Aqsab Mosque
Encyclopedia
The Aqsab Mosque is an Ayyubid-era mosque
in Damascus
, Syria
, located in the vicinity of Bab al-Salam
, on Suq Sarouja
.
in 1234. It is believed to have been built over a Byzantine church. Under Mamluk
rule, the mosque was enlarged to accommodate larger crowds in 1321, and in 1408 it was largely rebuilt on a larger scale by Nassir al-Din Muhammad bin Ibrahim Ben Manjak. Renovations took place in 1450 and 1495.
on the qibla
wall is a pointed arched niche, covered with a semi dome set in an intricately decorated rectangular frame. Its semi dome and crown arch are built of alternating white and yellow stones, while the lower part of the niche is built with yellow stone only. Its arch rests on two marble columns on each side carrying muqarnas capitals. The lower part of the niche is decorated with three blind niches composed of porphyry and gray marble inlaid with turquoise ceramics and mother of pearl. A Quranic inscription painted in gold runs along the bottom of the mihrab semi-dome
. A large inscriptive medallion framed in stone sits above the keystone of the mihrab arch, whose spandrel
s bear marble discs covered with gilt floral motifs on stone, surrounded by tile mosaics. Two similar golden discs adorn either side of the mihrab, framed by geometric compositions. Above the mihrab are three windows with painted wooden frames and colored glass.
rectangular shaft terminating at a hexagonal turret. The shaft is built of courses of yellow stone interrupted by bands of basalt and limestone. Just below the balcony, the shaft is punctured at its four sides by double arched windows, each topped by a pointed arch built of alternating basalt and limestone voussoirs. Above, a roofed balcony built of metal and wood wraps around the shaft. The roof and its turret are later additions built with sheets of plywood and metal.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, located in the vicinity of Bab al-Salam
Bab al-Salam
Bab al-Salam is one of the eight ancient city-gates of Damascus, Syria.-External links:*...
, on Suq Sarouja
Sarouja
Sarouja is a subdivision of Damascus, Syria....
.
History
The mosque was built by Ayyubid king Al-AshrafAl-Ashraf
Al-Ashraf Musa Abu'l-Fath al-Muzaffar ad-Din, called Al-Ashraf was a ruler of the Ayyubid dynasty. The son of Sultan Al-Adil I, Al-Ashraf was installed by his father in Harran in 1201 as Governor of the Jezireh...
in 1234. It is believed to have been built over a Byzantine church. Under Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
rule, the mosque was enlarged to accommodate larger crowds in 1321, and in 1408 it was largely rebuilt on a larger scale by Nassir al-Din Muhammad bin Ibrahim Ben Manjak. Renovations took place in 1450 and 1495.
Architecture
The mosque is composed of a prayer hall giving onto a courtyard and a square minaret attached to its east wall.Interior
The mihrabMihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
on the qibla
Qibla
The Qiblah , also transliterated as Qibla, Kiblah or Kibla, is the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays during salah...
wall is a pointed arched niche, covered with a semi dome set in an intricately decorated rectangular frame. Its semi dome and crown arch are built of alternating white and yellow stones, while the lower part of the niche is built with yellow stone only. Its arch rests on two marble columns on each side carrying muqarnas capitals. The lower part of the niche is decorated with three blind niches composed of porphyry and gray marble inlaid with turquoise ceramics and mother of pearl. A Quranic inscription painted in gold runs along the bottom of the mihrab semi-dome
Semi-dome
A semi-dome, also called a "half-dome", is the term in architecture for half a dome , used to cover a semi-circular area. Similar structures occur in nature.-Architecture:...
. A large inscriptive medallion framed in stone sits above the keystone of the mihrab arch, whose spandrel
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
s bear marble discs covered with gilt floral motifs on stone, surrounded by tile mosaics. Two similar golden discs adorn either side of the mihrab, framed by geometric compositions. Above the mihrab are three windows with painted wooden frames and colored glass.
Courtyard
The courtyard is paved with contemporary terrazzo tiles and framed with three-bay arcades on the north, east and western sides. Built of alternating limestone and basalt voussoirs, the arches rest on pink stone columns and pilasters with carved capitals. The east arcade houses a tomb dedicated to Aqsab al-Sadat, or the seven companions of the Prophet Mohammed, as indicated by an inscription above the mausoleum door. Entered from the courtyard, the prayer hall is composed of a row of four columns aligned in the east-west direction, supporting five arches below the flat roof. The walls are covered with white glossy paint.Minaret
Rising next to the east mosque wall is the minaretMinaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
rectangular shaft terminating at a hexagonal turret. The shaft is built of courses of yellow stone interrupted by bands of basalt and limestone. Just below the balcony, the shaft is punctured at its four sides by double arched windows, each topped by a pointed arch built of alternating basalt and limestone voussoirs. Above, a roofed balcony built of metal and wood wraps around the shaft. The roof and its turret are later additions built with sheets of plywood and metal.