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Dome Of The Rock Essay

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Dome Of The Rock Essay
The Dome of the Rock, completed in 691 and the one of the earliest surviving example of Muslim architecture, displaying a vast array of mosaic and domed roof. Located in the city of Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock seats as one of the most historic and sacred structure for all of the three largest monotheistic religions in the world. Built under the patronage of 5th Umayyad caliph Abd Al-Malik bin Marwan on the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock was completed in 692. It is one of the earliest and also one of the most important Islamic monuments. Jews, Christians and Muslims believe Abraham was prepared to offer his son as a sacrifice to God. Islam also believes that this is the site from where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ascended into …show more content…
Welcome by a series of beautifully constructed and decorated columns and arches placed in an octagonal fashion into a hypostyle hall, one will be astonished by sheer scale of the Dome and the decorative arabesque and calligraphy, joined by various geometric patterns. The drum that the dome seats on consists of arch shaped windows which allows natural light to come inside the structure, mainly focusing on the rock which seats directly under the massive dome, giving the whole interior an amazing glow. The small mosaic bits that went into the wall are mainly colored glasses/mirrors placed at a very slight angle, giving the interior and impeccable lighting. Originally intended for pilgrims, the Dome of the Rock houses a double ambulatory to allow more people to walk around the rock. The rock itself is placed in a well like structure in the middle, surrounded by a round arcade on the inner ring. This allows people to look down upon the massive rock that holds significance to the monotheistic religions.
The Dome of the Rock adapts multiple architectural components from the earlier dynasties such as the Byzantines and Romans, displaying some of the most traditional architectural modelling that went into many important buildings such as religious shrines and palaces. The Dome of the Rock went on to inspire multiple other buildings throughout time and established its own patterns as a traditional architectural practice for many Islamic

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