Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

The Cultural Capitals of Islam: 1.Mecca 2.Isfahan
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Cyrus Shahmiri View Drop Down
Administrator
Administrator
Avatar
King of Kings

Joined: 07-Aug-2004
Location: Iran
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6240 		  Quote Cyrus Shahmiri Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Cultural Capitals of Islam: 1.Mecca 2.Isfahan
    Posted: 26-Dec-2005 at 10:17

On January 1, 2006, the flag-hoisting ceremony marking the official announcement of the city of Isfahan as the cultural capital of the Islamic world will be attended by representatives from 57 Islamic countries. The city of Isfahan will also become one of the world seven major cities registered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Back to Top
ok ge View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 29-Aug-2005
Location: Saudi Arabia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1775 		  Quote ok ge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Dec-2005 at 13:37

Mecca was never a cultural center physically and surprisingly not even a capital for any Independant Islamic state.

However, talking about cultural aspects of the city itself. No other city in the Islamic world (perhaps even the whole world) where you can find such a cultured city. This is due to the fact that demographically the population is mixed and descending from Malay, Kurds, Arabs (all regions almost including Berbers), Central Asians (mainly Uzbek Saudis), Africans,  Turks, and South Asians,  that are in a contineous mixing and melting process. It is difinitely what makes Meccans too rich in cultural habbits, food, and customes.

D.J. Kaufman
Wisdom is the reward for a lifetime of listening ... when youd have preferred to talk.
Back to Top
Zagros View Drop Down
Emperor
Emperor

Suspended

Joined: 11-Aug-2004
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 8792 		  Quote Zagros Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-Dec-2005 at 17:22
It means capital as in the centre of culture rather than a physical capital of a polity.
Back to Top
Mortaza View Drop Down
Tsar
Tsar
Avatar

Joined: 21-Jul-2005
Location: Turkey
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3711 		  Quote Mortaza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27-Dec-2005 at 02:51

well so now both of  this cities were capital of culture.

specialy Mecca.  It is  religious center, not cultural.

for Isfahan, It was one of  cultural  center, but not anymore.

 

 

 
Back to Top
Iranian41ife View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke
Avatar

Joined: 24-Dec-2005
Location: Tajikista
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1832 		  Quote Iranian41ife Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-Dec-2005 at 13:17
isfahan is definetly the cultural capitol of the islamic world! but im not sure if many islamists will like this fact, its quite a liberal city right now, once the mullahs are gone it wont really be "islamic" in the way mecca or medinah are.
Back to Top
shayan View Drop Down
Samurai
Samurai
Avatar

Joined: 03-May-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 106 		  Quote shayan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05-May-2006 at 14:01
well i think that isfahan is kinda conservative compair to Bandar Abbas, Kish, Shiraz, Tehran, Shomal.
It could be liberal but not more or less liberal than other cities in Iran.
Personally i love the paintings in 40 sotoon. This really shows a lot of Iranian culture in the renaissance.
Iran parast
Back to Top
Kapikulu View Drop Down
Arch Duke
Arch Duke
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 07-Aug-2004
Location: Berlin
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1914 		  Quote Kapikulu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-May-2006 at 11:34

I believe Damascus and Baghdad shall be added to that list of cultural capitals,too, as they both have importance in development of the Islamic culture.
We gave up your happiness
Your hope would be enough;
we couldn't find neither;
we made up sorrows for ourselves;
we couldn't be consoled;

A Strange Orhan Veli
Back to Top
Mila View Drop Down
Tsar
Tsar
Avatar
Retired AE Moderator

Joined: 17-Sep-2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4030 		  Quote Mila Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-May-2006 at 13:09
Isfahan is a beautiful city and I think it makes a nice choice. If
you removed all the Islamic architecture and landmarks, there'd
be very little left to see so the current manifestation of the city
truly is a credit to the Islamic world.

It's not like, for example, Sarajevo - where if you removed
everything Islamic you'd still have two thirds of the city (Austro-
Hungarian and modern districts) left standing.

I don't think Mecca should be a cultural capital. The Saudis
have basically purged the place of any culture it did have and
white-washed the whole area. A religious capital, sure... but
Mecca seems more to me like an Islam-Walmart than a cultural
capital these days.
[IMG]http://img272.imageshack.us/img272/9259/1xw2.jpg">
Back to Top
kingofmazanderan View Drop Down
Earl
Earl


Joined: 24-Feb-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 265 		  Quote kingofmazanderan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-May-2006 at 20:27

 

I agree Baghdad should be added to the list as well. 

Back to Top
Master_Blaster View Drop Down
Pretorian
Pretorian


Joined: 14-May-2006
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 176 		  Quote Master_Blaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-May-2006 at 20:05

Originally posted by Mila

I don't think Mecca should be a cultural capital. The Saudis
have basically purged the place of any culture it did have and
white-washed the whole area. A religious capital, sure... but
Mecca seems more to me like an Islam-Walmart than a cultural
capital these days.

 

ROFL! I will definitely have to agree with Mila jaan on that! The Saudi royal family has turned the holiest city in Islam into a commercialized, Western-influenced, boomtown.
 
Originally posted by kingofmazanderan

 I agree Baghdad should be added to the list as well. 

 
Baghdad has always been a center of Arab thought but other Iraqi cities - not so much Islamic thought.


Edited by Master_Blaster - 17-May-2006 at 20:08
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.094 seconds.