Muqarnas

As Muqarnas (Arabic مقرنص, DMG muqarnas, also mukarnas; persian مقرنس, DMG moqarnas ) refers to a style element of Islamic architecture. It is generally used as a top component in niches or in the interstices in the transition between a square base and a dome.

Muqarnas is usually of a large number ogive -like elements that are in and one over the other, so as to form a transition between the niche and the wall or between the walls and the dome. Complexes, artfully designed muqarnas almost reminiscent of caves and are therefore also referred to as Stalaktitendekoration.

It came in the middle of the 10th century as an architectural element and quickly spread throughout the Islamic territory from Spain to Central Asia, sometimes even to Indonesia.