Dome of the Rock

Dome of the Rock (Arabic, Qubbat al-Sakhra), domed Muslim shrine in Jerusalem that stands on the traditional site of the Temple of Solomon (the first Jewish temple), the rock where, in the Biblical story of Abraham, Abraham had offered the sacrifice of his son Isaac to God. For Muslims, it is the third holiest site of pilgrimage (after Mecca and Medina), since it was also here that the prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended into heaven to receive the commandments of God.

The Dome of the Rock remains essentially as it was when completed between 691 and 692 by the Caliph (Muslim leader; see Caliphate) Abd al-Malik, although the roof has been renewed several times and other minor changes have been made, mostly to the surface decoration. Figured to be the earliest surviving monument of Islamic architecture and probably modelled on the nearby Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock was built not only to commemorate Muhammad's ascension to heaven, but also to rival the splendor of Christian and Jewish sanctuaries already in Jerusalem.

The building is octagonal in plan, with a large golden dome on top (the original dome was metal covered with gold leaf, but a 1961 restoration replaced this with gold-colored anodized aluminum). The surfaces, both inside and out, are covered in marble and mosaic patterning, much of it on the interior being highlighted with precious stones and gold. Centered under the dome, the Holy Rock itself may be seen, surrounded by an intricately carved wooden screen dating from 1199.