what is a minaret

A minaret is a tall, slender tower that is typically built into or adjacent to mosques. They are a significant feature of Islamic architecture and are used to project the Muslim call to prayer (adhan) . Minarets can have a variety of forms, from thick, squat towers to soaring, pencil-thin spires. They are generally constructed in a wide variety of forms ranging from thick, squat, spiral ramps to soaring, delicate, pencil-thin spires. The towers shaft has a cylindrical, cuboid (square), or octagonal shape, and stairs or ramps inside the tower climb to the top in a counter-clockwise fashion. Some minarets have two or three narrow staircases fitted inside one another in order to allow multiple individuals to safely descend and ascend simultaneously. Minarets also served as landmarks and symbols of Islams presence. They were built to be "landmarks of Islam" and to be visible from afar and to stamp a site with Islamic character.