DOME OF THE ROCK

Dominating the skyline of Jerusalem, a landmark without doubt, is the beautiful shrine of the Dome of the Rock. Built on a platform over the rock of Mt. Moriah more than 1300 years ago by the Muslim Umayyad Caliph AbdulMalek bin Marwan, the shrine was completed in 691 AD, 6 years after building commenced. It is a shrine in Al-Aqsa Mosque commemorating the Prophet Mohammad's (pbuh) miraculous journey to the Seven Heavens.

Eight stairways with arcades lead to the raked platform of the Dome of the Rock. There is a sun dial atop the center top archway, accurate to within five minutes of the actual time.

The shrine holds 1,500 people at prayer. Men and women pray in different sections in accordance with Muslim tradition. For Friday noon prayers (Al-Asr), the Dome of the Rock is for women only.

The Rock over which the mathematically precise octagonal shrine is built measures 12x15 meters, and rises 2 meters above Al-Aqsa Mosque's level ground. The cave below the rock is known as the Cave of Souls.

Four sides of the octagon have large arched gates facing due north, south, east and west.

28 reused Byzantine and Roman marble columns and capitals form two rows around the rock. The columns are joined by 24 arches covered with the original colored stone and glass mosaic signifying the fruits of paradise and heaven.

Of the 54 windows, 2 are clear glass and 36 are colored glass. The 16 colored glass windows in the drum have Qur'anic verses and are among the most beautiful windows in the world.

The Dome rises 25 meters from the floor equivalent to a building of 10 floors. The crescent atop the dome rises 4½ meters.
Originally, colored glass and stone mosaics covered the outer walls of the Dome of the Rock.