About this Event
Join Diana Darke on an exclusive architectural tour of Cambridge, highlighting the many Islamic influences on view in some of Cambridge's most iconic monuments, from the Round Church, to St John's College Great Gate and King's College Chapel. She will trace myriad decorative details - like the heraldic yales, lions, fleur-de-lys, and even the Tudor Rose - pointing out the stained glass craftsmanship and engineering marvels that originated centuries earlier in Ayyubid Syria, Fatimid Sicily and Moorish Spain. Along the way, she will also explain how these sophisticated designs and styles arrived in England and revolutionised our country's architecture forever.
The tour will start from the Round Church.
About Diana Darke
Diana Darke is a Middle East cultural historian with special focus on Syria. She is a graduate of Oxford University (Arabic) and London University SOAS (Islamic Art and Architecture). Her recent acclaimed books include 'Stealing from the Saracens' and 'Islamesque', which both explore the Islamic backstory to Gothic and Romanesque architecture.
About The Cambridge Festival of Islamic Arts
The Cambridge Festival of Islamic Arts runs from 19 to 29 November 2026, bringing performances, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to Cambridge's historic colleges, museums, and cultural spaces. Open to everyone, the festival celebrates the beauty and diversity of Islamic arts, and, fifty years on from the landmark 1976 World of Islam Festival, carries that spirit into our own time. Find out more at cfia.co.uk.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Round Church, 9a Bridge Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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