DOME OF THE ROCK

Jerusalem, 691

Dating back over 1,300 years, the Dome of the Rock is the oldest surviving Islamic building in the world and a UNESCO world heritage site. It was built by Umayyad Caliph Abd al-malik between 688 and 691 on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, as a Muslim shrine for pilgrims at a time when Islam was emerging as a new faith. Located inside the shrine is the sacred Foundation Stone, the site where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended into Heaven during his Night Journey.

Interestingly, the Foundation Stone is also considered to be the place where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and therefore it is a sacred site in both Judaism and Christianity. While there is a lot of debate surrounding Abd al-malik’s reasons for commissioning the Dome of the Rock, it is commonly argued that the shrine served as a symbolic statement to both Christians and Jews that Islam was the superior faith, with its design rivalling the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also located in Jerusalem.

After the city was captured by the Crusaders during 1099, the building was handed to Augustinian priests, who transformed it into a Christian church. It was eventually given to the Knights Templar, who used it as their headquarters and renamed it the Templum Domini. It was during this period that the Dome of the Rock influenced the design of Templar churches throughout Europe.

During this time and for much of the Middle Ages, both Christians and Muslims believed that the Dome of the Rock was the site of the Temple of Solomon. After almost a century in Christian hands, Jerusalem was recaptured by Saladin and the Dome of the Rock was reconsecrated as a Muslin shrine, and it has remained so ever since.

The Dome

The wooden dome of the building is 25m high and 20m wide, sitting on a drum that is 30m high itself. The outside of the dome was originally made of gold, but now comprises of aluminium covered in gold leaf, while the interior is elaborately decorated with marble, mosaics and verses taken from the Quran. The royal motif depicted by the mosaics likely symbolises Islamic triumph over the Byzantine and Persian Empires.

Inside Decoration

Unlike the outside, the mosaics inside the Dome of the Rock are original and reflect the techniques used by the Byzantine, evoking similarities with the mosaics found inside the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. However, unlike the Byzantine designs, these mosaics do not depict animals or other living beings in accordance with Muslim law, instead featuring vegetal patterns, jewels, crowns and Arabic inscriptions.

Outside Decoration

The original mosaics on the outside of the shrine were inspired by Byzantine techniques, however they were mostly replaced with brightly coloured Persian faience tiles when the building was restored by Suleiman the Magnificent during the 16th century. A large number of these tiles were eventually replaced with copies during the 1960s, following another restoration project by the Jordanian government.

The Ambulatories

The Foundation Stone is encircled by an inner ambulatory, which is then surrounded by a second, outer ambulatory. These concentric ambulatories serve as walkways, allowing pilgrims to walk around the sacred stone during the Islamic ritual of Tawaf while reading the verses from the Quran that are inscribed on the octagonal arcade.

Inscriptions

Some of the earliest examples in architecture of Arabic inscriptions, taken from the Quran, can be found both outside and inside of the octagonal arcade. While the design of the building is influenced by Byzantine style, the inscriptions promote the core values of Islam and emphasise its virtues over both Judaism and Christianity. It also provides a direct date for the building, 72 AH (691 CE), and to this day the inscriptions are studied by scholars from all over the world.

Symbolism

At the very top of the dome there is a full moon decoration, representing the crescent moon, which is the symbol of Islam. It is deliberately aligned so when that when you look through it, you will be looking straight in the direction of Mecca.

Foundation Stone

The Foundation Stone is located in the centre of the floor inside the shrine and it is considered sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians. Aside from the story of Abraham and Isaac, it is also considered by Jewish tradition to be the point where Heaven and Earth meet. On the surface of the stone there are various artificial, human-made cuts, damage which was caused by the Crusaders, and a large hole that reaches the Well of Souls below.

Stained Glass Windows

There are 16 coloured, stained glass windows in the octagonal walls, which also include verses from the Quran and decorative mosaics. Installed during the restoration of the Dome of the Rock by Suleiman during the 16th century, they may have been offerings in return for divine aid, with the Sultan preparing to fight the crusade led by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, who wanted to liberate Jerusalem.

Byzantine Inspiration

The Dome of the Rock is considered one of the first great buildings of Islamic architecture, with the domed, octagon design drawing inspiration from the Byzantine Empire as well as the Middle East. The architectural style was also influenced by Judaism and Christianity, resembling domed the design of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as well as the domed, octagonal style of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy.

The Well of Souls

Also known as the Holy of Holies in Christianity and Judaism, this part natural, part man-made cave is located under the Foundation Stone and can be accessed by a staircase. The name ‘Well of Souls’ stems from the belief that the spirits of the dead mingle and wait inside the cave for Judgement Day. It is also believed that there is a chamber located under the floor, but because of the political sensitivities there has never been an archaeological investigation of the site.