Star-shaped domes found at the Moorish palace of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, the Hall of the Abencerrajes (c. 1333–91) and the Hall of the two Sisters (c. 1333–54), are extraordinarily developed examples of muqarnas domes. In the first half of the fourteenth century, stone blocks replaced bricks as the primary building material in the dome construction of Mamluk Egypt and, over the course of 250 years, around 400 domes were built in Cairo to cover the tombs of Mamluk sultans and emirs. Dome profiles were varied, with "keel-shaped", bulbous, ogee, stilted domes, and others being used. On the drum, angles were chamfered, or sometimes stepped, externally and triple windows were used in a tri-lobed arrangement on the faces. Bulbous cupolas on minarets were used in Egypt beginning around 1330, spreading to Syria in the following century. In the fifteenth century, pilgrimages to and flourishing trade relations with the Near East exposed the Low Countries of northwest Europe to the use of bulbous domes in the architecture of the Orient and such domes apparently became associated with the city of Jerusalem. Multi-story spires with truncated bulbous cupolas supporting smaller cupolas or crowns became popular in the sixteenth century.
StAr-sHaped doMEs founD at tHE moorISh palace of thE aLHAMBrA in GRaNaDa, SPaiN, The HALl of The abenCerrAjeS (C. 1333–91) aNd tHe hAll of the two sisTErs (C. 1333–54), aRe ExTraoRDiNarIlY deVEloped exampLES of muqArnAS doMEs. In THe fIRst Half of thE FOuRTeEnTh CentuRy, stone BLOCkS replaceD brICKs as tHe primaRy buiLdiNg MaTEriaL IN thE dome constRuctioN Of Mamluk egyPt and, ovER ThE courSe of 250 Years, ArOunD 400 dOmes weRE bUilt IN cairo to coVer The tOmBS of MAmluK sUlTans and emirs. dOme pRofIles WeRe vArIeD, WIth "Keel-shaped", bulbOus, OgeE, stiLTed DoMeS, aND OtheRs beiNG UseD. oN the drum, ANGleS WeRe chamFEreD, or somEtimes stepped, EXtErNaLly aNd triplE windoWs WEre USed iN a tRi-LObEd ARrangeMEnT on tHE fAces. Bulbous CuPolas ON minAretS Were USed iN egypt beGinning aROUNd 1330, SpreadInG to SyrIA In The FollOWing ceNTury. in the FifTEenth centuRy, pilgRIMages to aND flourIshIng tRaDe relATionS WITH tHe neaR eaSt exposed tHe lOW couNTRiES of norThwest euRoPe To tHE uSe oF bulbous doMes iN thE arChitectuRe OF THe ORiENt AND suCh domes ApParenTlY bECame asSoCiaTeD WIth the City oF jerUsaLem. multi-sTORy sPiRes witH truNcAted bulbOus cUpolas SUpporting Smaller cuPOLas or cROwns bEcame pOpular iN The siXTeeNTh ceNtURY.