An Investigation on the Effects of Architectural Features on Acoustical Environment of Historical Mosques

Fatma Yelkenci Sert,Özgül Yılmaz Karaman

doi:10.3390/acoustics3030036

Abstract

In the historical period, different mosques were built in the Anatolian side; the differences in size, typology and style were affected by the climate conditions, cultural and social aspects, availability of materials and the construction techniques of the region they were built in. The ceiling structure, which is the most influencing factor for mosque acoustics, is designed with either curvilinear elements or a flat ceiling for mosques. In the context of our case study, the eight historical mosques in Turkey, with different materials and types of ceiling structures, are investigated in terms of acoustical characteristics in the main prayer hall. Acoustical data are collected by measurements to reveal how the formal differences and material change in ceiling structures affect the acoustic environments of mosques with similar volume. Distribution of acoustical parameters and the suitability of the values obtained through measurements are compared to reflect the effect of architectural features on the acoustical characteristics of the prayer hall.

Highlights

Worship buildings have been important in communities throughout the history, because they are the manifestation of religions and beliefs in a society
Eight historical mosques built in the Aegean Region of Turkey were determined as research subjects to be compared and classified according to their acoustical characteristics
Acoustical parameter values of cases are different depending on the typology of the examined mosques, it is determined that all of them are in the acceptable range

Summary

Introduction

Worship buildings have been important in communities throughout the history, because they are the manifestation of religions and beliefs in a society. Religious structures are iconic examples of architectural history and, on the urban scale, they enrich the cities with their size and decoration, not to mention the architectural elements such as domes and minarets They help to impress the community with their interior spaces, and it can be stated that the acoustical perception affects the prayers even more than the visual perception, in terms of experiencing the space and the divine feeling during religious rituals [1]. The interval limits vary according to the function of the buildIn the literature, NC25-30 is the recommended noise interval for religious buildings [41]. Knudsen and Harris emphasized in their book that religious buildings have the nefor insulation from outside noise.

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