Discussion

Gateway to Paradise: The Art of Islamic Gardens

Dr. Hala Qasqas

From Andalusia to India, gardens have been an essential part of any Islamic civilisational architecture. Discover the significance and meaning behind gardens and how they were shaped through the centuries.

April 18, 2026

2:00-4:00 PM BST

Online on Zoom

Buy Recording £12

About Event

This lecture examines Islamic gardens and landscapes. It is a chronological survey of Islamic gardens that covers the period from Islam’s origins in the seventh century to the nineteenth century. The lecture’s overall objective is to highlight the diversity of the Islamic landscape spanning the region between Spain and India by looking closely at specific gardens, sites, and monuments

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Despite being chronologically structured, the lectures will ask more significant questions, like:
• What is the meaning and symbolism of the Islamic gardens?
• What were the ambitions of Islamic patrons in creating these gardens?
• In what ways did the landscape reflect their identities and desires?
• What about ornament in Islamic gardens, and did Islam ban figural imagery?
• Is ‘Islamic’ an appropriate designation for all we study?

Guest Artist

Experience an unparalleled discussion, bringing their unique vision and expertise to our stage.

Dr Hala Qasqas

Author & Islamic Art Educator

Hala Qasqas holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Art History from the University of Victoria. She is currently a Barakat Trust Postdoctoral Fellow at the Khalili Research Centre, University of Oxford, where her project focuses on the visual and material culture of Syrian shadow puppets.

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