AP Art History : Near Eastern Architecture
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Architecture
What is the key feature of Russian church architecture?
Flying buttresses
Diamond vaults
Onion domes
Pyramids
Flèche
Onion domes
An onion dome is a dome on top of a drum which is bulbous and larger than the structure it sits on, and comes to a point with a cross on it. Onion domes are the chief feature in Russian church architecture, adorning cathedrals in Russian Orthodox cultures. Onion domes are featured prominently in St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow and are a symbol of Russian culture.
Example Question #1 : Near Eastern Architecture
The Taj Mahal is a key example of the architectural style known as __________.
Islamic
Bengal
Persian
Mughal
Mughal
The Mughals created an empire that covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent in the sixteenth century, ruling a multi-ethnic and multi-religious grouping of peoples. Appropriately, Mughal arts and architecture were a blend of their native Persian styles, other Islamic styles, and native Indian art traditions. The Taj Mahal, built in 1632, is a mausoleum to Mumtaz Mahal, the third wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It has minaret-like towers, a large Ottoman-style dome, and many elements of traditional Hindu embellishment.
Example Question #2 : Near Eastern Architecture
Hindu temple architecture is defined in the works collectively known as __________.
the Mahabaratha
the Rig Veda
the Rhamayana
the Shilpa Shastras
the Bhagavad Gita
the Shilpa Shastras
Hindu temple architecture follows guidelines which call for a circular inner sanctum with the rest of the structure emanating from the center room. As with most ancient Hindu artistic traditions, the basic structures and rules for Hindu temple architecture are found in the group of works known as the Shilpa Shastras.
Example Question #1 : Answering Other Questions About Classical Architecture
The ancient Egyptian pyramids were built for what purpose?
Warehouses
Palaces
Temples
Forts
Tombs
Tombs
The Great Pyramids at Giza were the largest structures in the world for almost two thousand years from their construction in roughly 2500 BCE. Remarkably, the pyramids were built for a singular, one-time purpose as the tombs of Pharaohs and their families. The Pyramids were built away from other settlements, and were intended as massive monuments to the Pharaohs' power.
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