Dictionary of islamic architecture

Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Sakhra)
The third most important shrine of Islam. It is located on
the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
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The Dome of the Rock was built by the early caliph
Abd al-Malik in 691 and is generally agreed to be
one of the oldest Islamic monuments. The building
consists of a domed octagonal structure set in the
middle of a raised plaza or enclosure known as the
Haram al-Sharif or holy place. In the immediate
vicinity of the Dome of the Rock are two other
buildings of similar antiquity, the Qubbat al-Silsila
and the Aqsa Mosque. The Qubbat al-Silsila is a
smaller structure immediately to the east of the
Dome of the Rock; it shares the same basic plan of
an octagonal structure covered with a dome,
although unlike the larger monument the sides of
the structure are open. The purpose of the Qubbat
al-Silsila is unknown although it probably had some
ritual function. The Aqsa Mosque has been rebuilt
several times so that its original form is difficult to
determine although its basic form was probably
similar to that of today. The Aqsa Mosque serves as
the main place of prayer for the Haram and is located
to the south of the Dome of the Rock.
The plan of the Dome of the Rock is based around
a central dome resting on a circular drum supported
by an arcade. This inner arcade is enclosed by an outer
octagonal arcade and a solid octagonal wall which
supports the shallow pitched roof around the dome.
Both sets of arcades are carried on a mixture of piers
and columns; the inner arcade is composed of four
piers and twelve columns whilst the outer arcade
consists of eight piers and sixteen columns. There are
four entrances to the building, one on each of the sides
facing the four cardinal points. Each of the eight sides
of the outer octagon is divided into seven tall arches
or bays, five of the arches on each side are open as
doors or windows whilst the two nearest the corners
are blind arches. There are twelve more windows in
the circular drum below the dome. Directly below the
dome is an exposed area of natural rock enclosed by
a screen or fence, under-neath this is a small cave with
a mihrab reached by a set of steps.
Several forms of decoration are used including
mosaics, marble, repoussé metalwork and coloured
glass. The mosaics are particularly important
examples of the combination of Sassanian and
Byzantine motifs which is a characteristic of early
Islamic art. Another important feature of the mosaics
is that they carry an inscription dating the building to
691. At present only the interior mosaics survive
although originally they also covered the outside.
The building has been restored many times in its
1,300-year history. One of the most important
restorations was carried out during the sixteenth-
century reign of the Ottoman sultan Suleyman the
Magnificent. It was during this restoration that the
exterior was covered with glazed ceramic tiles which
covered the earlier mosaic coating. The tiles were
the forerunners of Iznik tiles (q.v.) which became
such a significant feature of Ottoman architecture.
The present tiles covering the building were added
in 1968. At the same time the Dome was covered
with gold for the first time, although the present
covering dates from 1993.
The Dome of the Rock is generally regarded as
an attempt to provide a Muslim alternative to the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre which had previously
dominated the city of Jerusalem. The plan and design
of the Dome of the Rock reflect this rivalry. In
religious terms the building is significant because it
commemorates the place where Abraham offered his
son Isaac as a sacrifice and the place from which
Muhammad made his night journey to heaven.