Noble Sanctuary Online Guide
Glimpses of History
Muslim Jerusalem
The Dome of the Rock
The Al-Aqsa Mosque
Other Structures in the Noble Sanctuary
Dome of the Chain
Dome of the Prophet
Dome of the Miraj
Dome of al-Nahawiah
The Golden
Gate
Musalla Marwan
The Islamic Museum
Islam and the Noble Sanctuary
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Other Structures
Other Structures
The importance of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Islam
is reflected in the wealth of smaller structures which surround the
Al-Aqsa Mosque building and the Dome of the Rock. Constructed both to
commemorate and to extend the functionality of the site as a religious
and educational centre, they are too numerous to mention in detail here,
other than to highlight some of the most significant:
Dome of the Chain
Directly east of the Dome of the Rock, the Dome of the Chain was built
by 'Abdul Malik ibn Marwan and marks the exact centre of the Sanctuary.
Dome of the Prophet
Restored in 1538AD by Muhammad Bey, the governor of Jerusalem.
Dome of the Miraj
Commemorating the Prophet's ascension. Restored in 1200AD.
Dome of al-Nahawiah
Built in 1207AD by Amir Hassan ad-Din, as a school of literature.
Dome of the Hebronite
A 19th century building dedicated to Shaykh Muhammad al-Khalili.
Minbar of Burhan al-Din
Originally built in the 7th century, this open-air pulpit is named after
the 14th century Qadi of Jerusalem.
The Golden Gate
Dating back to Umayyad times, the Golden Gate's two vaulted halls lead
to the Door of Mercy, Bab ar-Rahmah, and the Door of Repentance, Bab
at-Tawba. Imam al-Ghazzali is thought to have written his Revival of
the Religious Sciences while living above these gates and teaching in
Al-Aqsa.
Musalla Marwan
Just below the paved courtyard in the southeast corner of the Sanctuary
lies the vast vaulted subterranean area referred to mistakenly as Solomon's
Stables. The actual construction is Umayyad, dating back to the 8th
century, its original purpose to level the courtyard above.
Ancient Aqsa
Directly beneath the eastern half of the Al-Aqsa Mosque building is
another subterranean area, leading from the courtyard in front of the
Mosque to the Double Gate in the southern wall of the Sanctuary. Sealed
for hundreds of years, this gate led to the Umayyad palaces which once
lay to the south.
The Islamic Museum
An extensive Qur'an collection, and Islamic ceramics, coins and glassware
stand together with guns, swords and daggers in the oldest museum in
Jerusalem. A unique group of architectural elements help document the
history of Al-Aqsa Mosque.