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Multifoil arch

A multifoil arch is an architectural feature consisting of multiple overlapping circular arcs that form symmetrical lobes or foils, typically numbering more than five, resulting in a decorative, scalloped, or petal-like profile. This design creates a rounded or pointed overall shape, often constructed from materials such as brick, stone, or concrete, and serves both structural support and aesthetic enhancement in buildings.^[1]^[2]^[3] Originating as an innovation in Islamic architecture during the early medieval period, multifoil arches evolved from earlier Greco-Roman and Visigothic forms, with Muslims refining them through advanced geometric principles to achieve both stability and visual intricacy. The term "foil" derives from the French word for "leaf," reflecting the leaf-like divisions created by the intersecting arcs. Prominent early examples include the horseshoe multifoil arches on the mihrab facade of the Great Mosque of Cordoba, added during the reign of al-Hakam II (961-976 CE) under the Umayyad Caliphate in Spain.^[4]^[2]^[4] In Islamic contexts, multifoil arches hold cultural and symbolic significance, reflecting mystical meanings tied to the universe and divine order. They are commonly employed in religious structures like mosques, as well as palaces and tombs, where their repetitive, harmonious patterns contribute to an atmosphere of spiritual elevation and mathematical precision. Notable later applications appear in Moorish architecture, such as the intricate multifoil designs adorning the Alhambra palace complex in Granada, Spain, from the 14th century, which exemplify their role in blending functionality with ornate beauty.^[4]^[1]^[3] Beyond Islamic traditions, multifoil arches influenced European styles, appearing in Gothic Revival and Tudor Revival architecture during the 19th and early 20th centuries, though their most defining and widespread use remains in the Islamic world. Typical dimensions for such arches include spans of 4 to 12 feet (1.22 to 3.66 meters) and rises of 24 to 72 inches (61 to 183 cm), allowing for versatile integration into facades, windows, and interior spaces. Their enduring legacy underscores advancements in arch design that prioritize symmetry, symbolism, and structural elegance.^[2]^[1]

Definition and Features

Basic Structure

The multifoil arch is an architectural form distinguished by multiple symmetrical circular arcs, known as foils, lobes, or cusps, that shape its intrados, producing a scalloped or radiating visual effect. These foils create a series of curved segments that overlap or intersect, forming a more intricate profile than standard arches. This design emphasizes decorative rhythm while maintaining the arch's fundamental role in spanning openings.^[1] Geometrically, the foils are constructed from the intersections of equally sized circles arranged symmetrically around the arch's vertical axis, with each foil representing an arc segment between intersection points. The nomenclature reflects the number of foils: a trefoil arch features three, a quatrefoil four, a cinquefoil five, and the term multifoil applies to those with more than five foils. This intersecting-circle method allows for scalable complexity, where additional circles produce finer cusps and a denser pattern.^[5]^[1] Functionally, the multifoil arch distributes vertical loads from superstructures to its supporting piers or columns through compressive forces along its curved profile, akin to other arch types, but its multipartite form enhances load dispersion across multiple contact points at the base. This structural efficiency supports its use in framing doorways, windows, arcades, and mihrabs, where the added foils introduce ornamental depth and visual harmony without significantly altering the overall stability. Compared to simpler forms like the horseshoe arch, with its single continuous curve, or the pointed arch, with its linear convergence, the multifoil's overlapping arcs introduce greater geometric complexity, prioritizing aesthetic elaboration over minimalism.^[6]^[7]

Variations and Types

The multifoil arch encompasses several subtypes distinguished primarily by the number of foils, or cusped lobes formed by intersecting circular arcs along the arch's intrados. The trefoil arch, featuring three foils, represents the earliest and simplest variant, where three semicircular arcs converge at the crown to create symmetrical cusps that enhance visual rhythm without excessive complexity.^[4] The quatrefoil arch, with four foils, is a more prevalent form, often employed in fenestration to divide light through multiple lobes arranged radially, allowing for balanced geometric subdivision.^[4] Cinquefoil arches, incorporating five foils, introduce greater intricacy through finer cusping, frequently appearing in ornamental panels where the additional lobes permit denser patterning.^[8] Rarer subtypes include the sexfoil (six foils) and heptfoil (seven foils), which extend the cusped design to higher orders but are less common due to the challenges in maintaining proportional harmony and structural subtlety in multifoil contexts.^[9] Decorative integrations further diversify multifoil arches, particularly through combinations with regional motifs. In Maghrebi styles, multifoil arches often interlace with sebka patterns, forming a net-like rhomboidal network where the foils of superimposed arches create interlocking panels that emphasize verticality and texture.^[10] Polylobed arches represent another integration, where each side of the arch features multiple lobes—typically three or more—extending the foil concept beyond simple radial cusping to produce multifaceted profiles that blend structural form with elaborate ornamentation.^[11] The evolution of multifoil arches reflects increasing ornamental complexity, progressing from basic radial foils, defined by straightforward arc intersections at the cusps, to more intricate polylobed forms in Nasrid architecture. In these advanced variants, multiple concentric or offset circular arcs intersect at varied angles, generating layered lobes that form a scalloped silhouette and allow for dynamic light filtration through the resulting voids.^[4] This development prioritizes aesthetic depth over simplicity, with arc intersections often aligned to evoke infinite geometric progression. Beyond load-bearing roles, multifoil arches serve prominent non-structural functions, particularly as tracery elements in screens and rose windows. In these applications, the foils form openwork patterns that subdivide spaces decoratively, such as in circular rose windows where radiating multifoil motifs create petal-like divisions for glazing, distinct from their use in supporting vaults or doorways.^[4]^[12]

Historical Origins

Umayyad Period

The multifoil arch emerged in the 8th century CE during the Umayyad Caliphate as a decorative evolution of the horseshoe arch, which had been introduced earlier in structures like the Great Mosque of Damascus to enhance aesthetic complexity while maintaining structural simplicity. This innovation allowed for the creation of lobed or cusped forms that added ornamental depth to architectural openings without requiring sophisticated engineering advancements.^[4] The earliest known examples of multifoil arches appear in the small mosque at Qasr al-Hallabat in Jordan, a Umayyad desert castle complex dating to the mid-8th century. Constructed as part of the site's refurbishment, the mosque features simple trefoil configurations—three-lobed arches with cusps—in the mihrab niche and relieving arches above doorways, marking an initial experimentation with multilobed designs in religious spaces. These elements were formed using local limestone, emphasizing modest scale and functional ornamentation.^[13]^[14] In the broader architectural context of Umayyad patronage, multifoil arches were employed in qasrs (desert palaces) and early mosques across the Levant to introduce visual intricacy inspired by Syrian and Byzantine traditions, blending local stonework with emerging Islamic motifs. This reflected the caliphal expansions under rulers like Abd al-Malik (r. 685–705 CE), who initiated widespread building programs to consolidate authority and propagate cultural synthesis in frontier regions.^[15]^[16]

Early Abbasid and Fatimid Periods

During the Abbasid Caliphate, the multifoil arch underwent significant refinement in the 9th century, particularly in Mesopotamian architecture centered around Samarra, Iraq, where it evolved from earlier Umayyad forms into more elaborate decorative elements. A key example is the Qasr al-'Ashiq palace, constructed circa 877–882 CE under Caliph al-Mu'tamid, featuring pronounced foils in iwans and niches that emphasized geometric intricacy and structural integration in palatial designs.^[17] This development reflected the Abbasid shift toward monumental urban complexes, influenced by Caliph al-Mansur's foundational planning of Baghdad in 762 CE, which prioritized innovative spatial organization and ornamental arches in imperial architecture.^[18] In the Fatimid Caliphate, multifoil arches spread and innovated further in 10th–11th century Egypt, building on Abbasid precedents while adapting to Cairo's emerging urban landscape. The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, erected 876–879 CE by the Tulunid ruler Ahmad ibn Tulun (though predating the Fatimids, it served as a foundational influence), incorporated pointed arches in its hypostyle hall that foreshadowed Fatimid elaborations, with stucco decorations enhancing arch profiles for visual depth.^[19] Later Fatimid structures, such as the Bab Zuweila gate completed in 1092 CE under Vizier Badr al-Jamali during Caliph al-Mustansir's reign, featured stilted multifoil designs in recessed panels, combining defensive functionality with ornate scalloped motifs derived from Samarran styles.^[20] Technical advancements during these periods included a transition to taller, elongated multifoil forms that integrated seamlessly with muqarnas squinches, enabling smoother transitions from square bases to domes in mosque and palace interiors. Early forms of muqarnas emerged in Abbasid architecture of the 9th century in Samarra, particularly in palaces, with fuller development and use in religious structures occurring in the 10th–11th centuries, enhancing both aesthetic complexity and load distribution.^[21] Under Fatimid Caliph al-Mu'izz (r. 953–975 CE), who founded al-Qahira (Cairo) in 969 CE, these techniques proliferated in palatial and religious commissions, fostering a synthesis of eastern Abbasid influences with local Egyptian elements for more vertically oriented compositions.^[18]

Regional Developments

North Africa and Al-Andalus

In the western Islamic world, the multifoil arch matured during the Almoravid (c. 1062–1147 CE) and Almohad (c. 1121–1269 CE) periods, reaching its zenith under the Nasrid dynasty (1232–1492 CE) in al-Andalus and North Africa, where it integrated with local Berber traditions to create distinctive ornamental motifs like sebka latticework.^[22]^[10] These developments built briefly on earlier Fatimid influences from the eastern Islamic world, adapting multifoil forms to emphasize geometric intricacy and structural lightness in mosques and palaces.^[23] The evolution of multifoil arches in al-Andalus began in the 10th century with the Umayyad expansion of the Great Mosque of Cordoba under al-Hakam II (r. 961–976 CE), where polylobed multifoils appeared in the maqsura, featuring superimposed arches that enhanced light diffusion and visual rhythm through their interlaced profiles.^[24]^[25] These innovations marked a shift toward more ornate, multi-tiered designs that influenced subsequent Iberian Islamic architecture. Parallel developments occurred in North Africa during the 11th–12th centuries under Almoravid patronage, as seen in the Tinmal Mosque in Morocco (founded 1126 CE, completed 1148 CE), where multifoil arches framed the qibla aisle and integrated with sebka patterns to form a cohesive decorative screen.^[26] Similarly, the Great Mosque of Tlemcen in Algeria (founded 1082 CE, expanded 1136 CE) incorporated polylobed multifoils in its mihrab zone, blending them into stucco sebka motifs that emphasized the mosque's axial hierarchy and Berber geometric sensibilities.^[27]^[28] The Nasrid period represented the peak of multifoil arch refinement in the 14th century, exemplified by the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, particularly the Court of the Lions (constructed ca. 1362 CE under Muhammad V), where intricate cusped multifoils supported slender columns around the courtyard, creating a delicate interplay of light and shadow.^[29] These arches featured stilted profiles—raised above the capitals on short vertical segments—for heightened elegance in arcade designs.^[30] Distinctive to this region's multifoil arches were their flatter, less pronounced curves compared to eastern variants, often stilted for courtyard arcades to align with low ceilings and foster open spatial flow, reflecting the influence of Berber craftsmanship in stone and stucco work that prioritized modular, interlocking patterns.^[30]^[22]

Indian Subcontinent

The adoption of multifoil arches in the Indian subcontinent began with pre-Islamic roots in Hindu temple architecture, where corbelled trefoil forms—early precursors to multifoil designs—appeared as early as the 8th century CE. The Martand Sun Temple in Kashmir (ca. 711–855 CE) exemplifies this, featuring trefoil-headed recesses in its colonnade and trefoil niches flanking the main entrance, constructed from massive limestone blocks to create decorative arched elements within a peristyle courtyard measuring 220 by 142 feet.^[31] These structures predated the full Islamic adoption of multifoil arches, blending local Kashmiri and Gandharan influences with rudimentary cusped forms that emphasized symbolic solar motifs in Hindu worship.^[31] During the Delhi Sultanate period (13th–16th centuries), multifoil arches were hybridized in Indo-Islamic architecture, integrating Islamic true-arch techniques with indigenous motifs in mosques and complexes. The Qutb Minar complex in Delhi, initiated in 1193 CE and expanded under later rulers, incorporated multifoil arches in structures like the Alai Darwaza gateway (1311 CE), where pointed, cusped arches marked the introduction of voussoir construction in India, blending Persian Islamic elements with local red sandstone carvings and geometric patterns.^[32] This period saw multifoils adorning mihrabs and facades, often paired with Hindu-derived lotus motifs and corbelled supports, reflecting a syncretic style that adapted to regional aesthetics while serving Islamic ritual functions.^[33] The Mughal era culminated this evolution in the 17th century under Shah Jahan, elevating multifoil arches to ornate, bulbous forms in imperial pavilions and tombs. In the Red Fort of Delhi (1648 CE), multifoil arches grace the Diwan-i-Am hall, featuring multi-foliated cusped arches supported by twelve-sided pillars, inlaid with white marble and pietra dura for a polychrome effect.^[34] Similarly, the Taj Mahal in Agra (1632–1653 CE) employs multi-cusped arched panels at the base of its minarets and in the main pishtaq, where the arches' scalloped curves enhance the structure's symmetrical grandeur using white Makrana marble.^[35] These designs drew briefly from broader Islamic traditions but were distinctly refined in Mughal India.^[35] A hallmark of South Asian multifoil adaptation was its unique hybridity, merging arches with indigenous elements like chhatris (domed kiosks) and jali screens to suit tropical climates. In Mughal complexes such as the Red Fort, multifoil arches frame chhatri pavilions on terraces, providing shaded vantage points while jali lattices—perforated stone screens with geometric patterns—integrated into arched windows facilitated natural ventilation and diffused light, reducing heat in humid environments.^[36] This fusion not only enhanced aesthetic intricacy but also functional resilience, as seen in the Taj Mahal's jali-enclosed arches that allow breeze circulation without compromising privacy.^[37]

Christian Europe

The multifoil arch, originally developed in Islamic architecture, was transmitted to Christian Europe primarily through the cultural exchanges in al-Andalus following the early phases of the Reconquista in the 11th and 12th centuries. During this period, Romanesque architects in the Iberian Peninsula adopted polylobed forms, adapting them into church designs as symbols of conquest and synthesis. A notable early example is the Basilica of San Isidoro de León in Spain, constructed around 1063–1100, where polylobed arches appear in the transept, drawing directly from the Great Mosque of Toledo captured by Alfonso VI in 1085 and employing Mudéjar craftsmen skilled in Islamic techniques.^[38] This adoption reflects the integration of Taifa kingdom motifs from Zaragoza's Aljafería Palace into Christian basilicas, marking the initial hybridization in Romanesque styles.^[38] In northern Europe, rudimentary multifoil elements emerged in 10th–11th century Romanesque structures, likely via trade routes and pilgrimage paths from Spain to France. Polylobed arches also adorn other French Romanesque churches, differing in proportion from Spanish variants but introduced through earlier Mediterranean contacts.^[39] By the 13th century, multifoil arches were more prominently integrated into Gothic architecture in Spain and Portugal, often in cloisters and decorative screens as emblems of Christian triumph over Islamic rule. Toledo Cathedral, begun in 1226 under Archbishop Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada, incorporates multifoiled arches in its cloister triforium and the 14th-century St. Blaise Chapel, blending Gothic rib vaults with Mudéjar polylobation sourced from the site's former mosque foundations.^[40] These elements symbolized cultural reconquest, repurposing Islamic aesthetics to assert Christian dominance in post-1085 Toledo.^[41] The influence extended northward to England in the 14th–15th centuries, subtly shaping Perpendicular Gothic tracery, though less dominantly than in Iberia. Islamic multifoil motifs from Andalusian mosques inspired the intricate, curvilinear window traceries in structures like Gloucester Cathedral (from 1337) and King's College Chapel, Cambridge (1446–1515), where trefoil and multifoil forms supported expansive stained glass, evolving from Crusader and Spanish transmissions.^[42] Following the full Reconquista's completion in 1492, hybrid Mudéjar styles persisted, as seen in the Real Alcázar of Seville (expanded 1364–1369 under Peter I), featuring multifoil arches in the Patio de las Doncellas crafted by Nasrid artisans from Granada, exemplifying continued Islamic-Christian collaboration.^[40]^[43]

Cultural and Technical Aspects

Symbolism and Significance

In Islamic architecture, multifoil arches often embody spiritual and cosmological themes, with their repetitive geometric forms underscoring the infinite oneness of God (tawhid).^[42] In mihrabs, such as those in the Great Mosque of Cordoba, the arches frame the qibla niche, directing worshippers toward Mecca and signifying unity with the divine.^[42] Their use in palatial settings, like the Alhambra's Court of the Lions, conveys grandeur and harmony, mirroring the ordered beauty of creation and elevating earthly spaces to reflect heavenly splendor.^[42] Christian adaptations of multifoil arches, particularly in Gothic tracery, repurposed their form to evoke divine illumination and theological concepts. Trefoil variants, with three foils, symbolize the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—allowing light to filter through stained glass in Gothic cathedrals, where the interplay of shadow and radiance represents God's presence piercing the material world.^[44]^[42] In post-Reconquista Iberia, Mudéjar architecture incorporated multifoil arches in Christian buildings, such as the Synagogue of El Transito in Toledo, blending Islamic aesthetics with local traditions to signify cultural synthesis and the triumph of Christian rule while preserving ornamental continuity.^[42] Beyond religious contexts, multifoil arches enhance spatial aesthetics and rhythmic flow in arcades, their undulating profiles creating a sense of infinity and cosmic order that transcends cultural boundaries. In hybrid regions like al-Andalus, they mark points of cultural exchange, bridging Islamic, Jewish, and Christian worlds through shared geometric language.^[42] Historically, 19th-century Orientalist interpretations romanticized these arches as exotic and ornamental excesses, often attributing them to Eastern decadence without acknowledging technical ingenuity, as seen in works by John Ruskin. Modern scholarship, however, emphasizes their role as innovative expressions of mathematical precision and cross-cultural innovation, reshaping European architectural narratives.^[42]

Construction Techniques

Multifoil arches were constructed using true arch principles involving voussoirs, wedge-shaped stones or bricks that distribute loads through compression, contrasting with earlier corbelling techniques where stones were progressively cantilevered without full wedging.^[45] In true multifoil construction, builders employed temporary centering scaffolds—wooden frameworks—to support the voussoirs during assembly, allowing precise alignment of multiple intersecting arcs before the mortar set.^[46] This method ensured the structural integrity of the cusped profiles, where each foil's curve met at sharp points requiring exact fitting to maintain equilibrium.^[47] Materials varied by region, reflecting local availability and aesthetic preferences. In Abbasid Iraq, baked brick was predominant for both structural voussoirs and decorative elements, often laid in mortar and finished with plaster overlays to accentuate the foils.^[4] In Al-Andalus, marble and limestone blocks formed the core, with intricate stucco coatings applied post-construction to carve fine cusp details and enhance visual depth.^[46] Sandstone prevailed in the Indian subcontinent, where modular stonework allowed for scalable assembly of polylobed forms, sometimes combined with lime mortar for binding.^[48] Plaster and stucco were universally used for overlays, enabling the sculpting of complex foil intersections without altering the load-bearing core.^[45] Key challenges included achieving precise cutting for cusps to ensure even load distribution across multiple arcs, as misalignments could cause uneven thrust and instability.^[47] Builders addressed this through geometric planning with compasses to trace circular segments, verifying intersections before cutting stones.^[46] Integration with overlying vaults posed another issue, solved by muqarnas—honeycomb-like transitional elements—that bridged planar arches to curved ceilings, distributing loads via layered, lightweight squinches while adding decorative complexity.^[49] Over time, construction evolved from monolithic corbelled forms, which relied on overhanging blocks for rudimentary foiling, to sophisticated modular voussoir systems that permitted larger spans and finer detailing.^[50] This shift enhanced scalability, as seen in the transition to ribbed supports for intersecting multifoils, improving both strength and adaptability in vaulted contexts.^[4]

Legacy and Modern Uses

Architectural Influences

The multifoil arch, originating in Islamic architecture, exerted a profound influence on European design from the medieval period through the Renaissance, primarily through cross-cultural exchanges facilitated by trade, pilgrimage, and Italian travelogues. In regions like Sicily and Venice, where Norman and Venetian Gothic styles flourished, multifoil and cusped arches were adapted from Islamic prototypes such as those in the Cordoba Mezquita (10th century) and Seljuk minarets in Aleppo, appearing in structures like the Ca’ d’Oro palace (c. 1421) and the Cappella Palatina (c. 1132). These arches, valued for their decorative scalloping and structural elegance, were transmitted via Syrian craftsmen, Venetian merchants, and accounts from travelers like Santo Brasca, whose 15th-century descriptions of Damascene architecture inspired Italian architects to incorporate lobed forms into Renaissance-era facades and rose windows, blending them with classical elements to create hybrid motifs that symbolized cultural synthesis.^[42] By the 19th century, the Gothic Revival movement in England revived these influences, with architects like Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin incorporating pointed arches in ecclesiastical and public buildings to evoke medieval authenticity. Pugin's designs for the Palace of Westminster (1840–1870) featured intricate pointed arches drawn from historical Gothic precedents, as documented in works like Contrasts (1836) to argue for the moral superiority of pointed forms over classical ones. This revival extended the multifoil's legacy, using it to heighten verticality and ornamentation in Gothic structures.^[51]^[52] Colonial expansions further disseminated multifoil arches through the Indo-Saracenic style during the British Raj, blending Islamic and Mughal elements with British Gothic features. The Victoria Memorial in Kolkata (completed 1921), designed by William Emerson, exemplifies this adaptation, employing arches and motifs in its arcades and gateways to evoke Mughal grandeur while integrating Venetian and Egyptian elements, as seen in the intricate jali screens and domed pavilions that frame the structure's white marble facade. This style, promoted by architects like Swinton Jacob, served as a visual bridge between imperial authority and local heritage, influencing public buildings across India.^[53]^[54] Beyond direct revivals, the multifoil arch contributed to broader legacies in Art Nouveau and early modernist ornamentation, acting as a conduit between Eastern geometric precision and Western organic aesthetics. In Catalan Modernisme—a regional variant of Art Nouveau—architects like Antoni Gaudí drew from al-Andalus monuments to inspire flowing, nature-derived forms. This cross-pollination underscored the arch's role in unifying diverse design traditions, paving the way for modernist experiments with abstracted ornament.^[55] Scholarly recognition in the 20th century, notably by Oleg Grabar, emphasized the multifoil arch's centrality to Islamic architectural identity, portraying it as a symbol of cultural continuity and innovation rather than mere decoration. In The Art and Architecture of Islam, 650–1250 (co-authored with Richard Ettinghausen, 1987), Grabar analyzed how such arches in Umayyad and Fatimid structures encoded spatial hierarchies and spiritual symbolism, influencing global perceptions of Islamic design as a foundational element in world architecture. His work highlighted the arch's enduring transmission, challenging Eurocentric narratives and affirming its impact on hybrid styles from medieval Europe to colonial revivals.^[56]

Contemporary Applications

In the 20th and 21st centuries, multifoil arches have experienced revivals in contemporary architecture, blending traditional Islamic motifs with modernist principles to create culturally resonant spaces. For instance, the Narsighar House in Nokha, Rajasthan, India, completed in 2024 by Sanjay Puri Architects, incorporates multifoil arched windows inspired by Rajasthani heritage, allowing natural light diffusion while maintaining privacy and thermal efficiency in a residential context.^[57] Similarly, the Ismaili Centre in London, opened in 1985 and designed by the Casson Conder Partnership, integrates arched elements and muqarnas-like repetitions on ceilings, harmonizing Islamic symbolism with modern institutional design to serve as a community and cultural hub.^[58] Postmodern interpretations have extended multifoil arches into fluid, abstracted forms in high-profile projects across the Middle East. The Festival Plaza in El Gouna, Egypt, designed by Studio Seilern Architects and completed in 2019, employs pointed arches in its public pavilion structure, evoking mystical symbolism while using sustainable materials like local stone for shading and ventilation in a resort setting.^[59] In Istanbul's Şakirin Mosque, finished in 2009 with interiors by Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, traditional aesthetics are reinterpreted through steel and glass frameworks, combining innovative lighting to symbolize spiritual continuity in a contemporary worship space.^[60] These examples demonstrate how architects adapt cusped geometry for ornamental facades in urban developments. Restoration efforts at historic sites have leveraged advanced technologies to preserve multifoil arches, ensuring their integrity for future generations. At the Alhambra in Granada, Spain—a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986—3D laser scanning has been employed since the early 2000s for structural assessments and decorative reconstructions, including analysis of muqarnas-adjacent arches in the Torre de la Vela to evaluate seismic risks and deformations with millimeter accuracy.^[61] Ongoing projects use time-of-flight scanners like the Leica Scanstation for non-invasive documentation, supporting the Patronato de la Alhambra's conservation of foil elements in vaults and portals.^[62] In the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, another UNESCO site since 1994, terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry documented the Royal Chapel's multifoil arches in 2012, generating high-resolution point clouds (1-2 mm density) and orthophotographs to diagnose pathologies and plan restorations without physical intervention.^[63] Digital fabrication techniques have enabled sustainable applications of multifoil arches in eco-architecture, minimizing material waste through precise manufacturing. In Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, completed in 2007, multifoil arch aesthetics are fabricated using modern reinforced concrete and digital templating, enhancing durability while symbolizing unity in a major Islamic cultural landmark that accommodates over 40,000 worshippers.^[60] These innovations underscore the arch's enduring role in promoting environmental efficiency and cultural identity in postmodern designs as of 2025.

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Tinmal Mosque - Madain Project (en)
Multifoil arches also run along the northern edge of this aisle, further setting it apart from the rest of the mosque. All these decorative flourishes also ...Overview · Architecture · Minaret · Qibla Transept
[28]
Djama'a al-Kebir (Great Mosque) - Discover Islamic Art
The front of this aisle is marked out from the courtyard by a poly-lobed arch that is higher than the rest. The rhythmic positioning of the pillars is ...
[29]
The Great Mosque of Tlemcen - Muslim Heritage
Dec 8, 2004 · The slender ribs, which were thrown from the side over the triple arches, intersect numerous times to create a large multi-pointed star at the ...
[30]
[PDF] 13-1 Court of the Lions, Palace of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada ...
The Palace of the Lions, named for its fountain's unusual statues, is distinctly Islamic in the use of multilobed pointed arches and the interweaving of Arabic ...Missing: cusped | Show results with:cusped
[31]
The Alhambra - Data, Photos & Plans - WikiArquitectura
The horseshoe arches are replaced by stilted and slightly flared arches, stalactite or false arches foiled arches. Decoration. The walls are covered with ...
[32]
[PDF] Martand Sun Temple: An exposition of the Architectural Features
This paper attempts to understand Martanda's architectural feats by incorporating oral traditions as well as archaeological findings from the site. Key words: ...
[33]
Indo-Islamic Architecture: A Synthesis of Traditions - Sarit Classes
Shah Jahan (Zenith): White marble, pietra dura, symmetry. Taj Mahal, Red Fort Delhi. Aurangzeb: Decline in patronage. Badshahi Mosque, Bibi ka Maqbara ...
[34]
The Qutb complex and early Sultanate architecture - Smarthistory
The Qutb complex includes a 12th-century mosque, the oldest in Delhi, with gateways, tombs, screens, and colonnades, built with Persian, Islamic, and Indian ...The Qutb Complex And Early... · The Qutb Mosque And... · The Qutb Complex Today
[35]
"the mighty defensive fort": - red fort at delhi under shahjahan - jstor
On all its sides are three arches (chashma-i tāq) which rest on pillars (pāyadār) and are multi-foliated (marghulidär). They are in all 12 in number. In the ...
[36]
Architecture - Taj Mahal
It has a multi-faceted shaft, a capital builtup from miniature arches, concave elements and a base with four multi-cusped arched panels.Proportions and details ...
[37]
(PDF) Chhatri element in the Mughal Architecture - Academia.edu
Mughal architecture is rich in a decoration. Chhatris the floral motif, chhatri elements placed as a decoration in Islamic and Mughal architecture.
[38]
How India's lattice buildings cool without air con - BBC
Sep 20, 2022 · Bathed in ivory white and punctuated with beautiful arches and "jaali" – perforated lattice screens – the office is both a visual ode to the ...Missing: hybridization multifoil chhatris
[39]
None
### Summary of Polylobed or Multifoil Arches in Romanesque Architecture in Aragón or Spain, Transmission from Islamic Sources, and Specific Examples
[40]
Chapter 13 The Limits of Otherness in - Brill
Mar 10, 2021 · ... polylobed arch, which was added to the imported Gothic language of Toledo's cathedral. It was Pierre Héliot who pointed out in 1965 that ...
[41]
[PDF] Otherness' in Space and Architecture - OAPEN Home
an angel is a polylobed arch similar to those built in the former mosque; it ... Toledo, Cathedral, St. Blaise Chapel. © Photo: Maria Portmann. 172 Fariña et ...
[42]
(PDF) Copying Córdoba? Toledo and Beyond - Academia.edu
Toledo's cathedral exemplifies a unique architectural hybridization ... polylobed arch scratched on one of the (late tenth-/early eleventh-century ...
[43]
[PDF] Stealing from the Saracens - islamic-study.org
... Qasr Al-Hallabat, the Great Mosques at Aleppo,. Hama, Harran, Diyarbakır ... multifoil arch emerged as a fur- ther evolution of the trefoil arch ...
[44]
Images of the Alcazar, Seville Spain. - Bluffton University
"The blind multifoil arches with sebqa tracery and decorative frames (the work of Sevillian master craftsmen) echo the decoration of the Giralda, the tower of ...
[45]
Introduction to Muslim Art and Ornaments
Oct 14, 2001 · The paper provided a comprehensive review of the main decorative means of the Muslim art consisting of geometry, calligraphy and floral (vegetable) decorations.
[46]
Gothic Cathedrals: Architecture & Divine Light
Dec 8, 2020 · These pointed arches were not only used for practical reasons; they were symbolically significant in that they pointed towards heaven.
[47]
(PDF) Islamic Architecture and Arch - ResearchGate
Oct 11, 2025 · Islamic architecture is characterized by arches employed in all types of buildings; most common uses being in arcades.Missing: paradise | Show results with:paradise<|separator|>
[48]
(PDF) Geometry, Construction and Structural Analysis of the Crossed-Arch Vault of the Chapel of Villaviciosa, in the Mosque of Córdoba
### Summary of Construction Techniques, Materials, Challenges, and Solutions for the Crossed-Arch Vault of the Chapel of Villaviciosa
[49]
Mathematics and the Islamic Architecture of Córdoba - MDPI
The interlocking arch as employed in Islamic architecture does not create order but rather ambiguity, weaving together elements in a way that is beyond ...<|separator|>
[50]
[PDF] History of Architecture III Delivered by - Dr MGR eLearning
The symbolic value of the formal Islamic garden was as an earthly anticipation of paradise. Inscriptions. Garden. Stalactite. Ar. Zakia - HOA IV - Dr. MGR Univ ...
[51]
The Use of Muqarnas in the Transitional Zone of Domes in Egyptian ...
Aug 10, 2025 · The fourth period is from the 1370s to the 1400s, when the local development of muqarnas based on corbeling and the multi-foil arch was ...
[52]
[PDF] The evolution of Islamic arches till 1250 - AUC Knowledge Fountain
Apr 27, 2011 · This would greatly explain the evolution of the corbelled shouldered-arch (rectangular curve), the keel arch and the pointed arch from a ...
[53]
A. W. N. Pugin: Master of Gothic Revival | A&AePortal
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812–1852) was one of the most influential architects and designers of the nineteenth century, a man whose ideas and design ...
[54]
A. W. N. Pugin and the Progress of Design as Applied to Manufacture
Pugin's unerring eye for pattern and color enabled him to adapt natural forms appropriately to produce brilliantly innovative flat pattern which would lay the ...Missing: multifoil cusped
[55]
Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, by Sir William Emerson
Sep 2, 2010 · Even apart from the Moghul-style corner domes, there are many Saracenic touches, like the carving round the window arches, which reveal the ...Missing: multifoil | Show results with:multifoil
[56]
A Brief History of Victoria Memorial, Kolkata - Rethinking The Future
Even with Indo-Saracenic influences, the buildings have iconic Indian features such as corbels in the frieze of the entablature, and jalis in the arches in the ...Missing: multifoil | Show results with:multifoil
[57]
Open Al-Andalus: Hispanic-Muslim Heritage Impact on Spanish ...
Oct 16, 2018 · This article attempts to provide some examples of said architecture found in different autonomous communities in Spain, examining them through four typologies.
[58]
https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/2063
[59]
Narsighar House / Sanjay Puri Architects - ArchDaily
Jun 17, 2024 · In addition to the traditional planning principles, elements of traditional Rajasthan architecture, including multifoil arched windows ...
[60]
The Ismaili Centre - Open House Festival
The Ismaili Centre, London, located in South Kensington, is a religious, cultural and social gathering space for the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim community.
[61]
Festival Plaza El Gouna / Studio Seilern Architects - ArchDaily
May 3, 2025 · ... multi-foil, pointed, and ogee arches. The passion for this motif is due to the regularly mystical/symbolic meanings associated with it, as ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[62]
(PDF) Contemporizing Islamic Architecture: Adaptive Design in ...
Aug 1, 2024 · This study investigates the impact of globalization on contemporary Islamic architecture within the religious building typology in regions ...
[63]
From Japan to Saudi Arabia: 8 Unbuilt Hospitality Projects ...
Aug 29, 2025 · The building's silhouette features pointed and multifoil arches, iconic elements of Islamic architecture, paying homage to the region's ...
[64]
Safety assessment of the Torre de la Vela in la Alhambra, Granada ...
Aug 1, 2022 · A 3D Finite Element model was prepared and validated to perform a safety assessment of the Torre de la Vela in the Alhambra of Granada ...
[65]
[PDF] USE OF 3D LASER TECHNOLOGIES IN THE RESTORATION ...
This article describes the process followed from data collection to the placement of the counterforms, emphasizing the digitalization and processing methodology ...
[66]
[PDF] PHOTOGRAMMETRIC AND LIDAR DOCUMENTATION OF THE ...
At present the Royal Chapel is under study for a detailed diagnostic analysis in order to evaluate the actual state of the chapel, pathologies, construction ...