Comments by "" (@premodernist_history) on "Why Mosques Look the Same" video.

  1.  @lucafaithfull7397  The Ottomans didn't have to model their mosques on the Hagia Sophia. The fact that they did is an example of cultural borrowing. Mimar Sinan, the Ottoman architect that he mentions in the video, came from a Christian family. The point he was making was not about the Hagia Sophia itself, but about the other mosques based on it, like the Suleimaniyye.
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  2. He meant that the Ottomans adopted a Christian style of architecture.
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  3. Also, there was cultural dialogue between Greeks and Turks. Many Greeks cooperated with the new Ottoman regime, including the Orthodox Church.
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  4. I wonder if part of this is due to Western cultural expectations that have been exported to the rest of the world. The stereotypical images of the mosque we see at the beginning of the video derive from Western movies and cartoons from the early and mid 20th century, which come from Ottoman styles. Europeans were far more aware of the Ottoman world than the rest of the Muslim world due to 19th-century European tourism. You note the power of the Ottomans, but the Mughals were arguably a more powerful empire. But the Mughals did not have as much impact on the European imagination. I'm glad to hear someone noting the continuity between the Byzantines and Ottomans. That is definitely underappreciated in modern perceptions of the Middle Ages.
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  5. 10:17 The mausoleum of Ataturk in Ankara is breathtakingly overwhelming in its size and starkness. I strongly encourage you to see it if you can. And very much NOT in keeping with Muslim values. It's a great example to include in this segment.
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