Mosques: The 100 Most Legendary Islamic Houses of Worship

Houses of worship have served as a benchmark for the heights of human achievement since time immemorial - the more noble the holy shrine, the more noble the society. Over the centuries civilizations have considered their own worth against the splendor of the local religious structure, and built to exacting standards and to scales previously unimaginable, and empires have asserted their dominance over lands and populations by virtue of the holy structures erected. This is particularly true in Islam, a religion whose structures proliferated across the known world of the "Islamic Golden Age," coterminous with the West's "Dark Ages." The birth of geometry and the invention of the double dome are but two inventions that contributed to the architectural splendor of the mosque. However, the mosque is much more than just a house of worship. It plays a complex role as an institution in which religious instruction is often given and a social center in which marriages and community meetings can take place. Wherever the mosque is built, it strives to be integrated into the sociological and urban landscape. It also plays the role of informing the architecture of the surrounding city and influencing its inhabitants. While all mosques stem from a common tradition of reverence, differing sects, regions and practices have led to many innovations and novel architectural forms. Mosques is the latest addition to the "Ultimate collection," and is a journey though centuries and continents that brings readers to the threshold of 100 of the world's most historically significant buildings that are home to worshippers of the fastest growing, and second largest, religion in the world. Assouline's Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking. Hand-bound using traditional techniques, with colour plates hand-tipped on art-quality paper, each page of this limited-edition series bears the unique imprint of the artisan. Treating a range of topics from jewellery and fashion, fine art and the 'Impossible Collections,' the Ultimate Collection curates culture from around the world and across the ages. Nestled in linen clamshell presentation cases, these books attract collectors, lovers of the printed page, and those who devour the culture of our time. Signaling a new level of sophistication for true connoisseurs, these unique books are works of art in their own right. AUTHOR: Bernard O'Kane is Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the American University in Cairo, where he has been teaching since 1980. He has also been a visiting professor at Harvard University and the University of California at Berkeley. Handcrafted limited edition with silk cover in a luxury silk clamshell case.