Qubbat as-Sakhra and the architecture of Jerusalem’s sacred rock
Published on 09/23/2026 at 14:59 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Qubbat as-Sakhra is an octagonal shrine at the centre of Jerusalem’s Haram al-Sharif, known in English as the Dome of the Rock. Its gilded dome rises above the rock associated in Islamic tradition with the Mi?raj, the Prophet Muhammad’s ascension. The building’s geometry, marble surfaces and mosaics bring the architecture of the late seventh-century Umayyad world into a single, highly concentrated form.
Qubbat as-Sakhra: an octagon around a sacred rock
The shrine stands on the elevated plaza of Jerusalem’s Old City. Its outer walls form an octagon, with entrances facing the cardinal directions. A central dome rests above an inner circular arrangement of piers and columns, while another arcade surrounds it. Beneath the dome, part of the rock remains visible behind a railing.
The building’s principal materials create a layered surface. Marble covers the lower exterior, while glazed tiles cover the upper façades. Inside, marble, glass mosaics, plaster and wood appear alongside Arabic inscriptions and vegetal designs. Human and animal figures do not form part of the principal mosaic decoration.
?Abd al-Malik and the Umayyad monument of 691
Qubbat as-Sakhra was built under the Umayyad caliph ?Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. A foundation inscription dates the monument to AH 72, corresponding to 691 CE, and places it within the formative period of Islamic architecture. The Umayyad foundation date remains central to the building’s identity.
The shrine’s design carries strong Byzantine architectural influences, yet its inscriptions and decorative programme belong to an early Islamic visual language. Qur’anic texts run around the interior arcade and the drum beneath the dome. The combination of script, foliage, marble and mosaic gives the building a carefully ordered interior without figurative scenes.
Jerusalem’s layered religious setting
Muslims call the wider plaza al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, while Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount. Al-Aqsa Mosque stands at the southern end of the same elevated platform. The surrounding Old City contains places associated with Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
For Muslims, the rock beneath the dome is connected with Muhammad’s Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascent to heaven. The site also occupies a central position in Jerusalem’s long architectural history. The Old City and its walls form a UNESCO World Heritage property, inscribed in 1981.
The building’s history includes repeated phases of repair and renewal. Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent ordered the replacement of the original exterior glass mosaic with glazed ceramic tiles between 1545 and 1552. The dome’s outer covering is made from gold-plated copper panels, while the wooden structure beneath belongs to the monument’s enduring architectural core.
Visiting Qubbat as-Sakhra: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Qubbat as-Sakhra stands on the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem’s Old City. The elevated plaza also contains Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- The shrine is reached across the open plaza, while the interior includes stairs leading towards a natural cave beneath the rock.
- The approach is an urban stone setting with an elevated platform, steps and a historic masonry surface.
- The official language is Hebrew and Arabic, and the currency is the Israeli new shekel.
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Frequently asked questions about Qubbat as-Sakhra
Where is Qubbat as-Sakhra?
Qubbat as-Sakhra stands at the centre of the Haram al-Sharif, an elevated plaza within Jerusalem’s Old City. Al-Aqsa Mosque lies at the southern end of the same platform.
What does the shrine contain?
The interior contains the sacred rock, marble surfaces, mosaics, Arabic inscriptions and a circular arrangement beneath the dome. Stairs lead towards a natural cave below the rock.
What makes Qubbat as-Sakhra distinctive?
Its octagonal plan surrounds a central rock beneath a gilded dome. The Umayyad date of 691 CE, Byzantine-influenced form and early Islamic inscriptions define its architectural character.
