islamic
Architecture of the Middle East typified by multiple minarets, slightly pointed domes, and elaborate geometric or calligraphic decoration.
Pictured: Sultan Hassan Mosque
Islamic architecture is a long-lasting tradition, derived partly from Byzantine architecture and lasting to the present day as an actively used building vocabulary. Major examples include mosques, palaces, arcades, tombs, and schools. Islamic buildings often have concave arches which culminate in a shallow peak.
Mosques in the traditional Islamic style often have bulbous central domes, also rising to a shallow peak, and sharply pointed minarets with small open pavilions under the roof caps. Geometric and calligraphic decoration is common, especially in religious settings where figural imagery is generally avoided. Figural decoration also occurs in Islamic art and architecture, particularly in secular settings.
The architectural tradition includes palaces, tombs, schools, and other building types as well as mosques. A religious use alone does not determine the design vocabulary: domes, arches, and surface treatment describe the architecture.