DOME OF THE ROCK


Meaning of DOME OF THE ROCK in English

or Mosque of Omar

Oldest existing Islamic monument.

It is located on Temple Mount, previously the site of the Temple of Jerusalem . The rock over which it is built is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. In Islam, Muhammad is believed to have ascended into heaven from the site. In Judaism it is the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Built in 685–91 as a place of pilgrimage, the octagonal building has richly decorated walls and a gold-overlaid dome mounted above a circle of piers and columns.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.