The Story of Islamic Architecture

Despite growing interest in Islamic architecture, introductions to the subject which go beyond the superficial are scarce.

Employing a broad historical narrative, this is an introduction to the religious, social and political influences that have shaped the Islamic architectural form, and reveals an architectural splendour unfamiliar to most Western readers. Painter and educator Richard Yeomans interweaves historical fact with precisely detailed descriptions to trace the genesis and flowering of Islamic architecture in the various Muslim regions of the world, including Spain, the Maghreb, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Persia and Central Asia, ending at the farthest point east in India.

The volume includes a brief introduction to Islam and to the theological attitudes which determine the form and function of its art and architecture.

There are over 200 colour photographs and a glossary of architectural terms.