Dome of the Rock and Santa Costanza

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Christianity and Islam are religions are two of world’s most widespread religions. Both religions when founded were not accepted by the people of that time and they have faced great resistance. Early Islamic art and early Christian art both are historically important as both are similar in some ways. The most earliest architecture and first such structure from the Muslims is the Dome of the Rock located in Jerusalem. When the Muslims conquered the city of Jerusalem in they needed a place (Mosque) to worship and offer their prayers in congregation. At the same time they also wanted to build a monument that would show the success of Muslims and their religion Islam. Similarly, Christians used to build their churches and monuments to show their influence and selected sites which were former Pagan temples and Catacombs to build their churches. Muslims had already conquered Syria and Byzantine and therefore used their designs to build the Dome Of The Rock. The Santa Costanza was originally built in Rome, Italy in 360c. It was erected for Constantine's daughter, however, it was later transformed into a memorial church. It is now argued by scholars that the Santa Costanza was originally built for Constantine's sister Helina. Both of these structures are similar in their function and have used the central plan to focus on the center. By looking at the both structures, Dome of the rock and the Santa Costanza the viewer can comprehend that both are similar in a way that both have circular domes. The most outstanding difference in both of the structure is that of the shape and exterior look and design. Santa Costanza now appears to be simple in a way that it is not decorated from outside like... ... middle of paper ... ....html (accessed April 22, 2014). Ettinghausen, Richard, Oleg Grabar, and Sheila Blair. The art and architecture of Islam 650-1250. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1987. Fazio, Michael W., Marian Moffett, and Lawrence Wodehouse. A world history of architecture. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Glancey, Jonathan. The story of architecture. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2000. Glancey, Jonathan. Architecture. London: DK, 2006. Hillenbrand, Robert. "The Birth of Islamic Art:the umayyads." In Islamic art and architecture. Holberton, Paul. The world of architecture. New York: Crescent Books :, 1988. "Images of Santa Costanza, Rome." Images of Santa Costanza, Rome. http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/rome/costanza/costanza.html (accessed April 21, 2014). Krautheimer, Richard. Early Christian and Byzantine architecture. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1965.

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