Rania Khoury
Art Appreciation
Professor Debbie DeWitte
The Dome of the Rock
General Description:
The Dome of the Rock is one of the most sacred and oldest structures in the Holy Land. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem and the dome is gold and very distinct. It is a mosque for Muslims to have prayer in and is a sacred building for their religion. “A certain passage in the Quran links the Prophet Muhammad with Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.” (SacredSites). This makes the location of the Dome of the Rock even more important. It is also surrounded by structures that follow the other two main religions in the world: Christianity and Judaism.
Art Appreciation
Professor Debbie DeWitte
The Dome of the Rock
General Description:
The Dome of the Rock is one of the most sacred and oldest structures in the Holy Land. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem and the dome is gold and very distinct. It is a mosque for Muslims to have prayer in and is a sacred building for their religion. “A certain passage in the Quran links the Prophet Muhammad with Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.” (SacredSites). This makes the location of the Dome of the Rock even more important. It is also surrounded by structures that follow the other two main religions in the world: Christianity and Judaism.
Harmony with Nature:
This part of the city is considered the holiest city in the world and each religion holds a strong connection and belief in the location. For this reason, many fights and acts of violence have taken place in the battle over this sacred land. The Dome of the Rock is so old and was completed in 691. It is one of the oldest remaining Islamic monuments, and was built by the Umayyads. The Dome of the Rock is located on “Mount Moriah, traditionally accepted as the site of the Jewish Temple”. It is located on a platform in the center of Haram al-Sharif.
Architectural Design
The dome is a congregational mosque and is surrounded by smaller mosques and schools. It is used for Islamic prayer and is a wide tourist spot. It is built right beside the Wailing Wall and the church which holds the tomb of Jesus. It has a distinct structure which sets it apart from surrounding structures. It is set in an area shared by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The Dome of the Rock is built on a platform and has an octagonal exterior wall. The exterior walls resemble the interior walls. “The exterior walls were richly decorated with marble and mosaics similar to the interior.”
This part of the city is considered the holiest city in the world and each religion holds a strong connection and belief in the location. For this reason, many fights and acts of violence have taken place in the battle over this sacred land. The Dome of the Rock is so old and was completed in 691. It is one of the oldest remaining Islamic monuments, and was built by the Umayyads. The Dome of the Rock is located on “Mount Moriah, traditionally accepted as the site of the Jewish Temple”. It is located on a platform in the center of Haram al-Sharif.
Architectural Design
The dome is a congregational mosque and is surrounded by smaller mosques and schools. It is used for Islamic prayer and is a wide tourist spot. It is built right beside the Wailing Wall and the church which holds the tomb of Jesus. It has a distinct structure which sets it apart from surrounding structures. It is set in an area shared by Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The Dome of the Rock is built on a platform and has an octagonal exterior wall. The exterior walls resemble the interior walls. “The exterior walls were richly decorated with marble and mosaics similar to the interior.”
The building is on a platform which has six flights of stairs on the southern and western sides. Each set of stairs is crowned by arcades which are “documents from the tenth century onward, and no information exists about access to the platform in Umayyad times”. (The hope). The actual dome of the building is 25 meters high and 20 meters in diameter. Sixteen windows make the upper part and it rests on four piers and twelve marble columns. According to http://www.thehope.com/, “In its major characteristics the Dome of the rock follows the architectural practices of the Christian empire.” The dome has a close relationship to the great Christian sanctuaries of the Ascension.
Symbolism:
Quotes from the Quran are inscribed throughout the interior and tell stories about Muhammad and of Islam. Light enters through windows and jewels and mosaics are lit up. The walls have a gold tint and symbolize trophies of Islamic victories and of the world of paradise to come. The ceilings of the building and dome are made of Ottoman carved woodwork. Much of the mosaic decoration is in its originally state. The mosaics cover much of the inside, about 280 square meters. It is interesting because none of the mosaics contain man or animal depictions. Jewels, crowns and breast plates are used as royal symbols, and “their position, added to the fact that no pre-Islamic artist would willingly mix royal symbols with vegetal designs, indicates that these are the regalia of the princes defeated by Islam, suspended, like trophies, on the walls of a strictly Muslim building.”
Work Cited:
ArchNet Administrative Team,
Ettinghausen, Richard and Oleg Grabar, Yale University Press, New Haven and London
(1994), Penguin (1987) The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250 (pp.28-34):http://thehope.org/domerock.htm
Gray, Martin, 1983-2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,
No comments:
Post a Comment