A richly informative and visually packed sourcebook demonstrating and explaining the function and worldwide appeal of Islamic architecture
See InsideIslamic architecture dates back 1,400 years and continues to reinvent itself up to the present day. The enormous richness of building types, regional styles, and architectural details is revealed here by a well-travelled expert guide, exploring the familiar and unfamiliar, striking a balance between famous masterpieces and unknown gems.
All eras and global regions are represented, with a selective eye for some of the creative exuberance, boldness and sensitivity of Islamic architecture that has not always been widely appreciated outside of the region. Close-ups of architectural details not only describe style and function but also show the hand of the craftsman, making this reference work both useful and beautiful.
Here is a wealth of information about the historical and cultural context of buildings around the world, a chance to encounter the widest Islamic community, and the deeper pleasure of immersing ourselves in the beauty of Islamic architecture.
'The author’s broad-brush approach makes for informative and fascinating reading and imagery'
Times LUXX
'Broug’s approach to the subject is novel, and ambitious in its chronological sweep and geographical reach. It truly is a world history. Broug’s interest seems not to be in geometry per se, but in the interaction between the controlled lines of architecture and the messy realities of daily life'
World of Interiors
'A sugar rush of exquisite images accompanied by delicious anecdotes'
The National
'Full of jaw-dropping pictures from over 60 countries … highlights little-known Islamic monuments outside the Arab world'
Arab News
'Beautiful … you could get lost in the book going from picture to picture and picking up interesting bits of information'
The Muslim News
'Broug's richly illustrated history spans 1,400 years and the entire globe … Full of treasures and surprises'
NPR
'The inclusion of all forms of Islamic, Islamicate, Islam-inspired architecture from the dawn of the religion’s establishment, from tombs, mosques, bath-houses to churches and chapels, makes for a truly maximalist experience of Islamic built form. For an audience with a discerning taste for all things aesthetic, this will definitely be a pleaser'
Muslim World Book Review
Format: Hardback
Size: 30.8 x 24.0 cm
Extent: 336 pp
Illustrations: 327
Publication date: 24 August 2023
ISBN: 9780500343784