Johnette Williams

Period 4

May 13, 2019

The Dome of the Rock and the Great Mosque

The Dome of the Rock was built by caliph Abd al-Malik in 691-2 during the Umayyad

period and has had multiple renovations since. It is composed of stone masonry, a wooden roof,

decorated inside with glazed ceramic tile and mosaics, and a gilt aluminum and bronze dome.

The structure is comprised of 2 ambulatories and an octagonal exterior wall that surround The

Rock. This rock is thought to be the location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son

Ismail while some believe that the Rock commemorates the night journey of Muhammad. The

central row of 12 columns is covered in marble on their lower registers and mosaics along the

top. The mosaics do not depict any representations of the human or animal form but rather are

decorated with vegetal patterns, winged Sassanian crowns and jewels. The use of mosaics shows

a tie to the Late Antiquity period when wall and ceiling mosaics became very popular in

Byzantine churches. There are grilled windows along the drum and exterior wall that allows light

in and makes the mosaics shimmer. An inscription is contained in the Dome that includes some

of the earliest verses from the Qur’an. It depicts some of the core values of the newly created

Islamic religion. The design references the burial places of Roman emperors and its circular form

is similar to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The elevation of the Dome of the Rock along with

its similar dome size to that of the Church suggests it was a way the Muslims in the late 8th

century tried to rival and outshine the Christians. The building is not a mosque and the original

function and significance of the Dome of the Rock is uncertain. Some think that the shrine was
built for political reasons as Abd al-Malik was fighting a civil war against Ibn Zubayr and he

wanted to create a religious focal point for his supporters.

The Great Mosque or Masjid-e Jameh of Isfahan is one of the oldest mosques still

standing in Iran, and it was built in the four-iwan architectural style, placing four gates face to

face. The mosque is the result of continual construction, reconstruction, additions and

renovations on the site from around 771 to the end of the 20th century. It is made up of a large

central courtyard surrounded by a two story arcade with brick piers and columns which support

the roof system. An iwan is a vaulted, or open space on three sides with the last side open to a

courtyard. One is primarily used as a private space used by the sultan and adorned with tiles. The

rooftop has a “bubble wrap” appearance because of domes on top of the interior hypostyle hall.

The dome undersides (soffits) are carved with intricate geometric designs and have an oculus.

The vaults, some ribbed, help bring in light and ventilation to the dark area. Bricks and stucco

motifs along with tilework adorn the space in addition to calligraphy that covers the arches and

walls representing intellectual beauty. To help locate the correct direction to prayer, the qibla

iwan on the south side has two towering minarets. Nizam al-Mulk (commisioned the dome in

1086) and Taj al-Mulk, two rulers of Isfahan, fought for legacy by trying to create the best dome

above the iwans. Their domes are opposite each other. The mosque is located in Isfahan, the

third most populous region in Iran and the capital of the province, so the mosque has urbanized

over time to accommodate population increases. The mosque's location in the heart of the city

makes it a center for gathering and transportation and is therefore much more than a mere space

for prayer. It serves as a place for commercial activity and a way to unite the community.

Both of these structures are elegantly decorated and feature mosaics and tilework that

depict motifs important to the religion along with calligraphy. There are different influences on
the designs of each however with the Dome taking from the Byzantine Empire and the Mosque

from the Persian Empire. The Dome doesn’t have a known function but is believed to serve as a

religious structure but it is not a mosque. The Great Mosque had a clear religious function and

served as a unifying piece for the community which Abd al-Malik had hoped to achieve with the

Dome.