DLC Blog

The Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was built in 690’s, on Mt. Moriah, on the site of the temple of Solomon. This monument became one of the first examples of Muslims mosques that became built on Christian temples and churches. The Dome of the Rock, along with many other representative figures, became a symbol of Muslim victory and presence in Jerusalem. Yet because of this history, The Dome shares many similarities with the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher might have set the example to what the Dome should look like. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was supposed to have been the sight that Jesus Christ was buried and crucified. The church was an octagon shape, with a plain exterior, that had a centralized floor plan centered around a dome, much like the Dome. In the church, there was a big dome for where Christ was buried, and a small dome for where he was crucified. This sight became a focal point for Jews and Christians around the world. But the church was destroyed in 1009 by order of the Fatamid Caliph al-Hakim, displaying the dominance that Muslims held in the area at the time.

It is believed that Christian artists were hired to help with the building. However, the participation was in strict accordance with Islamic beliefs. Abd al-Malik I, the patron of this building hired Christian hands to create Muslim art. Evidence that supports this theory is that the Qur’anic inscriptions are missing important dialectic marks, suggesting that the engravers may not have known Arabic.

There are however, quite a few differences between the two buildings. One of the main differences between the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Dome is that the Dome of the Rock is elaborately decorated on the outside. The idea was to make a grand and powerful introduction in Jerusalem with this building. This might be the reason that the Dome of the Rock is so lavishly decorated. Churches have had a tradition of being ornamented on the inside for its members, and the exterior view of a church was usually simple, so this became a way for Muslim architecture to be different and at the same time proclaim their settlement.

The Dome is believed to be the second holiest place on earth, after the Ka’ba. However, the Dome of the Rock is mainly thought to have been created as a commemoration for the night journey of Muhammad from Mecca to the site. It has also been found that Muslim rulers and caliphs also did not want Muslims to visit Christian churches when visiting Jerusalem, and wanted to provide for a place of prayer for the Muslims in the city. The emotions against Christian churches were strong, and may have been strong enough to build a grand monument that the Christians could not have competed with.

The Dome today has been restored several times. The exterior was once covered with gold-ground mosaics that have been replaced with different kinds of mosaics. When first constructed, the Dome of the Rock was made up of gold-ground mosaics, tiles, and marble. The finest and most expensive materials were used to create this extravagant building. By adapting and changing some of the early architectural forms, materials, and artists, the Islamic architecture able to create a beautifully building of their own and generate a unique vocabulary for their future art and architecture.

Images of the Dome from Corbis

Posted by Angela at November 16, 2006 05:31 PM in .