OLDEST - Islamic Monument in the World - Jerusalem, Israel
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denben
N 31° 46.679 E 035° 14.106
36R E 711648 N 3518001
The Dome of the Rock is a shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is the oldest Islamic monument that stands today and certainly one of the most beautiful. It also boasts the oldest surviving mihrab in the world.
Waymark Code: WMGFPE
Location: Israel
Date Posted: 02/27/2013
Views: 15
The most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem is the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat as-Sakhrah). An impressive and beautiful edifice, the Dome of the Rock can be seen from all over Jerusalem. It is the crowning glory of the Haram es-Sharif, or Temple Mount.
The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik from 688 to 691 AD. It was not intended to be a mosque, but a shrine for pilgrims. According to tradition, the Dome of the Rock was built to commemorate Muhammad's ascension into heaven after his night journey to Jerusalem.
The great golden dome that crowns the Dome of the Rock was originally made of gold, but was replaced with copper and then aluminum. The aluminum is now covered with gold leaf, a donation from the late King Hussein of Jordan.
The beautiful multicolored Turkish tiles that adorn the shrine's exterior are faithful copies of the Persian tiles that Suleiman the Magnificent added in 1545 to replace the damaged originals. The lower half of the exterior is white marble.
Source: Sacred Destinations (
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