13 Items
Umayyad Mosque Aleppo 1992
These pictures were taken in December 1992 and show the Umayyad Mosque of Aleppo. The famous minaret of the mosque has since been destroyed in fighting during the Syrian civil war.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Aleppo, Minaret, Mosque, Syria, Syrian Civil War, Umayyad, Umayyad Mosque
Umayyad Mosque Damascus
The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus is the earliest Islamic monument still extant after the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. As with the Dome of the Rock, the Mosque boasts a large volume of mosaic decoration of the highest quality that is believed to have been carried out by Byzantine artisans given the similarities of the technique and motifs with high-quality Byzantine commissions of the same era. The most notable difference is that there is a complete absence of figural imagery in the Islamic monuments. In the case of the Umayyad Mosque the decoration is particularly intriguing as it depicts a range of landscapes both urban and pastoral, all entirely without living creatures. This has led many commentators to argue that it represents a vision of paradise, with others arguing instead for an idealised representation of Damascus. Whether or not these interpretations are correct, the mosaicists appear familiar with Roman architecture, with porticoed late Roman villas appearing prominently in the decoration, meaning that the mosaics demonstrate a continuity with earlier artistic forms rather than a definitive break with the past. In many ways the decorative scheme is far more conservative than that of the Dome of the Rock, which predates is by over twenty years.
Type: Mosaic
Tags: 1962, Architecture, Byzantine, C7th-C8th, Damascus, Dome of the Rock, Islam, Jerusalem, Mosaic, Mosque, Syria, Umayyad, Umayyad Mosque
Bosra Mosque of Omar
This mosque dates to the early C8th and was founded by the Caliph Omar when he conquered Syria.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Bosra, C8th, Caliph, Mosque, Omar, Syria
Inside the old city of Jerusalem
This collection of photographs captures everyday life from inside the old city of Jerusalem. It includes general street views, pilgrims and tourists, modern-day Christian souvenirs and architectural details.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Christian Quarter, Church, Graffiti, Inscription, Jerusalem, Mosque, Rooftops, Souvenir, Street
Haram al-Sharif Complex
Type: Architecture
Tags: Al-Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Chain, Dome of the Rock, Haram al-Sharif complex, Holy Site, Jerusalem, Mosque
Cathedral of Kars/Apostles Church/Kumbet Mosque
Images of exterior of Cathedral of Kars/Apostles Church/Kumbet Mosque, it is currently closed to the public as it is undergoing restoration.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Apostles, Armenian, C10th, Cathedral, Church, Mosque, Turkey
Ebu'l Manucher Mosque
The date of construction of this mosque are debated but the minaret predates the current mosque. Formerly used as the Museum of Ani by excavator Nikolai Marr.
General views of Ani and immediate surroundings
These are just general views of what remains of the city of Ani. These vistas of the city were taken from multiple vantage points around the city.
Type: Archaeological Site
Tags: Archaeology, Architecture, Armenian, Cathedral, Church, Fortifications, Georgian, Medieval, Mosque, Turkey
Hagia Sophia/Aya Sofya, Istanbul
Without doubt the greatest and most enduring legacy of the reign of the Emperor Justinian, the Basilica of Hagia Sophia (Divine Wisdom) is an engineering marvel and is testament to the ingenuity of the engineers who designed it.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Basilica, C6th, Justinian, Mosque, Procopius, Turkey
Resafa 1997 visit
These images were taken at Resafa in February 1997. It was pouring with rain and this affected the quality of the images, as did the fact that both the black and white images and the slides were developed badly in Syria. The visit was made in the company of Fr. Na'aman, a Rum Orthodox Archimandrite who ministered to all Christians in Raqqa and who appears in some of the images.
Most of the images show the basilica that dominates the city as the most substantial building still extant and that became the centre of the cult of Mar Sarkis (St. Sergius) after the partition of the city under Islamic rule. An early mosque abuts the north side of the basilica, but was not built to the same high standard and now little remains.
The rest of the pictures show the city walls and the Sura Gate (North gate) to the city.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Church, Early Islamic, Gate, Late Antique, Martyrium, Mosque, Raqqa, Resafa, St. Sergius, Sura, Syria, Wall