The thesis has revealed and has put forward the arguments how, under the influence of external factors, the ancient heritage of the Roman Empire, local natural climatic conditions and architectural and construction traditions, the signs of the national identity of the Algerian Islamic School of Architecture were formed. It has specified the manifestations of national identity and borrowed traditions in the architecture of mosques, and has developed recommendations for designing of new mosques in the national forms.
The Islamic Architecture School of Algeria was formed on the background of historical changes, a constant change of ruling dynasties, as well as under the influence of specific climatic conditions and ethnic features.
For the first time, the architectural periodization of Algerian mosques with the characteristics of each period was determined (the first period - a combination of Arab, Berber, Persian influences, distribution of a mosques of hypostyle type; the second period - the influence of the Andalusian architecture, the occurrence of large decoration; the third period - the preference for greater functionality in the construction of mosques, the final formation of a Maghreb type mosque; the fourth period did not play a significant role in the periodization of Algerian mosques, but this period was marked by the active construction of madrassahs; the fifth period – the influence of the Spanish and Portuguese architecture and construction traditions, decoration; the sixth period - a period of eclecticism and mixing of traditions under the Ottoman rule).
On the basis of the methodology of the system-structural analysis, the principles of location of mosques in the urban environment, planning schemes and proportional construction are determined; the basic elements are analyzed and systematized; the structural layouts and decoration are studied. Mosques are analyzed from the enlarged urban-planning level (location in the urban environment) to the object level (planning, compositional construction) and element-by-element level (component elements of the superstructure of the mosque, structural systems, decorative finishing of facades and interiors). Then, the peculiarities of different hierarchical levels of mosques are compared with the architectural periodization and geography of location, which enables identifying national signs and external influences in the Algerian Islamic architectural school.
It has been proved that the national forms of the mosques of Algeria are expressed as follows: in the domeless Maghreb and Kharijites mosques; in the prismatic minaret with several tiers or the tapered upward minaret with acute-angle elements of crowning, taking into account seismic activity; in the use of a hypostyle type mosque with crowning of each nave with a double sloping roof; and in the use of lightweight wooden roof structures.
According to the method of system-structural analysis, the thesis has formulated the determining features of national identity and external influences in the architecture of Algerian Mosques since 11th century till 1830; it has been determined the regions with manifestation of signs of national identity in the architecture on the border with Morocco and in the valley of the M’zab river and regions with a combination of multiculturalism in architecture on the Mediterranean coast and on the border with Tunisia.
The practical recommendations for the planning of mosques in national forms are formulated - separately for the mosques of the Maghreb type and for the Kharijites mosques. It has been proved that the process of construction of new mosques should be in parallel with the development of the protection of monuments and restoration activities by expanding the list of objects under state protection and are included in the State or World Monuments Registry.
