Dome of the Rock in JerusalemDelicate yet majestic is the best way to describe the architecture of the Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Dome is a must-see for just about everyone who buys an airline ticket to travel in Israel. Above is a close-up of arguably the most important holy building in the world, built at the highest point of a geographic rise in Jerusalem considered sacred to the Jewish, Islamic and Christian faiths. The scriptures suggest this is the area where God first created man, and it's here in Jerusalem that the religious dispute over sovereignty will probably result one day in (another) war. Note: Travellers planning to visit the Dome of the Rock should be aware that tensions in the area are high after Israeli police stormed the Temple Mount on February 9 2007 to disperse hundreds of Muslim worshippers protesting nearby bridge repairs which they believe could damage the foundations of al-Aqsa Mosque. There may be further protests. |
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Temple Mount
The history of the Temple Mount can be traced back to 1000 BC when King David is said by the Bible to have bought the threshing floor from Arauna so he could build an altar. King Solomon built the first temple on the same spot in Jerusalem but it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC. Zerubbabel rebuilt it in c.520 BC and it was later enlarged by Herod the Great. The ruins of the Herodian temple remain and it is on these ruins that the Dome of the Rock (691) and the el-Aksa mosque (705-15) have been built. The Dome of the Rock was built in Jerusalem by Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik to commemorate Muhammad's ascension into heaven. Inside the Dome of the Rock is the rock atop Mount Moriah where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac before God instead provided a sacrificial lamb, supposedly foreshadowing the coming of Christ as the sacrifice for the sins of man. In 1141 the Dome of the Rock was converted into a church by crusaders but Saladin restored it to its original form in 1187 by removing the altar. The area is today called Haram esh-Sharif. The gold-capped Dome of the Rock is a truly impressive structure. It dominates Jerusalem and is one of the great wonders of the world. To book cheap air tickets, hotels and other holiday reservations for Israel, visit our Travel Shop. |
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