Essay about The Dome of the Rock - 2341 Words

Essentially unchanged for more than thirteen centuries, the Dome of the Rock remains one of the worlds most beautiful and enduring architectural treasures. Adorned with its magnificent gold dome and elaborate quranic inscriptions, the structure intimately represents the worlds second largest religion in a city historically associated with the three Semitic faiths. Representation, however, is not the only effect of this site. Despite its intended purpose, the Dome of the Rock inherently stands as the focal center of a millennium-old religious controversy. Located on what is essentially the worlds holiest site (obviously a speculative assertion) and inscribed with proclamations of Islamic religious superiority, the Dome symbolizes far†¦show more content†¦Cyril Glasse discusses such in her work: In the case of the Dome of the Rock, the symbolism of its Quranic forms echoes the significance of the Temple Mount as the site of the Temple of Solomon. It is the culmination of the revelations of Moses and Jesus in the restoration of the primordial Abrahamic unity which is IslamÂ…the calligraphic inscriptions recall the relationship between Jerusalem and Jesus, and the apocalypse to come. In addition to the structures architectural composition, elaborate Quranic inscriptions further elaborate this message of religious superiority. Carole Hillenbrand alludes to such: The Dome of the Rock, which had been built in 72/691 as a triumphant statement of the superiority of Islam over other faiths, especially Christianity, displays a careful selection of Quranic inscriptions which tilt at the Trinity and the Incarnation. Islams uncompromising monotheism is emphasized in a long band of inscriptions measuring around 240 metres in length: the message is unambiguous: ‘There is no god but the One God and He has no partner. Artfully constructed and etched in Quranic verse, the Dome sits upon its ominous perch and serves as the center of Jerusalem. Regardless of ones religious or political slant, the sheer magnificence of the building cannot be ignored Ââ€" nor can its intrinsic message. From an uninfluenced perspective, one cannot help but observe the Dome as an attempt toShow MoreRelatedThe Dome Of The Rock1999 Words   |  8 Pages The Dome of the Rock (688-92) is a building project which demonstrates a particular way of achieving uniqueness in architecture. Architectural uniqueness can be established by introducing the same building form and materials in a slightly different way, complimenting its surrounding. Again, this uniqueness can be achieved by having a completely different building vocabulary, contrasting with its surroundings. In this context, this essay will investigate what type of architectural uniqueness theRead MoreThe Dome Of The Rock1278 Words   |  6 Pagesbeautiful gilt dome decorating the skyline of Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock is the oldest and most famous Islamic building on the Temple Mount. As a religious space with kinetic and interrelated characteristics, it not only functions as a Muslim shrine, but also exhibits significance based on its history and relative location to the Jewish Temple and Christian churches. Built on the site of Solomon’s Temple and decorated with mosa ics symbolizing the Paradise and Jewish royalty, the Dome reveals theRead MoreThe Dome Of The Rock1685 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Prophet Muhammad to Heaven started from Jerusalem, from al-Sakhra known now as Qubbat al-Sakhra (the Dome of the Rock)† (El-Khatib 2001:34). The Dome of the Rock is still present and can be visited today on the Temple Mount within Jerusalem. Similar to the ascension of Prophet Muhammad, the Christians believe that Jerusalem is the location of Jesus’ resurrection from death. 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From the Wailing Wall to the Second Temple, Jerusalem exists as a testament to ancient religions and their cultures. But one particular architectural masterpiece rises above all of them. The Dome of the Rock or Qubbat as-Sakhrah rises above Jerusalem, its golden peak reflecting the desert sun, a beacon of ancient history. It can be seenRead MoreThe Dome Of The Rock And Alhambra Essay1378 Words   |  6 Pages The two Islamic structures are the Dome of the rock and alhambra. It is likely that both structures were built for the same purpose. The Dome of the Rock has no distinct known purpose that modern investigators have discovered but it was likely to have been built with the purpose of impressing the region with the power and the emergence of Islamic control. alhambra was built as a palace complex to house the leaders of Granada and into likely establish the dynasty of the Nasrid. Although built toRead MoreDome of the Rock and Santa Costanza950 Words   |  4 Pagespeople of that time and they have faced great resistance. Early Islamic art and early Christian art both are historically important as both are similar in some ways. The most earliest architecture and first such structure from the Muslims is the Dome of the Rock located in Jerusalem. When the Muslims conquered the city of Jerusalem in they needed a place (Mosque) to worship and offer their prayers in congregation. At the s ame time they also wanted to build a monument that would show the success of MuslimsRead MoreReligious Significance The Pantheon And The Dome Of The Rock1652 Words   |  7 PagesThe Religious Significance the Pantheon and the Dome of the Rock Convey Architecture comes with many significant meanings, including religious significance. The Pantheon, built from 118 to 125 CE in Rome, Italy, was a temple made to worship the Roman gods and goddesses. This temple is one of the most important buildings both in history and architecture, influencing many other monuments with its form, such as The Dome of the Rock. The Dome of the Rock, built from 687 to 692 CE, was the first greatRead MoreHagia Sophia vs Dome of the Rock984 Words   |  4 Pagesa bridge between the real world and the divine world, and mirror religious views of people and the major beliefs of the society. Hagia Sophia and the Dome of the Rock are two of the greatest and the most important architectural monuments in the world. Even though two of the most historical mosques, Hagia Sophia and the Dome of the Rock, are built for different religions, but due to a sharing purpose, which being praying to God, the difference can barely be noticed. By sharing a purposeRead MoreCompare and Contrast St. Sernin to Dome of the Rock754 Words   |  4 Pagessites, the Dome of the Rock. I will be comparing what similarities and what differences these two great buildings have to one another. Let’s start with the differences, since these two buildings will probably have a lot. With the Basilica of St. Sernin we find that the floor plan is made to resemble a cross, where the Dome of the Rock has an octagon shaped outer wall. The entrance of the Basilica of St. Sernin has two arched entrances which are sunken in where in the Dome of the Rock the entrances