sultan Ahmed Mosque face each other across the old city.

Naqsh-e Jahan Square

Isfahan, Iran

A UNESCO-listed square framed by the Shah and Sheikh Lotfollah mosques, among the summits of Persian design. See our Isfahan heritage page.

Al-Azhar and Islamic Cairo

Cairo

A thousand years of domes and minarets in a UNESCO-listed historic city.

Al-Qarawiyyin and the Fes medina

Fes, Morocco

Carved cedar, stucco and tile in the world's oldest continuously operating university. See Fes.

Islamic art in museums

For portable treasures, from carpets and ceramics to manuscripts and metalwork, start with I. M. Pei's Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, then the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Kuwait's Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah. Our museums guide and great mosques and Islamic sites page help plan a route, and our Arabic calligraphy page explains the inscriptions you will see. Visiting a mosque? Read our etiquette guide first.

Modern architecture inspired

Modern architecture inspired by tradition

Many of the region's newest landmarks borrow from these ideas. Jean Nouvel's dome at the Louvre Abu Dhabi filters light like a palm canopy; Doha's Museum of Islamic Art draws on the ablution fountain of Cairo's Ibn Tulun Mosque; and the towers of Riyadh and Dubai often use mashrabiya-style screens to shade glass from the sun. Seeing old and new side by side is one of the pleasures of a trip; our amazing things being built page shows what comes next.

Questions travelers ask

Can non-Muslims visit mosques?

Many famous mosques welcome visitors outside prayer times, including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Hassan II Mosque and the Blue Mosque. Dress modestly and women cover their hair.

What is the difference between Islamic and Arab architecture?

Islamic architecture spans many cultures, including Persian, Turkish, Moroccan and Indian, while Arab architecture refers to the Arab lands in particular.

When is the best light for photographs?

Late afternoon and sunset, when marble and tile glow; the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is lit beautifully after dark.

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