Maqsurah
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| These maqsurah arches, the mihrab behind it and the lateral doors on the right and left are from the Great Mosque of Cordoba. |
Maqsurah or maqsura is a structure most often associated with a portion of a mosque. In its earliest form, it was a screen or grille of wood used to protect a Muslim ruler and their party and shield them from the public. In some instances, it was used as a royal box. They also served to separate an area where Muslim saints might be buried.
To reflect their significant status in the mosque, some maqsurah were highly decorated and carved.
The earliest maqsurah dates back to between 644 and 656 CE at the Mosque of Medina. They continued to be built through the 1000s, but later became associated with a detached area of the mosque that was the designated space for communal prayer.
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