The Most Fought Over Piece of Land On Earth
I have visited the Dome of the Rock many times before. My first time was in 1999. I was a happy five year old and had no idea about the significance of where I was. The first time I went to the Dome of the Rock Mosque I literally thought it was something like Magic Mountain or Dave and Busters. Now hear me out, My parents would take us to places like Chucky Cheese’s and Dave and Busters a lot when we were younger. So while walking through the Old City of Jerusalem, winding through the narrow roads, I saw lots of children up and down the tight alleys, tons of shops selling little trinkets, artifacts, toys, spices in every color imaginable. Every kind of fruit smoothie you can think of, and mountains of desserts. Phyllo dough baked in fifty different shapes of baklava, each having their own distinct flavor. So one could imagine my thoughts when I came up the tall flight of stairs out of the castle-like alleyways of the Old City and saw a giant turquoise building with a gold dome, I figured we were in Palestine’s version of Chucky Cheese’s!
Fast forward many years and many trips later I now truly appreciate the significance of this building. Location is ideal as one could describe it as the most fought over piece of real estate on earth, so no need to spend money on advertising!
The Dome of the Rock Mosque sits in the Old City, which is a tiny section of Jerusalem surrounded by castle-like walls. Inside the walls are compact built up homes and narrow winding alleys that will get you lost every time. After asking directions from locals at least 5 times you’ll make your way up a random flight of steps and there it is- the turquoise octagonal building sitting upon a wide open plaza sitting above the Al Aqsa mosque.
The building is the third holiest site in Islam. The architecture of this mosque is bewildering. It is so much taller than what it appears in pictures. The outside is covered in blue tiles with Quranic verses written all around it talking about Prophet Jesus, and his mother Mary. There is also the iconic gold dome (covered in actual gold) in the center. The inside holds the “rock” which is a large flat smooth surface (maybe half the size of a basketball court). It is here that Islamic tradition holds this is where Prophet Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, but was given a ram instead. Islamic tradition also says that this is the spot where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The rock is surrounded by rails and there is actually a small spot that has an opening where you can go down beneath the rock and pray.
The rest of the interior is a mosque, with prayer space all around, and beautiful columns and arches, along with magnificent chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There is a tasteful yet overwhelming use of marble and gold. It covered each inch of the interior in intricate handmade patterns. It is quite a majestic building as it is very tall from the inside. The inside of the gold dome that’s above the rock is covered in gold Arabic calligraphy. I sat for a long time reading the beautiful inscriptions and Quran verses. Visitors beware- you will definitely get neck pain from staring at the ceiling so much. It really is too pretty to take your eyes off of.
There is a certain atmosphere inside this building that is nearly indescribable. It’s the atmosphere many get when they enter religious sites, almost like an immense hug. It is very surreal to think billions of people hold this building near and dear to their heart. I have returned to the Dome of the Rock Mosque many times and would give it overall 10/10 for the amazing architecture, scenic views, religious significance, and most importantly: the perfect spot for Instagram pictures to make all your friends jealous of your awesome trip to Palestine’s capital.
