Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

2 more images

The core of Jerusalem Holliness is this rock at the center of temple mount (Qubbat as-Sahrah)
This is the very stone which the whole world rests..I was one of the luckiest man to pray under the cave of this holly rock...According to Jewish tradition Abraham came upon this rock
when he prepares to sacrifice his son on it ...Which is also accepted as a Muslim hollyday .
The most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem is the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat as-Sahrah). (Qubbet means Dome by the way... ) 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 ("Noble Sanctuary"), or Temple Mount.
The Dome of the Rock is a mesdjite ( please do not confuse with the mosque El Aksa which is situated at the same place ), and a Muslim shrine. Like the Ka'be in Mecca, it is built over a sacred stone. This stone is believed to be the place from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven during his Night Journey to heaven.
The Dome of the Rock is the oldest Islamic monument that stands today and certainly one of the most beautiful one. It also boasts the oldest surviving mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) in the world.

4 more images

Built in the 7th century, this golden domed mosque is an unmistakeable, and perhaps most famous, symbol of Jerusalem. It derives its name from the rock from which Muslims believe Mohammad ascended to heaven. This rock lies at the center of the circular mosque. In Judaism this same rock is where Abraham was to sacrifice his son, in God's test of him. It also sits upon the Temple Mount, which is where the Third and final Temple will be built, and beckon in the Jewish messiah.

The mosque is magnificent. Easily one of the greatest pieces of architecture in the world. Its most outstanding feature is its golden dome, which stretches 20 meters in diameter, and rises 35 meters above the Rock below. The dome glistens in a glorious golden glow that reflects the sunlight all over the city, and looked just perfect with a light covering of snow the second day I saw it. It is covered in gold foil, so expensive that when King Hussein of Jordan sold one of his houses in London to pay for its refurbishment, it cost US$8.2 million to pay for the 80kg of gold required.

The dome sits above a rock, the rock. This rock is known by many names, the Noble Rock, the Foundation Stone, the Rock, or the Pierced Stone. The piercing is a hole in the rock that leads to a cavern below, known as the Well of Souls. This cavern is considered by some to be the resting place of the Arc of the Covenant, and that is where it was located for the movie: Raiders of the Lost Ark.

1 more image

Our view of the Dome of the Rock was from the roadway on the Mount of Olives which must have been several miles in a direct line.

The Golden Dome dominated the skyline. Built on a platform over the rock of Mt. Moriah more than 1300 years ago by the Muslim Umayyad Caliph AbdulMalek bin Marwan, the shrine was completed in 691 AD, 6 years after building commenced.

Our one day in Jerusalem did not permit us time to visit this shrime.

Visits are permitted in the mornings only if at all, never on Friday. You can ask the police on the site if visiting will be permitted on that or any other day.

If all is quiet, then visiting is permitted. If there are tensions or problems then either the Islamic Wakf of Jerusalem, and/or the Israeli police may close the site to visitors with no advance notice.

The rock which is covered by the golden dome is where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son according to God's wishes. (Before going through with the act, legend has it that God stopped him and commended Abraham for his devotion.) Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to heaven from this rock to consult with Moses. Photographs of the iconic dome can be found in the homes and businesses of Muslims around the world. Unfortunately, entry inside this structure is currently prohibited to non-Muslims.

Non-Muslims can enter the Temple Mount, where the Dome of the Rock is located, between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. except on Fridays and during the period of Ramadan. This information can change at any moment. Your best bet is to go there the day before you visit and verify the hours firsthand. There is a lot of bad information out there, too. Entry to non-Muslims is through a bridge near the entrance to the Western Wall. There are no signs, but you will see the bridge as it hovers over an archeological site.

This structure on the temple mount is the second most important monument in all of Islam. The building is home to the rock where, acording to the Koran, the Prophet Mohammed made his way to heaven upon his death in the 7th Century AD. The mosque is therefore holy to all Moslems. The dome itself is colored in gold tiles. Periodically, these tiles are removed and cleaned. This is what was taking place during my visit, thus the scaffolding.Other tiles show off beautiful scrip in Arabic. In Islam, images of animals are prohibited. The entire building is in itself one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Islam dating to that period.

Shoes must be removed once inside as in all Mosques.

I think the Golden Dome, on the Dome of the Rock must be Jerusalem's most famous land mark.

Also named Mosque of Omar, built between 688 and 691. The Dome on top was originally made of gold but was sold off to pay for a Caliph al-Mamun's debts, now the dome is covered in gold leaf on top of copper.

Inside the Mosque is the rock upon which Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son. Also there is supposed to be footprint and a hair from the beard from the Prophet Mohammed.