STEALING FROM THE SARACENS How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe
Against a backdrop of Islamophobia, Europeans are increasingly airbrushing from history their cultural debt to the Muslim world. But this legacy lives on in some of Europe's most recognisable buildings, from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Houses of Parliament. This beautifully illustrated book re...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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London
Hurst & Company
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Click Here to View Status and Holdings. |
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Add Tag | Summary: | Against a backdrop of Islamophobia, Europeans are increasingly airbrushing from history their cultural debt to the Muslim world. But this legacy lives on in some of Europe's most recognisable buildings, from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Houses of Parliament. This beautifully illustrated book reveals the Arab and Islamic roots of Europe's architectural heritage. Diana Darke traces ideas and styles from vibrant Middle Eastern centres like Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo, via Muslim Spain, Venice and Sicily into Europe. She describes how medieval crusaders, pilgrims and merchants encountered Arab Muslim culture on their way to the Holy Land; and explores more recent artistic interaction between Ottoman and Western cultures, including Sir Christopher Wren's inspirations in the 'Saracen' style of Gothic architecture. Recovering this long yet overlooked history of architectural 'borrowing', Stealing from the Saracens is a rich tale of cultural exchange, shedding new light on Europe's greatest landmarks. |
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| Physical Description: | viii, 474 pages illustrations 22 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index |
| ISBN: | 9781787383050 1787383059 |
Architecture for islamic societies today