Architecture Gallery
From Reason to Faith
Even the greatest thinkers of early Greece didn't give us a great religion. By the time Rome was conquering the world there was a void in the lives of the poor and uneducated people--they needed more comfort and reassurance than the philosophers could give. This search for an omnipotent God, that could be merciful and compassionate, came from the early Hebrews. From the land of the Hebrews, three of the world's most significant religions were born--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three religions gave birth to some of the world's most beautiful architecture. Because each is heavily influenced by scripture, they are often collectively known as "People of the Book".
| The Western Wall
Jerusalem. In the history of Judaism, two Temples occupied this area--the Temple of Solomon (destroyed around 586 BCE by the Babylonians), and the Second Temple, rebuilt after the Babylonian Exile in 517 BCE and destroyed by the Romans in CE 70. This is the only surviving wall of the Temple accessible. People come from all over the world to pray. Some leave slips of paper within the crevices between the stones. In accordance to tradition, the Western Wall is divided into two areas so that men and women may pray separately. This photo shows the wall from the perspective of a visitor. Occupying the same area as the Dome of the Rock, the Temple Mount is held holy by both Jews and Muslims, causing friction between the two groups. Many have tried to envision what the Temples looked like. One such reconstruction is a model of the Second Temple on the grounds of the Holyland Hotel in Jerusalem. |
| Hagia Sophia
Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey). CE 532-537. Built during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (CE 527-565), the building represents the height of the Byzantine architectural style. The vast interior was once covered by mosaics, but was plastered over when the church was converted into a mosque after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453. After the building became a museum in the 20th century, some of the mosaics were uncovered. Websites: Mediterranean Civilizations, Great Buildings: Hagia Sophia, and The Byzantine Monuments |
| Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem. Built by Abd al-Malik in CE 672 to 691. Located on Temple Mount on the eastern side of Old Jerusalem, the Dome stands atop the site where, according to Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. The Dome of the Rock is the first major Islamic temple built, and it is now considered a symbol of the oneness of the Abrahamic faiths--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Website: Great Buildings: Dome of the Rock |
| St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican City. Construction began in CE 1506 and took about 150 years to complete--ten architects worked on the project. St. Peter's is the largest and most imposing church in Christendom and heart of the Roman Catholic Church. In the magnificent interior is the light-filled dome, one of the largest and most splendid architectural achievements of all time. Numerous statues line its walls, including Michelangelo's Pieta'. Websites: Great Buildings: Saint Peter's Basilica and Saint Peter's Basilica at EWTN |
| Royal Mosque (Masjid-I-Shah)
Isfahan, Iran. Built by Ustad Abu`l Qasim for Shah Abbas I from CE 1612 to 1638. At the end of Imam Square in Isfahan, this mosque is one of the most stunning buildings in Iran. Two turquoise minarets flank the huge gateway. Behind it and slightly to the right is the main dome of the prayer hall. In Shah Abbas' impatience to finish construction, he adopted a new method of glazed tile work-haft rangi (of 7 colors). As a result, some sections are decorated in the old style and some in the new-resulting in different hues at different times of the day. Websites: Iran Access and Imam Square |
| Tlomacka Street Synagogue
Warsaw, Poland. Designed by Leandro Marconi, built from CE 1874 to 1878. This synagogue was the most important and representative of synagogues in the city. It was built along Neo-Classical lines and was designed to seat 1,100. The synagogue, which was located outside the Holocaust-era ghetto, was blown up by the Germans in retaliation for the ghetto uprising in 1943. Website: Eastern European Synagogues |