picturingjordan.com/content/post/dome-of-the-rock.md

+++ description = "The Dome of the Rock is one of Jerusalem's most sacred and beautiful artefacts." images = ["/2017/01/IMG_20170117_083551.jpg", "/2017/01/IMG_20170117_092406.jpg"] date = "2017-01-23T08:53:53+02:00" title = "The Dome of the Rock" categories = ["Architecture"] tags = ["Jerusalem"] author = "Alan Orth" slug = "dome-of-the-rock" +++

{{< figure src="/2017/01/IMG_20170117_083551.jpg" title="Golden dome, vibrant tiles, and elegant Arabic calligraphy" alt="Golden dome, vibrant tiles, and elegant Arabic calligraphy" >}}

While not technically in Jordan, Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock is basically just a stone's throw away from Amman (pun intended). Not only is this shrine capped with a golden dome, covered in vibrant Ottoman-era tilework, and adorned with elegant Arabic calligraphy, it also boasts an impressive resume of sacred claims to fame.

{{< figure src="/2017/01/IMG_20170117_092406.jpg" title="The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount" alt="The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount" >}}

The shrine, built nearly 1,000 years ago, stands atop a hotly contested complex called the Temple Mount ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic) that dates back to the Canaanites four thousand years ago — like I said, an impressive resume!

As a secular person it's all a bit too heavy for my taste, but there's no doubt that the complex is stunningly beautiful. Visitation of the Temple Mount is open to the non-Muslim public from 7:30 to 11:00 AM from the access bridge at the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter of the old city.