Founded in 1998 based on an initiative of His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad, the Institute of Traditional Islamic Arts and Architecture (ITIAA) is the first institute in the Arab world entirely dedicated to teaching and the preservation of traditional arts and architecture of Islam.  It operates under the aegis of the Aal Al Bayt Foundation for Islamic Thought. Beginning with the mastery of geometry, biomorphic design, and calligraphy, students learn the three main ornamentations found in Islamic art. Later, students may move on to more traditional crafts such as wood-working, gypsum carving, ceramics, brass-working, and manuscript calligraphy.

 

 

 

Over the last decade, the Institute has grown in prestige and now undertakes significant projects in addition to its academic programs.  Its most exciting initiative was ITIAA students’ reconstruction of the Minbar, or pulpit, of Salah al-Din Ayyubi for the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The College awards the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Traditional Islamic Arts and is currently developing Master’s and PhD degree programs in Islamic Arts and Architecture. For more information about