Iwan

/ˈɪwən/

/ˈiwɑn/

Iwan

a vaulted space or arched portal, often with a large open entrance, leading to a courtyard or central hall in Islamic architecture

Examples

1. If you ride a motorcycle, you might recognize this photo from Iwan in the UK.

2. In fact, this arch here is the open iwan, as it's called, that faces onto the courtyard, always north facing, so that when you sit there in the summer, the sun never shines directly into it, and it always catches the breezes.