Famous Mosques

By Alexa Boyce
For those of you who may not know, a Mosque is an Islamic place of worship. English-speakers use the word as a general term, but Muslims actually differentiate between small, privately owned Mosques (Masjid) and larger community Mosques (Masjid jami). While mosques started as small open-air places of prayer, today they are characterized by the domes, minarets and elaborate prayer halls. The Masjid al- Haram in Mecca, the Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina and Al Asqa in Jerusalem are considered the three holiest sites in Islam.
As with all architecture, Mosques in different areas of the Islamic world have evolved differently. The Arab-plan or hypostyle mosques are square or rectangular with a covered prayer hall and a central courtyard to hold the overflow worshippers during busy Friday services. One of the more famous of these mosques is the Mezquita in Moorish-influenced Cordoba, Spain. The ceiling is supported by over 850 colums. (Authors note: I have been to this mosque-turned-cathedral and it is truly impressive, if a little dim. There are few windows in the massive hall).
With the Ottomans came the advent of the central dome mosque, with the large dome being centered over the prayer hall. This style can be reminiscent of Byzantine architecture which also features a large central dome.
Iwan mosques are almost strictly found in Iran. They are likely converted pre-Islamic Zoroastrian fire temples, where vaulted iwans open into a central courtyard used for prayer. The Zoroastrians may have used this space for their sacred fire.
Ancient mosques did not feature minarets as many mosques today do. These towers are often not only the tallest point of the mosque, but the tallest architectural feature around. Modern Conservative Muslims, or Wahhabis, do not build mosques with Minarets as they consider them ostentatious. They were originally constructed in the 7th century in order to compete with the bell towers in Christian cathedrals. It is intended for the same purpose, where a muezzin calls worshippers to prayer. This call to prayer is referred to as adhan.
Ritual purification that precedes prayer, or ablution, means that most mosques have fountains or other facilities in which to perform this procedure. In order to preserve cleanliness, shoes are also not worn inside the mosques.
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque