Dome of the Rock

Dome of the Rock
Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Dome of the Rock
Caption	The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount
Location	Jerusalem
Religious affiliation	Islam
Consecration year	691–692 CE
Functional status	Active
Architect	Raja ibn Haywa, Yazid ibn Salam
Architecture type	Shrine
Architecture style	Umayyad architecture
Groundbreaking	687 CE
Year completed	691–692 CE
Dome height outer	35.3 meters (116 ft)
Materials	Marble, mosaic, gold

Dome of the Rock. An iconic Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Commissioned by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan and completed around 691–692 CE, it is one of the oldest surviving works of Islamic architecture. Its distinctive golden dome and elaborate Byzantine-inspired mosaics dominate the skyline of Jerusalem, making it a globally recognized symbol of the city.

Architecture and design

The structure is a masterpiece of early Umayyad architecture, built on a raised platform and centered around a large rock. Its design features a wooden dome, originally covered in lead and later gilded with gold, resting on a high cylindrical drum supported by an arcade of piers and columns. The architectural plan reflects a synthesis of existing traditions, heavily influenced by nearby Byzantine and Syrian Christian structures like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Cathedral of Bosra. The interior and exterior are adorned with lavish decorative programs, including marble revetments, mosaics, and ornate Kufic script inscriptions. The architects credited with its construction are Raja ibn Haywa and Yazid ibn Salam, who oversaw the project for Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan.

Religious significance

The site is profoundly sacred in Islam, as it commemorates the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad, during which he is believed to have ascended to heaven from the rock. This event is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Al-Isra. While not a mosque for congregational prayer, it is considered a masjid and a revered shrine. The rock itself is also venerated in Judaism as the Foundation Stone, the traditional site of the Binding of Isaac and the location of the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple. This overlapping sanctity makes the Temple Mount one of the most contested religious sites in the world.

History and construction

Construction began in 687 CE under the orders of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan and was completed around 691–692 CE. Historical sources like al-Muqaddasi suggest the caliph's motivations were multifaceted, including establishing a monumental Islamic presence in Jerusalem, potentially rivaling the grandeur of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and creating a pilgrimage destination. The structure has undergone several major restorations, most notably under the Ottoman Suleiman the Magnificent, who added the distinctive Iznik tiles to the exterior in the 16th century. Further significant renovations were carried out in the 20th century, including the replacement of the lead dome with a gold-anodized aluminum one by King Hussein of Jordan.

Inscriptions and decoration

The interior is renowned for its extensive program of mosaics and Kufic script inscriptions, which are among the earliest surviving examples of Quranic calligraphy in architecture. The mosaic work, executed by Byzantine craftsmen, features intricate vegetal motifs, jeweled crowns, and vases, deliberately avoiding human and animal forms in accordance with Islamic aniconism. The lengthy inscription band includes verses from the Quran, such as passages from Surah Maryam and Surah Al-Imran, and explicitly proclaims the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad, while also containing polemical texts against the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The exterior was later embellished with brilliant blue Iznik tiles commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent.

Political and cultural status

The shrine stands at the heart of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, as its location on the Temple Mount (known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif) is central to both Israeli and Palestinian national identities. Administration of the site falls under the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a Jordanian-appointed trust. Its image is a potent national symbol, featured on Palestinian currency and in the iconography of various political movements. Access to the compound is a persistent source of tension, often sparking clashes, such as those during the Second Intifada. The site's status remains a core issue in international diplomacy concerning Jerusalem, with its preservation and sovereignty contested among Israel, the Palestinian National Authority, and Jordan.

Category:Islamic shrines Category:Buildings and structures in Jerusalem Category:Umayyad architecture