Why Was Baghdad Constructed as a Round City Rather Than a Square City?

The city of Baghdad was built in a circular design based on Persian precedents making it the original core of Muslim urbanism. Abu Jafar built the city in this form because circles were important symbols to Muslims and a circular city had a number of advantages than a square city. By putting the monarch in the center of the round city, most sections would be equidistance for him and for the people who want to get to the monarch. People within the city could be able to move freely by transport their goods and accessing other services like water more efficiently. Compared to a square city, only some parts of the city will be close to the monarch as the distance from the center of the city will not be equivalent making activities within the city a little tiresome to carry out. Making a square city with walls could have also been less space effective as the walls could have occupied larger areas leaving little room for building and navigating the city. Around city, wall was also cheaper to build and easy to defend with no weak corner points with the double wall giving it a defensive nature. The city was built round with very thick and high walls that were instrumental in making it easy to defend the city in case of attacks. The city also made many things easier for example; the round walls made it easy to view around the city whenever there was an incoming danger, thereby increasing security and transportation also became easier within the city. The city, therefore, endowed a number of advantages because of its spacious gates and walls, what has remained to be admired across the world.

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What would be the purpose of the fasils?

Al-Mansur builds two fasils or defensive fields that were associated with warfare. The family in Baghdad city were designed for military bases and defense in warfare. Between the two main gates were two fasils with the inner and outer wall that were instrumental in protecting the city from potential aggressors. Nobody was allowed to live between the walls or build anything between the walls as this area was mainly left for the soldiers to patrol and protect the city. The fasils were also important in the fortification of the wall around the city providing symbolic functions like representing the independence and status of the people embraced. It gave the people assurance of their safety, especially from floods and enemies. The fortified walls and the fasils were not only designed for military bases, and defense in warfare but also they took a more indistinct role in civic life by dividing the city by military force. The fasils also allowed the authorities to defend the city residents by monitoring who passed from one side to another. These were, therefore, instrumental in protecting the city and its people.

What sat on top of the green dome? What was the purpose of this object?

Al-Mansur builds a mosque and a palace that had a reception diwan of about thirty by twenty cubits that its ceiling formed a dome. The green dome with a lot of sculpture had a symbolic meaning of the city. It was considered as a sign of the resting place of the Muslims beloved ones. The green dome was about 80 m high in the central part of the palace that could be seen a distance from Bagdad having a horseman figure with a lance in his hand. The horseman figure on the green dome carried a story that has spiritual and historical significance.

Whenever the figure holding a lance pointed a given direction, it showed that rebels and enemies were bound to make their appearance from that direction. Thus, it always points in the direction of the enemies of the people in Baghdad city. The horseman on the green dome was also seen as a talisman linking all Muslims figural tradition to Islamic palace. The horseman figure was also important because of its green color that protected it from inclement weather and its function in notifying the soldiers on any impending attack and danger. The green dome has become part of architectural vocabulary Islamic culture, and it fills Muslims with affection and love with the horseman representing and symbolizing imperial authority.

What gives you the idea that al-Mansur, the caliph, kept tight control over his empire?

Al-Mansur founded the largest polities in Baghdad called the Abbasid Caliphate to institutionalize and stabilize his control after playing a part in defeating the resistance of Umayyad. Al-Mansur during his caliphate led his army to become a governor after destroying the Umayyad Caliph with the remaining Umayyad army taking refuge in Garrison. This made him promise safe conduct during his Caliph. During this period, he was able to defeat a number of revolts emanating from ambitious army commanders. Al-Mansur was also instrumental in cutting the Abbasid free from their movement that gave them power and he became involved with the murder of many powerful people in the movement. He also brought the death of Abu, an individual who help him in becoming a Caliph. Such acts helped him to take succession by favoring his son making it easy today to trace the descendants of Al-Mansur in Baghdad. Control of his empire by removing potential rivals and dissociating Abbasid from their extremist supporters. Al-Mansur achievement was, however, was not founded on the power of the military.

One of his most remembered monument is the city of Baghdad wherein 762 work began at his command. Al-Mansur decision to building Bagdad was because of the relentlessness of Basra, Iraq, and Kufah and forcing Abbasids to stay. Another thing that gave Al-Mansurmore control was his significance in the construction of Baghdad in the Iranian dynasty. Al-Mansur also builds a new capital that led to the bureaucracy that he brought through Iranian influence that provided a powerful base for his empire. Thus through his political measure, he firmly built Abbasid caliphate, his empire.