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Historical Landmarks

Al-Aqsa is not only home to a few renowned monuments like the Qibly Mosque and the Dome of the Rock but also hosts numerous historical landmarks or unique structures. For instance, there are several water fountains, wells, pulpits, prayer niches, other domes, schools, prayer halls, various gates, minarets, and much more. Each of them holds its own story and history. Below are a few examples of landmarks we can explore.

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Dome of the Prophet

The Dome of the Prophet is an octagonal dome structure located northwest of the Dome of the Rock.

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Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock (Qubbatus Saqqara) is often mistakenly referred to as the al-Aqsa mosque but is actually part of Masjid al-Aqsa

Mihrab and Mimbar of Al -Aqsa Mosque

This marble structure is the mihrab (prayer niche) of the Qibly mosque which is at the front of Masjid al-Aqsa. The mimbar (pulpit) on the right was donated by the Jordanian government after the original (which was a gift from Salahuddin Ayyubi) was destroyed in a fire started by a fanatical zionist in 1969.

Qibly Mosque

The structure with the silver/grey dome at the front of Masjid al-Aqsa is known as Masjid al-Qibly as it is located nearest to the Qiblah, the direction of prayer. The front of Masjid al-Aqsa is aligned directly towards the Ka’bah in Makkah.

Sabil QaytBay

The fountain was constructed in a style mostly seen in Egypt. In 1883, the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II restored the fountain and constructed some additions to it.

The Burhan ad-Din Pulpit

The Burhan ad-Din pulpit is a Mamluk era pulpit located in the southern part of the Dome of the Rock plateau. It is also known as the Summer Pulpit.

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The Dome of the Chain is located to the east of the Dome of the Rock and marks the exact centre of Masjid al-Aqsa.

The Dome of the Chain was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan in 691 CE. It is also known as Qubbat al-Silsillah.
It is one of the oldest structures in the Masjid al-Aqsa compound. It’s exact purpose isn’t clear, some have suggested it was used as a treasury or as prototype for the Dome of the Rock.

References:  AtlasTours.com, Wikipedia, A history of Jerusalem – Karen Armstrong, The Crusades – S.E. Al-Djazairi, Isravakfi, Madain Project, islamiclandmarks

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