The most beautiful religious buildings Route de la soie

One of the best places in Beijing to admire the Chinese practicing Qi quan, the exercises of qi gong, singing, dancing and other morning gymnastics.

History

Located in the south of the city in an immense park of 273 ha, this ensemble, designed under the Ming, was to be directly connected to the sky. Hence an extremely strong essoterism: colors, geometrical shapes (traditionally, the circle represents the sky and square, land), sounds, differences in height of buildings.

Incarnation of the Ming architecture to its closest degree to perfection, the Temple of Heaven gradually became the symbol of the Chinese capital. The tradition regarded the Emperor as the son of heaven, and as such he had to visit and sacrifice to his father, the Sky, and his ancestors, if he wanted to preserve harmony between the human order and the cosmic order. This is where the emperors of the Ming dynasty and Qing came, twice a year (15 ^th day of the 1 st lunar month and the day of the winter solstice), to worship the heavens and pray for a good harvest.

Originally, heaven and earth were both venerated in this temple, and in 1530 the temple of the earth (Ditan) was built north of Beijing. The emperor was escorted from Qian Men to the Temple of Heaven by his soldiers and ministers, royal blood princes and musicians, dancers and elephants. All doors and windows along his path were closed, because no one had to see the son of heaven.

Architectural forms are direct references to the themes of Heaven and Earth: The hall of Fastinence, or palate of the square, located near the celestial door of the west, is a forbidden city in miniature, while the temple of prayer for the good harvest (Qinian Dian) and the outdoor open air are both linked to heaven.

Visit

To the north of the whole, the temple of prayer for the good harvest is the main building. A triple terrace of 5,900 m ² in the middle of a square courtyard leads to the temple of conical form. Its triple roof covered with blue tiles melts into the blue mass of the sky. Prodigious technological feat: this gigantic building designed in 1420 is a clever assembly of wooden elements without nail. Symbolism is reflected in the architectural technique itself: This 38 m height structure and 30 m width is supported by 28 solid wooden pillars. The four central pillars represent the four seasons, the first crown of twelve pillars, the months of the year and the second, the hours of the day and night. Each pillar is a massive trunk of cedar in Yunnan province.

The room is directly open to the outside with its wooden latching walls. It was in this room that the sacrifice of the late spring was held. The throne of Heaven (always empty since Heaven could not sit there) was in the center of this room and, after presenting his written prayer asking Heaven that all conditions were harmoniously combined for good harvests, the emperor burned it in a furnace at the foot of the throne. In the pavilions, the gods of the Sun, Moon, Stars and Wind, Rain, Thunder and Eclairs were vented. In the nineteenth century, the lightning fell on the temple which was then reconstructed in 1889.

In front of the temple of prayer to the right harvest, on the north-south axis lies the imperial arch of the sky (Huangqiongyu) with the blue roof topped with a golden ball. This much smaller structure, built in 1530, was designed to receive the shelves of the gods of the Sun and the Moon after the ceremony. The building is surrounded by a completely hermetic wall, the Echos wall, along which the slightest sound runs. In front of the steps leading to the building, the triple sound: all its product from the first stone is reproduced once; second, twice; and the third one, three times. On both sides of the imperial arch of heaven are rectangular buildings now transformed into small museums.

One of them presents an interesting collection of traditional musical instruments and a model reconstituting the processions that followed the emperor during the rites of prayer in the temple.

To the south, the altar of heaven (Huanqiu). Built at the same time as the imperial arch and rebuilt in 1740, this white marble altar is composed of three terraces culminating in the center in a symbolic representation around the imperial figure «9». Nine concentric circles radiate around a central stone: the first circle consists of 9 stones and the outer circle 81 stones. If you are in the middle of the central stone and start talking, your whole body will resonate with vibrations, as a kind of inner echo, experience! In the center of the upper terrace there was also a throne destined for heaven.

The Fasting Hall (Qinggong), located at the east gate. This is where the emperors and their ministers observed a three-day fast before each ceremony. Having dressed a dress embroidered with dragons, the emperor opened the ceremony by burning incense, offered the ancestors and the supreme emperor sacrifices of animals and gifts according to custom, silks, jade tablets… Then a herald read the written prayer of the emperor while as a herald… The latter was prostrated and burned in the furnace with the altar all offerings… as well as the text of prayer addressed to Heaven.

While everything consumed himself was dances, music and songs. Then the emperor went back into his palace in a palanquin different from the one that brought him. Today, the Hall of Fasting has become an exhibition hall presenting various instruments of sacrifice, dating mainly from Qing period.

The temple of heaven is to be visited absolutely. It is with the temple of the Lamas one of the most beautiful in Beijing, and, whatever the season, you will be enchanted by the magic of the places. In order to enjoy the time to enjoy the palaces, the park (with some very old trees quite impressive) and the general ambience of this site, count a big half-day visit. The entire site has been classified as UNESCO's World Heritage Site since 1998.

Architectural masterpiece, commissioned at the beginning of the seventeenth century by the Shah Abbas, this wonder of safavide art covered with blue ceramic tiles (kächi) similar to turquoises in the Khorassan region, is the most sumptuous monument left by the founder of the Abbasian dynasty. sides. The Cheik Lotfollâh mosque seemed to be too small! Built in 1611, it will only be completed after the death of its founder, despite the eagerness of the founder to work the architects night and day. It is in particular to save time that the decorations of the decorations are not, as in the other buildings of the same time, mosaics of terracotta terracotta, but colored tiles assembled to create the final drawing. And the aesthetics of Muslim art can detect many defects due to the haste of craftsmen.

Mosque of courtyard and apparel, the Shah mosque fits perfectly into the splendid imperial ensemble of the square although, beliefs oblige, it could not be built on the north-south axis but slightly oblique, which explains the uniqueness of the plan developed with a portal of bias over the rest. of the southwest-oriented building towards Mecca. But, once returned, the plan remains the same as in other Iranian mosques.

The huge entrance portico (27 m high) is framed with two very narrow minarets (42 m high). Magnificent illustration of the monumental architecture, it combines the decorative elements mixing with glazed and stalactite fade, in the image of the interior of the arc of its half-dome. Raise your head to the sky to appreciate ornamental wealth. See in particular the wonderful white arabesques and gold on the blue background on the outer wall of the portal. The large fry of silligraphy calligraphed on cobalt blue background is equally remarkable.

Once in the large inner courtyard, beyond the portico, note the four huge iwan, top vaulted rooms, open on one side. Overlooking the large prayer hall and the whole, rises the huge dome (52 m high) to the majestic bulb with turquoise varnished earthenware. Have fun under the dome to check the exceptional acoustics of the places (you must be able to hear 7 times the echo of your voice!) and admire the hypnotic arch. One of the arcades of the East iwan opens on a madrasa (Koranic school) located behind the central courtyard of the mosque. Like Iranian madrasas, it is centered around a rectangular courtyard surrounded by cells for students. The southwest wall, cobalt blue and saffron yellow, is also remarkable. In recent years, Madrasa has been home to a courageous photographic exhibition dedicated to the Muslim victims of terrorism worldwide. Throughout the day, Imams are also present to discuss and answer theological (not political) questions of visitors to inform their knowledge of Islam. With a steep door, after a tip left to the guard, the spiral staircase leads you to the base of the big dome. Ispahan then extends to your feet. Beyond the Place de l 'Imam, the ostracized ochre city of turquoise coughing deploys its charms on a backdrop of mountains… Nevertheless, to enjoy the view of the Imam mosque, go to the upper floor of the Ali Qâpu pavilion also located on the square.

Southeast of the square, facing the Ali Qâpu Palace. This small jewel, completed in 1619 by Mohammad Reza Isfahani (son of the architect of the bridge to the Thirty-Three arches), owes his name to a prestigious theologian and required just over fifteen years of work. Of smaller proportions than the large mosque, it is coated, both inside and inside, of ceramics with rare tons, the mosque presents very beautiful arabesques. The glazed dome dome is decorated with blue flowers and white arabesques on a cream or pink background depending on the time of day. A unique vision that radically changes the turquoise tones that one is accustomed to seeing on the cupoles of Muslim medieval monuments. Even if the aesthetics will be happy to say that the rose perfectly enhances the turquoise and arabesque arabesques in the extraordinarily complex route that decorates the dome finely. Do not hesitate to offer some time of contemplation and return to different times of the day because the ensemble changes radically from the angle of the sun. Sit on the portal and its rich mosaic of geometric patterns, complemented by a stalactite vault with a particularly fine purpose. Note the absence of an inner courtyard and minarets. We move very quickly from light to darkness through a narrow corridor, designed to protect the faithful from indiscreet eyes and symbolizing a path towards the heavenly vault. Then you access the sanctuary, composed of a unique and vast prayer room. The darkness contrasts sharply with the clear colors that could have been observed outside, on the dome or on the portal.

Here we discover the science of the mural mosaic art, true jewel of the Persian fade. See in particular the large ceramic tiles to the flowered arabesques of artistic calligraphy. The blue and yellow dominate the walls as well as the ceiling while calligrapher Ali Reza gives the drums the full measurement of his art. In this regard, the Sheik Loftollah mosque is considered an outcome. Clou of the show, this aura of light filtered by high musharrabiehs placed in the drum supporting the dome and letting appear on the walls the "tail of the peacock". Take the time to walk in this square room of 19 m aside to vary the colors, colors, shadows on decorations according to the angle of entry of sunlight by the windows. The use of light weighs as much in decorations as all the mosaics or mosaics, making the prayer room a masterpiece.

As in the Shah mosque, architects had to face a problem of alignment of the building and, so that the mirhab could look at Mecca, it was necessary to abandon it parallel to the plot. The entrance corridor to the prayer room also serves to conceal the 45 degree angle change.

The mosque, once completed, was reserved for the private use of Sheik and his relatives, hence his nickname of the king's oratory. You will notice the total absence of minaret, strange for a mosque, but the muezzin appeal was useless because only Sheik came to pray under the dome.

For the traveller arriving by car from Tashkent, the huge blue dome of Bibi Khanum rising behind the compact and colourful crowd on their way to the market is one of the first images of Samarkand the Timurid. It was in 1399, on his return from his campaign in India where his troops had set fire to the temples of the Zoroastrian and Hindu infidels, that Tamerlan decided to build the Masjid-i-Jami mosque, known today as Bibi Khanum, daughter of the Emperor of China and Tamerlan's favourite woman. The best architects and craftsmen from Khorassan, Azerbaijan and India worked on the construction of what was to be the largest mosque in Central Asia. The best location in the capital was chosen and Tamerlan laid the foundation stone on the most auspicious day, the fourth day of Ramadan 801 (10 May 1399). Ninety-five elephants, which Tamerlan had brought back from his conquests in Hinduhistan, maneuvered huge blocks of stone needed for construction. According to Cherif id Din, there were four hundred and eighty five-metre high blocks! Entrusting the supervision of the grandiose project to his most faithful collaborators, Tamerlan set off on new conquests in Asia Minor, and did not return to Samarkand until July 1404. According to Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, a Castilian ambassador and keen observer who visited Samarkand in August 1404, Tamerlan's first wife was actually named Cano. She was the daughter of Chiacao, emperor of the province of Samarkand and former king of Persia and Damascus, and it was in honour of Cano's mother that the mosque was built. Clavijo recounts how, on his return from Asia Minor, Tamerlan considered the gate too low and had it demolished and then rebuilt. The workers who took turns day and night were treated rather harshly. Those who worked in the pits had meat thrown at them like dogs, sometimes adding coins so that they could continue their hard work without respite. According to the historian Sharaf ad-Din, upon his return in 1404, Tamerlan fell into a black fury because Bibi Khanum, who must have been a strong-willed woman, had a madrasah and mausoleum built for herself right in front of the mosque. As later archaeological excavations showed, Tamerlan's fury may have been due to the fact that the madrasah's portal was not built in parallel with the mosque's portal. Whatever was the real reason for the Iron Emir's anger, legend has taken hold of it and the following story is told: while Tamerlan was fighting far from his lands, Bibi Khanum decided to surprise him by erecting the highest mosque ever built. Asked to hurry up, the architect ends up getting a kiss from her in exchange for her promise to finish the work on time. The kiss was so torrid and so hot that Bibi Khanum still had a mark on his cheek when the emperor returned. This one went into a frenzy. The felon architect climbed to the top of one of the minarets and flew forever to Persia. Bibi Khanum was thrown from the top of another minaret, and Tamerlan gave the order that in his empire all women should wear the veil so that their faces would no longer tempt the men when the husbands were at war.

At the time of its construction, the complex included four marble-paved galleries, covered with 400 domes and supported by 400 marble columns, which surrounded a huge inner courtyard measuring 130 m by 102 m. Two 50 m high minarets stood on either side of the 35 m high entrance portal and the portal of the large prayer hall, which was 40 m high. Four other minarets were located at each outer corner of the courtyard. To the north and south, two smaller mosques, each decorated with a dome resting on a lavishly decorated cylindrical drum, looked towards the centre of the courtyard where the Qur'an of Osman, the second largest Qur'an in Islam, dating from the seventh century, which Tamerlan brought back from Damascus, rested on a marble lectern. It is said that the suras were written in such large letters that imams could read them from the top of the colonnade. It is also said that as soon as it was finished, the mosque was already beginning to deteriorate. The haste of the architects probably had something to do with it and the earthquakes, one of which had its epicentre in the very centre of the mosque, did the rest. Armin Vambery, the false dervish who managed to visit Samarkand in 1863, describes a very damaged monument which was used as a garage for carts. Ten years later, Eugene Schuyller also went to Samarkand and described the courtyard of the mosque, which had been transformed into a cotton market: the large marble lectern on which the Koran Osman was placed was still there. He also reported on the popular belief that, to cure back pain, one had to crawl between the nine short, thick pillars supporting the lectern. Another superstition was that infertile women would come there in the morning on an empty stomach in order to procreate. Even today, you can still see women crawling between these pillars... The restorers worked for more than forty years to rebuild the mosque to gradually restore it to its original shape. The three domes have reappeared, but those of the north and south mosques are already losing their blue ceramic decorations.

The mosque's double minaret forms the entrance of the streets of the bazaar. The very sober mosque on Friday, the only Persian to keep intact the buildings and sets of the seldjoukide periods (1051-1220), Ilkhanide (1220-1380), timouride (1370-1506), safavide (1570) 02-1736) and the most baroque turcoman, is a true museum of Islamic architecture of xie in the eighteenth century. Despite invasions, destruction, reconstructions, the ensemble retains a harmony and a wealth of styles that make it one of the most interesting monuments of the city. It is often called the old mosque by the inhabitants, in opposition to the Shah mosque, but the visit will convince you quickly that it has nothing to envy him!

To start your visit, focus on the exhibition of 3 D diagrams at the entrance, once passed the portal. They make it possible to fully realize the evolution of the building during successive dynasties and the construction or disappearance of its various parts.

The Friday mosque of Ispahan remains the largest mosque in Iran, with 474 original individual vaults, and enjoys complex architecture mixing ages and styles. The remains of a first mosque with climate orientation dates back to the viiith century (773) and were erected under the Reign of the Abbassides. It was in the selfjoukide era that, on order of Vizir Nizâm al-Molk, in 1080, an exceptional dome in one vault was added according to the architectural principle of the fire temples. It must be said that Nizam al-Molk, Vizir of Malek Chah, had sworn to take his place and that the mosque had been completely destroyed by his supporters. The vizir for him ordered the construction of the north pole, prodiging architecture for the time. The two buildings from the conflict were the only ones surviving the great fire of the mosque in 1121.

It is in the southern part of the mosque that the main mirhab is found, but one of the most notable iwan is certainly that of the western flank, with its sefecal earthquakes. Also note the sobriety of the many vaulted brick rooms, surrounded by the central courtyard of four iwan dating back to the xiith century. The vault of the south iwan, the most impressive, is covered with large alveoli and superb ceramics of fatherhood of xvie, xviie and eighteenth centuries. On the north iwan side, the dervish iwan, the stars are made of the precise provision of bricks. The little tower of the West Iwan serves to call for prayer. On the right of this one, the small room of the Mongolian sultan Oldjaitou (whose mausoleum is in Soltaniyé) houses a very beautiful mihrab in 1310. Also admire the beautiful calligraphy and the finesse of carved flower motifs. Located in the basement, the Shabestan (summer and winter room), completed in 1447, stretches over 50 m long and 20 m wide. The low light filtered by the translucent algae algae ensured that all night was in prayer. Finally, you can close the visit of the Friday mosque through a tower of the annexes. The mosque actually housed madrasas (Koranic schools) and water rooms for the ablutions of the faithful.

After the visit, you will have embraced what successive Iranian architectural schools have produced more beautiful and more successful over the centuries!