RELIGIOUS STRUCTURE, ISLAMIC (11 whs)

Ardabil
Bagerhat
Divrigi
Kairouan
Masjed-e Jâme'
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Minaret of Jam
Qutb Minar
Selimiye Mosque
Soltaniyeh

http://www.worldheritagesite.org/categories/category13.html

My selection

Ardabil (sufism)
Divrigi
Kairouan (one of the holiest cities)
Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Qutb Minar (Symbol of Islam in India, tallest brick minaret in the world)
Selimiye Mosque

My selection:

Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Qutb Minar

I checked with "Islam. Art and architecture" - the no. 1 book that I know of that fully covers this subject.

Not included there are: Bagerhat, Masjed-e Jâme'
Mentioned only in passing: Divrigi, Qutb Minar (as example of Mughal architecture), Selimiye Mosque, Minaret of Jam, Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Own entry: Ardabil (regional center, Sufism)
Extensively written about: Kairouan, Soltaniyeh

Sites that feature more prominently in the book and are also WHS (in different categories):
Dome of the Rock/Aqsa Mosque (Jerusalem), Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Aleppo, Algiers, Alhambra, Bukhara, Cairo, Cordoba, Damascus, Fez, Istanbul, Khiva, Kunya Urgench, Marrakech, Merv, Palermo (!), Samarkand, Seville, Toledo, Tunis

In the light of my post above, and which important Islamic sites are still to come, I would limit the number that we choose from this category.

- Religious importance, Sunni: Kairouan (many consider the city as the fourth holiest in Islam)
- Representing Sufism: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (Khodja Ahmed Yasawi is one of the most prominent religious figures in the history of Sufism)
- not one of the most important Shia sites is on this list
- Representing important stages in Islamic architecture: Soltaniyeh (for its dome/cupola)

Not sure we have any major Shia site anywhere on the WH list (the ones that spring to mind are Najaf in Iraq, Qom and Mashhad in Iran), so I would support adding Meidan Emam and its 2 mosques (and which has the added advantage of representing Safavid architecture).

my selection:

Minaret of Jam
Qutb Minar
Selimiye Mosque

My selection:

Ardabil
Divrigi
Kairouan
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Meidan Emam, Esfahan
Qutb Minar
Selimiye Mosque
Soltaniyeh

This is what makes this category so hard for me, since I know I'll be choosing several of these sites in other categories. Accordingly, here are a few from this category that I'd pick:

Kairouan -- considered the fourth holiest city in Islam, and an important center of learning in North Africa in the 9th century
Meidan Emam, Esfahan -- former royal square at the heart of a former capital of the Persian empire; surrounded by monumental buildings
Minaret of Jam -- outstanding example of Islamic architecture in central Asia; beautiful brick and tile work
Ardabil -- shrine of a prominent Sufi master; represents sufism

Status so far

Ardabil (Sufism)
Kairouan (one of the holiest cities)
Meidan Emam, Esfahan ( Shia site)
Qutb Minar (Representing South Asia, Tallest brick minaret in world)

Others

Divrigi
Minaret of Jam
Selimiye Mosque
Soltaniyeh

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Masjed-e Jâme'
Bagerhat

Summarizing, with a slight correction from the above:

Kairouan (one of the holiest cities)
Meidan Emam, Esfahan ( Shia site)
Qutb Minar (Representing South Asia, Tallest brick minaret in world)

Others
Ardabil (Sufism)
Divrigi
Minaret of Jam
Selimiye Mosque
Soltaniyeh - Representing important stages in Islamic architecture (for its dome/cupola)
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi - representing Sufism

Masjed-e Jâme'
Bagerhat

Still "catching up" . I assess - YES = 6 MAYBE = 1, NO = 4 . But I am trying VERY hard not to be "Eurocentric!!!

-Ardabil - YES - ICOMOS wasn't entirely happy with the proposed Comparative analysis (particularly the choice of the buildings used, which it characterised as being only of "regional" importance) but concluded that "the comparison with the selected properties in the nomination dossier is convincing and demonstrates that the nominated property reflects the best of Sufic philosophy in its architectural forms and decorations, has influenced the design of structures that are included in the properties selected for comparison, has retained a greater variety of buildings and spaces, and in this way made manifest in a higher and clearer manner the logical relationship between the ceremonial, service, and worship spaces and the religious path of Safavi Sufism." Just about I suppose!

-Bagerhat - NO - Have visited - of regional interest/significance only

-Divrigi - MAYBE - Have visited -Surprisingly the only "Anatolian" Seljuk building on the List. Very fine carving and architectural concepts BUT - only a single structure. Is it significant enough? Really needs to be looked at with other "maybe" buildings from e.g Europe

-Kairouan - YES - Have visited - seems to get in because of its stated "Holiness" and "age"

-Masjed-e Jâme' - NO - "the mosque represents a condensed history of Iranian Architecture." (Wiki) and "can be seen as a stunning illustration of the evolution of mosque architecture over twelve centuries, starting in ad 841. It is the oldest preserved edifice of its type in Iran and a prototype for later mosque designs throughout Central Asia" (UNESCO). However the "comparative analysis" is highly technical and detailed as to whether this structure e.g "demonstrated the unique role of the Taj al-Molk dome as the most perfect example of a dome structure in Islamic architecture, .(or) ... of the associated knowledge and philosophies expressed in its proportions and decoration" (ICOMOS concludes it didnt!). I don't see that it adds anything particularly special in World terms - unlike Isfahan's later Meidan Emam.

-Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi - NO - its main claim seems to relate to its representation of Timurid architectectur. The AB states "The capital cities of the empire, Samarkand and Bukhara .... comprised some of the principal buildings and ensembles, in particular the Bibi Khanum Mosque, which is comparable with the Mausoleum of Yasawi in its size and architecture." ICOMOS also comments that its significance "in this context lies in its being a prototype, where the architectural and artistic solutions where experimented under the control of the emperor himself. The Mausoleum has also better preserved its integrity and authenticity than most of the other buildings, such as those in Samarkand, which have later been partly rebuilt or modified. ". Is this enough for an architectural style which is already going to represented by Samarkand? I think not. Nor am I convinced about its significance in "Sufic" terms - in fact ICOMOS rejected the criterion which mentioned it..

-Meidan Emam, Esfahan - YES - Have visited - a "unique" and "iconic" complex with its 2 fine mosques and a palace - all set within a Polo field! En passant it also brings in Safavid and Shia.

-Minaret of Jam - NO - has to be a choice v Qtb Minar - which just gets it IMO.

-Qutb Minar - YES - Have visited - I am unable to rate this as clearly as others so far have. OK it is higher than Jam but on the other hand was inspired by it. Compared with Jam it has a fine collection of other buildings and also the "Iron Pillar" - so it just "shades" it!

-Selimiye Mosque - YES - Have visited -I really do not see how this 16th C masterpeice can be left out. "It was considered by Sinan to be his masterpiece and is one of the highest achievements of Islamic architecture." (Wiki). The equivalent of several European sites consisting of a single Cathedral which are getting in!

-Soltaniyeh - YES - Yet another Iranian site in this Category (4 out of 11!) It does seem to be very significant in Islamic architectural terms "Pope calls it "one of Persia's supreme architectural achievements" (Pope, 1965: 172). S. Blair and J. Bloom present it as "one of the masterpieces of world architecture" (Hattstein, 2000: 396). The building is important as a key reference in the development of the Islamic architecture from the Seljuk
period (11th to early 13th centuries) to the Timurid period(late 14th to 15th centuries; e.g. Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum in Kazakhstan, Bukhara and Samarqand). " (AB comparative anal). All this could be said to be of rather "Niche" significance - relating to "a sub group of a sub group"! On the other hand, my ignorance of those "Ilkhanids," might be unjustifiably telling against it! I will vote for it on the basis that it is "a key monument in the history of Islamic architecture. Visually it is one of the most impressive standing remains from the medieval period in Iran. It is particularly significant due to the innovative design of its double-shelled dome and its interior decoration, and has been recognized as a major reference in the evolution of Islamic architecture. "

I don't have enough knowledge in this category, but I wanted to 2nd Solivagant's position on the Selimiye Mosque. It is undeniably stunning.

Selimiye Mosque has the support of 5/7 and should be upgraded to bold.
Ardabil has the support of 4/6, maybe an upgrade to bold too?

With 5 votes Selimiye Mosque should be upgraded. I personally favors Ardabil, but the final decision lies on the group( 4 votes make it a border case).