Islamic Architecture: A Fixture in the American Landscape
18 November 2012
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Alhambra Theatre in San Francisco
Islamic Architecture: A Fixture in the American Landscape
If you travel across the USA you will come across buildings that display obvious features of Islamic architecture. Is this evidence of a long history of slow, creeping Islamization of America?
This was brought to our attention by Dawud Israel who writes,
A few weeks ago Zaytuna College had a presentation they aired online by Phil Pasquini on his new book “Domes, Arches and Minarets: A History of Islamic-Inspired Buildings in America.” This was a very fascinating talk but unfortunately, not many tuned in because of the American presidential debates. Well, I took some notes on that talk and am going to share some examples of Islamic architecture in America that Phil mentioned in his talk. Phil made the point he felt a book like this was needed in order to fight Islamophobia and hatred towards Muslims and Arabs in America and to show Islam is woven into the fabric of America in ways most don’t even fathom.
Most of these buildings hail from a style of architecture called “Moorish revival architecture” influenced largely by architecture in Spain or what was once Andalusia. Many of these buildings are used by Shriners and other fraternities who would call them temples or mosques though their members were not Muslim. Keep in mind these are NOT Muslim buildings, but used for secular purposes from the very first day they were built.
Below are photos of Philadelphia Lulu Temple
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Below is Angeles Abbey Memorial Park cemetery in Compton, California
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Below is Helena Civic Center in Montana was formerly Algerian Shriner temple
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There are a lot more pictures that one can view of Islamic architecture in buildings across the United States.
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