127
Followers
155
Following
Bettie's Books
A Stuga On the Cusp of the Orust Riviera, tucked away next to a hobbit hole in the woods.
The Art and Architecture of Islamic Cairo
bookshelves: published-2006, under-10-ratings, winter-20132014, nonfiction, giftee, art-forms, e-book, afr-egypt, tbr-busting-2014, history, architecture, skim-through
Read on January 04, 2014
Opening: CHAPTER ONE
Umayyad and Tulunid
Architecture: Fustat and
al-Qata’i
When the Arabs entered Alexandria they were overwhelmed by its architectural splendour. Amr sent a letter full of hyperbole to Omar stating that he had ‘captured a city from the description of which I shall refrain. Suffice it to say that I have seized therein a city of 4,000 villas with 4,000 baths, 40,000 poll tax paying Jews and 400 places of entertainment for royalty.’ The figures are grossly overstated but the letter expresses something of the opulence and brilliance of the city reported in other Arab sources. It was the jewel in the crown of conquest, and Amr, finding a number of deserted villas and palaces, was tempted to make it his seat of government.
Umayyad and Tulunid Architecture
Nilometer
From the start of Chapter Two, Fatimid Architecture: With the rise of the Fatimid empire in North Africa (909), the government of Baghdad began to realize that Egypt’s weakness was not in its interests. It needed a strong bulwark against the Fatimid threat, and accepted that in order to achieve this Egypt needed a degree of autonomy under a strong ruler. In 935 the country was rescued from a state of anarchy with the appointment of Muhammad ibn Tughj as governor.
Mosque of al-Azhar
A lush, in-depth book that I have skimmed for the moment, with a proviso to re-visit these pages before our next trip.
Umayyad and Tulunid
Architecture: Fustat and
al-Qata’i
When the Arabs entered Alexandria they were overwhelmed by its architectural splendour. Amr sent a letter full of hyperbole to Omar stating that he had ‘captured a city from the description of which I shall refrain. Suffice it to say that I have seized therein a city of 4,000 villas with 4,000 baths, 40,000 poll tax paying Jews and 400 places of entertainment for royalty.’ The figures are grossly overstated but the letter expresses something of the opulence and brilliance of the city reported in other Arab sources. It was the jewel in the crown of conquest, and Amr, finding a number of deserted villas and palaces, was tempted to make it his seat of government.
Umayyad and Tulunid Architecture NilometerFrom the start of Chapter Two, Fatimid Architecture: With the rise of the Fatimid empire in North Africa (909), the government of Baghdad began to realize that Egypt’s weakness was not in its interests. It needed a strong bulwark against the Fatimid threat, and accepted that in order to achieve this Egypt needed a degree of autonomy under a strong ruler. In 935 the country was rescued from a state of anarchy with the appointment of Muhammad ibn Tughj as governor.
Mosque of al-AzharA lush, in-depth book that I have skimmed for the moment, with a proviso to re-visit these pages before our next trip.
4