Riwaq (arcaded portico)

A riwaq, called revak in Turkish, is an arcaded portico: a covered walkway, open on one side, carried by a row of arches resting on columns or piers. It may run around all four sides of a courtyard or stretch along a single front. Its job is simple. It gives shelter from sun and rain and makes a gentle transition between the open court and the rooms behind it.

The riwaq in Turkish architecture

Ottoman mosque courtyards are usually enclosed by arcades whose bays are each covered by a small dome, so the roofline reads as a rhythmic chain of domes. In madrasas the arcade runs in front of the student cells and links their doors to the courtyard. Caravanserais and urban inns use the same idea around their courts. The latecomers’ portico in front of a mosque prayer hall can be seen as a special case of the riwaq.

Structure and survey

Load travels from the roof into the arches, from the arches onto the capitals, and down through the columns or piers. Within the row, neighbouring arches balance each other’s horizontal thrust. At the ends of the row, though, that thrust has to go somewhere, which is why end bays often have a heavier pier, a tie rod or a buttress.

• Column or pier
• Capital and impost block
• Arcade and tie rods
• Dome or vault covering

In a measured survey, never assume the bays are identical; historic arcades often vary slightly from bay to bay. Copying one bay is quick in a 3D model, but checking each measured opening keeps the model faithful to the survey.