Photo credit: Architectural Design @Zaha Hadid
This talk investigates the historical rise of a new kind of religious architecture since the late nineteenth century in the West, namely the purpose-built mosque. It will examine the architecture and meaning of the modern mosque in Europe, including Turkey, to show how it encapsulated cultural and political agendas, in addition to religious ones. It will provide a typology of the European mosque set into a wide range of comparative contexts, including debates originating in the Middle East. Dealing with the connections between religious architecture and politics with a broad geographical focus, the talk will also investigate how nationalism and globalization shaped the views and tastes of architects, patrons, and users involved in negotiating these building ventures. Drawing on a range of designs and constructions, the talk will demonstrate the adaptable and dynamic nature of the modern and contemporary mosque and provide a more accurate historical sense of its trials and tribulations.
Sponsors: CES, ISP
Part of the European Mosque series, jointly sponsored by the Center for European Studies and Islamic Studies Program, which focuses on the mosque and its place in the European landscape. What cultural and social role does the mosque play for Muslims in Europe? How do European mosques blend traditional Islamic and modern European architectural features, and traditional preaching with modern technology? What is unique about the European mosque, and how does it shape the lives of European Muslims?
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Nebahat Avcıoğlu, associate professor of art history, Hunter College, CUNY
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