This course explores the architecture of the Middle East from antiquity to the present. The area covered stretches from Egypt in the west to Iran in the east and from Turkey in the north to the Arabian Peninsula in the south. While exploring this historically and culturally diverse region we will concentrate on religious and civic architecture. We will search for forms and themes that bind the ancient past to the medieval and modern landscapes, but will also be aware of the unique circumstances that shaped individual cities and architectural monuments.