Jerusalem: Dome of the Rock, Current Day
Dome of the Rock Gallery
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The Dome of the Rock is a Muslim shrine which stands on raised bedrock which is traditionally believed to be the place where the first Jewish temple was built. In the foreground of this photo we can see the el-Kas fountain where a couple of Muslims are performing ablutions prior to prayers within the mosque.
Constructed around 691 CE by Umayyad Dynasty, this has become the third holiest site for Muslim pilgrimage, after Mecca and Medina. It is probably the oldest surviving example of early Islamic architecture and is modeled after the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is located nearby.
