what is the dome of the rock

The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine located at the center of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is the worlds oldest surviving work of Islamic architecture and was built between AD 685 and 691 by the caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. The structure is basically octagonal, capped at its center by a dome approximately 20 meters in diameter, mounted on an elevated circular drum standing on 16 supports. The Dome of the Rock is a building of extraordinary beauty, solidity, elegance, and singularity of shape, and its decoration is magnificent, surpassing description. The rock at the center of the Dome of the Rock is believed to be the location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Ismail, and it is also significant in Islamic tradition as the spot from which the Prophet Muhammad was taken up into heaven for an encounter with God. The Dome of the Rock is considered a unique monument of Islamic culture and is rich with mosaic, faience, and marble, making it of considerable aesthetic and architectural importance.