Publication Date
Before 1037/1627-1628
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;pa;Mon01;31;ar
Library Location
It is located in the Holy Mosque, northwest of the Dome of the Rock, about ten meters from the northwestern corner, Jerusalem
Date
Before 1037/1627-1628
Notes
The Dome of the Spirits is an independent architectural unit with an octagonal plan. It includes eight cylindrical marble columns with stone bases and marble capitals of different styles and shapes on which eight small pointed arches rest. Above the top of the arches there is a stone course surmounted by a prominent stone frieze. A hemispherical dome, which tends to be somewhat pointed, stands directly above the level of the frieze. This dome is crowned by a stone crescent consisting of three parts. What is striking is that the dome is not covered with stone tiles or lead panels, and thus it resembles other domes in the Al-Haram area, such as the Dome of Al-Khader, the Dome of Solomon, and the Dome of Moses. Access to the Dome of Spirits is available from all sides, as its location is an octagon with open sides confined within a stone belt consisting of a single course. The floor of the dome is made up of a natural rock slab of irregular shape, and on the southern side of the stone belt there is a protrusion in the form of a semicircle that symbolizes the mihrab. To the west of the mihrab there is a marble infill with geometric decoration and composition, perhaps indicating architectural activity that took place in this site. The construction of the Dome of the Spirits in this site was influenced by two factors: the first was the presence of a floor formed from a single piece of rock slab; The second is the belief that prevailed in Islam that Jerusalem, especially the Noble Sanctuary, is the site of resurrection and reckoning. Therefore, this site was worthy of a visit, where prayers are held, hands are raised in supplication, and blessings are sought. Several sites in the Holy Mosque were also linked to this belief, such as the Sirat (a prominent column in the eastern wall of the Holy Mosque), and the Well of Souls (in the cave of the Dome of the Rock).
Sample Text
Yusuf al-Natsheh “Dome of Spirits” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;pa;Mon01;31;ar
