10 amazing examples of the Ottoman Mihrab

28/01/2011 by Islamic Arts Magazine

Architecture

Mihrab is next to minbar and mahfil the best known and most characteristic element of the interior of a mosque. All three elements have a functional and aesthetic dimension. The mihrab is a semi circular niche set into the middle of the “qibla wall” in order to indicate the direction of Mecca.

This element didn’t exist in the time of Prophet and was introduced at a later date, indicating the central place from which imam leads the prayer. In this sense, the mihrab has also a symbolic meaning.

Each period of development of Islamic art produced differences in the appearance of the mihrab. The Ottoman art takes on a standardized and highly recognizable shape. The upper part of a mihrab is the most characteristic since it is usually done in the form of plastic stalactites, or muqarnas. This decoration is a trademark of Islamic architectural sculpture, and in fact the best examples of such art can be seen in the Ottoman mihrab.