_The Significance of Domes in Islam Architecture (Presentation)

A dome was commonly associated with royalty, not only in mosques, but in churches as well. As for Islamic architecture, the shapes designed on domes symbolized different things. A circle represented the sky, perfection, and eternity. A square represented the earth. A star symbolized the spread of Islam. The first dome, the Dome of the Rock, was made by the Arab Muslims under the reign of Abd Al-Malik ibn Marwan. It was made with rotunda wood(an idea taken from the Byzantines) but later, Suleiman the Magnificent beautified it with marble pieces. Domes are pieces of architecture found on many important buildings such as mosques, cathedrals, and even governmental buildings. Originally built by the Arabs and Romans, they are now built all over the world. The geometrical aspects of design were very important to Muslim architects. They payed close attention to the designs in order to reach perfection. The precise geometry symbolized how Allah perfected His creation. Molecules, cells, and vessels are all examples of what can be symbolized in the geometry of domes.