The Dome of the Ascension (قبة المعراج, Qubbat al-Miraj; Hebrew: כִּיפָּת הַעֲלִיָּיה) is a small, free-standing domed structure built by Crusaders that stands just north the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Although called "Dome of the Ascension" in Arabic, and said by Arabic tradition to mark the spot from which prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven during his "Night Journey," it is understood by scholars as having been built as part of the Christian Templum Domini, probably as a baptistry. An Arabic inscription dated to 1200-1 describes it as rededicated as a waqf.
The structure and, notably, the column capitals are of Frankish style and construction, but some repair or renovation was done in or after the Ayyubid dynasty period.
circa
Exterior Structure
The dome is a small structure with an octagonal shape above and surrounding it, carried by thirty columns of marble. The dome is covered with marble slabs between the marble columns that keep it standing and there is an entrance door on the north side of the structure. There is a mihrab in the southern part of the dome. It is not known when and by whom it was made. It was renovated in 1200. This dome stands out with a crown-like ornamentation at its peak. While previously the dome was covered with lead cast, during its recent renovation the lead sheets were replaced with stone slabs.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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