The Mughals created an empire that covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent in the sixteenth century, ruling a multi-ethnic and multi-religious grouping of peoples. Appropriately, Mughal arts and architecture were a blend of their native Persian styles, other Islamic styles, and native Indian art traditions. The Taj Mahal, built in 1632, is a mausoleum to Mumtaz Mahal, the third wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It has minaret-like towers, a large Ottoman-style dome, and many elements of traditional Hindu embellishment.

Hindu temple architecture follows guidelines which call for a circular inner sanctum with the rest of the structure emanating from the center room. As with most ancient Hindu artistic traditions, the basic structures and rules for Hindu temple architecture are found in the group of works known as the Shilpa Shastras.

The Great Pyramids at Giza were the largest structures in the world for almost two thousand years from their construction in roughly 2500 BCE. Remarkably, the pyramids were built for a singular, one-time purpose as the tombs of Pharaohs and their families. The Pyramids were built away from other settlements, and were intended as massive monuments to the Pharaohs' power.

The Temple of Borobudur was built by Śailendra Dynasty on the island of Java in Indonesia. It is built like a three-dimensional mandala which played a part in the concept of a path in Buddhism.

A "minaret" is a tower on a mosque from which a crier, or muezzin, calls the faithful to prayer. A "minbar" is a podium for a reader of the Koran. The "qibla wall," found in the prayer hall, points the believer towards Mecca.

One of the most important features of any mosque, a Muslim place of worship, is the space to broadcast the regular call to prayer. In the Middle Ages particularly, this was achieved through building a thin, tall tower at one corner of the mosque. This high tower was called a "minaret" and was often the tallest building in a medieval Islamic society.

Minarets are tall shafts. Each contains a staircase and a gallery, from which a muezzin calls Muslims to pray five times each day. Daily prayer is an important element of Islamic life.

An architrave is the structure that rests above the tops of columns and is found primarily in Greek and Roman architecture. All the other techniques or components are found in Islamic architecture. Examples include the following:

Joggled voussoirs: Madrasa-Mausoleum-Mosqure of Sultan Hasan, Cairo

Muquarnas: Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada

Mosaics: Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Wooden strapwork: Kutubiya Minbar, Marrakesh

Calligraphy is the one of the most common artistic expressions due to adherence to Qur'an ideals that prevent idolatry by banning the artistic rendering of figures. Mosaic is characteristic of Islamic architecture, but calligraphy is present in both architecture and sculpture.

The qibla is the wall in a mosque oriented toward Mecca that indicates the direction of prayer for the congregation. The minbar is a niche in the qibla wall, often arched like a doorway or passage toward Mecca, while the minbar is a raised, stepped platform from which the imam addresses the congregation. The minaret is a tall, slender tower in a mosque from which the faithful are called to prayer.