Arches

Invention/Contribution:

• Muslims perfected and popularized new forms of arches in architecture:

  • Horseshoe arch (common in Spain and North Africa, e.g., Great Mosque of Córdoba).

  • Pointed arch (used in mosques and later adopted in Gothic cathedrals).

  • Multifoil arch (decorative scalloped arches in palaces like the Alhambra).

• Arches were both structural and artistic, supporting heavy domes while adding elegance.

• Combined with geometry, calligraphy, and arabesques, arches became symbols of Islamic design.

Why it matters:

• Allowed for larger, more open interior spaces in mosques and palaces.

• Influenced European Gothic architecture (Notre Dame and other cathedrals owe much to Muslim arches).

• Blended function and beauty, expressing harmony in design.

“The pointed arch, so characteristic of Gothic cathedrals, came to Europe from the architecture of Islam.”

Titus Burckhardt, Art of Islam

Arches are the signature of Islamic architecture. From the bold horseshoe arches of Córdoba, to the scalloped multifoil arches of the Alhambra, and the soaring pointed arches that inspired Europe’s Gothic cathedrals, Muslims turned stone into rhythm and harmony. These arches were more than engineering — they were gateways to beauty and faith, shaping architecture across the world.