685
to 691
Caliph Abd
al-Malik
Jerusalem,
Israel
Dome of the Rock Mosque
Photo from ArtToday.com
Built in the seventh century, the Dome of the Rock Mosque is the oldest surviving example of Islamic architecture and today remains one of the most beautiful. The outside of the mosque is octagonal, with a door and 7 windows on each side, while the inside is circular. The building is made of marble and richly decorated with tile, mosaics, gilded wood, and painted stucco. The mosque's builders and artisans came from many different regions and incorporated their individual techniques and styles into the final design. The dome is made of gold and stretches 20 meters in diameter.
The Dome of the Rock Mosque gets its name from the massive rock located at its center, upon which, according to Islamic history, the prophet Muhammad stood before he ascended to heaven. This rock is equally important in the Judaic tradition, which considers it the symbolic foundation upon which the world was built and the place of the Binding of Isaac.
