Essential World Architecture Images- Muslim- Afro-Islamic

Essential Architecture- Search by style Afro-Islamic architecture


The Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali is a good example of Sudano-Sahelian architectural style. The Islamic conquest of North Africa saw Islamic architecture develop in the region, including such famous structures as the Cairo Citadel. South of the Sahara, Islamic influence was a major contributing factor to architectural development from the time of the Kingdom of Ghana. At Kumbi Saleh, locals lived in domed huts, but traders had stone houses. Sahelian architecture initially grew from the two cities of Djenné and Timbuktu. The Sanskore Mosque in Timbuktu, constructed from mud on timber, was similar in style to the Great Mosque of Djenné. The rise of kingdoms in the West African coastal region produced architecture which drew instead on indigenous traditions, utilising wood. The famed Benin City, destroyed by the Punitive Expedition, was a large complex of homes in coursed mud, with hipped roofs of shingles or palm leaves. The Palace had a sequence of ceremonial rooms, and was decorated with brass plaques.