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Visit The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus in 360 degrees

Palmyra, Khorsabad , the Umayyad Mosque and the Krak des Chevaliers are in danger because they are located in regions of conflict. The exhibit invites visitors to travel to these Syrian and Iraqi archeological treasures thanks to immersive technology. A captivating 360-degree video is projected on the walls of the space which intertwines digital 3D models with archival material and music. This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to better understand the dangers that threaten our heritage and the innovative methods used to preserve them.

• Title: Visit The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus in 360 degrees

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Jami' al-Umawi al-Kabir (Damascus) Damascus, Syria

The Great Mosque of Damascus (Umayyad Mosque) is the first monumental work of architecture in Islamic history; the building served as a central gathering point after Mecca to consolidate the Muslims in their faith and conquest to rule the surrounding territories under the Umayyad Caliphate. The Umayyad Mosque's religious significance was reinforced by its renowned medieval manuscripts and ranking as one of the wonders of the world due to is beauty and scale of construction.

The Umayyad Mosque site has housed sacred buildings for thousands of years, in each incarnation transformed to accommodate the faith of the time. An ancient Aramaic temple dedicated to the god Hadad is the oldest layer of architectural use to be uncovered on archeological expeditions. During the Roman period, the Temple of Jupiter occupied the space. This edifice was transformed to a church in the fourth century. This church was expanded to form the Cathedral of St. John, situated on the western side of the older temple. After the Islamic conquest of Damascus in 661, during the reign of the first Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan, the Muslims shared the church with the Christians. The Muslims prayed in the eastern section of the ancient temple structure and the Christians in the western side. This collective use continued until Walid bin Abdul Malek's reign, when the prayer space became inadequate both in terms of capacity and the need for an architectural monument to represent the new religion. The caliph negotiated with Christian leaders to take over the space, and in return al-Walid promised that all the other churches around the city would be safe, with the addition of a new church dedicated to the Virgin granted to the Christians as compensation.

When the project began all remaining fragments on the site from Roman to Byzantine periods were removed to accommodate a large innovative mosque planned according to Islamic principles.

The Umayyad Mosque plan articulated the rising political status of the Islamic world as a major world power. Its majestic stature became an Islamic architectural prototype for mosques being built in all the newly established territories.

The plan of the mosque is formed by a 97m x 156m rectangle with the sahn on the northern side wrapped around four edges. Because the haram occupies the southern part of the rectangle, the exterior wall has three gates that connect to the city from the northern, eastern and western sides. The southern exterior wall that borders the haram has a door that links directly to the outside.

The rectangular sahn's stone pavement was repaired throughout the mosque's history so that the level of the sahn became uneven and higher than the original ground. Recently, the original Umayyad level was restored with the stone patterns of the paving. The sahn is punctuated by three major elements: the ablution fountain covered with a dome that is supported by columns, the Khazne Dome on the western side supported by eight Corinthian columns and Zein al-Abidin Dome on the eastern side also supported by eight columns. Alternating stone columns and piers with one pier between every two columns supports the riwaq that surrounds the sahn. The double-height riwaq is not consistent all around the sahn as the northern part was completely destroyed in the earthquake of 1759; it was rebuilt without the columns with another type of stucco ornamenting the stronger supporting piers.

Three riwaqs, parallel to the qibla, form the haram's interior space; they are supported by two rows of stone Corinthian columns. Each riwaq has two levels, the first with large semi circular arches and the second with double arches (the same pattern is repeated in the sahn's riwaq also). The three riwaqs intersect in the middle with a larger, higher one that is perpendicular to the qibla wall and faces the mihrab and minbar. The main octagonal dome, the Nisr Dome (Dome of the Eagle) is supported on this wide riwaq and it is 36m high. The dome has apertures around its parameter. In the eastern part of the haram, a small classical marble structure between the columns of the riwaq holds the tomb of St. John the Baptists or as he is known in Quranic tradition, the prophet Yahya.

The exterior walls of the mosque were built in the Roman period when the building functioned as a temple. Four defense towers were built at each corner, but only the two southern ones remained when al-Walid began his project. These towers were used as foundations to erect the eastern and western minarets. Then a third square tower shaped minaret known as the Arus Minaret (The Minaret of the Bride) was built near the northern gate. The lower part of this minaret is still in its original form; the middle part was an Ayyubid addition built after the fire of 1174. The eastern minaret, Eesa Minaret (Minaret of Jesus) is also a pastiche of different architectural styles that correspond to changing political environments. It has a Mamluk lower part and an Ottoman top due to its renovation after the earthquake of 1759. The western minaret is the most articulated with its stone carvings and inscriptions that record its restorations in1488 and after Timur's conquest in 1401.

Two main materials were used for cladding: fusayfusa'a mosaic and marble. The fusayfusa'a fragments were mixed with colored glass particles and others of gold and silver leaf covered glass in addition bits of stone and marble between to create a unique reflective material that sparkled its geometric and floral patterns. The fusayfusa'a was originally used to cover the top parts of the walls on both the interior and exterior sides in the haram, riwaqs, the arches and undersides of the vaults. The painterly constructed patterns formed scenic panels that symbolized the magnificent natural landscapes of Damascus, like the Barada River flowing alongside the great Umayyad palaces on its banks and orchards of fruit bearing trees that are thought to be an imagined vision of the heavens.

Heavily veined marble was used to clad the lower parts of the walls, as it is a stronger, more enduring material than the mother of pearl mosaics. The veins of the marble were used to create patterns because of the way that the panels were joined and attached to the wall about 4 meters above the ground. All that is left of these panels are small holes that map where the marble masons attached them to the wall. A highly ornate band of carved marble separated these two materials on the walls, the vegetation inspired designs were known as the 'great golden vines' because of their resemblance to intertwined grape vines that were common in the Classical (Roman and Byzantine) periods. Some fragments of this famous band still remain today in the mosque. Additional ornamentation includes the Ottoman blue clay tiles that replaced the missing marble panels in the sahn.

Textual inscriptions filled the gaps between these materials and ornaments, and added another layer of detail to the artful walls. They declared religious verses, dates and dedications to various patrons to the restorations of specific parts of the mosque. The words were scripted using the fusayfusa'a in two contrasting colors usually gold calligraphic text over a royal blue background.

During his 10-year reign as caliph in the beginning of the eighth century al-Walid bin Abd al-Malik addressed the citizens of Damascus:

'Inhabitants of Damascus, four things give you marked superiority over the rest of the world: your climate, your water, your fruits and your baths. To these I wanted to add a fifth: this mosque.'

Flood, Finbarr Barry. The Great Mosque of Damascus: Studies on the Meanings of an Umayyad Visual Culture . Leiden; Boston; Koln: Brill, 2000.

Rihawi, Abdul Qader. Arabic Islamic Architecture in Syria . Damascus: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, 1979.

The Great Mosque of Damascus

Distant view of the Great Mosque of Damascus, photo: Bernard Gagnon , CC BY-SA 3.0

To understand the importance of the Great Mosque of Damascus, built by the Umayyad caliph , al-Walid II between 708 and 715 C.E., we need to look into the recesses of time. Damascus is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, with archaeological remains dating from as early as 9000 B.C.E., and sacred spaces have been central to the Old City of Damascus ever since. As early as the 9th century B.C.E., a temple was built to Hadad-Ramman, the Semitic god of storm and rain. Though the exact form and shape of this temple is unknown, a bas-relief with a sphinx, believed to come from this temple, was reused in the northern wall of the city’s Great Mosque.

From Zeus to Saul

Alexander the Great marched through Syria on his way to Persia and India and while he likely passed through Damascus, it was his successors—the Ptolemies and the Selecuids—who would shape Syria. Until 63 B.C.E., Damascus would remain under the political control and cultural influence of these Greek dynasties. While almost nothing survives archaeologically from this period, Greek became the dominant language and the culture became Hellenized (influenced by Greek culture). At this time, the temple of Hadad was converted into a Temple of Zeus-Hadad. Zeus was a natural choice for assimilation; he ruled the Greek pantheon and was associated with weather and, of course, thunder bolts. Many Greek (and later Roman) gods were combined with local gods across the lands controlled by the Greeks and then the Romans. This allowed the conquering culture to integrate their new subjects into their religion, while also accepting local traditions—thus helping to make new foreign masters more agreeable to subjugated locals. The Zeus-Hadad temple dominated the Greek city and was connected by a main thoroughfare to the new agora, or market area, located to the east. At the center of a temenos , an enclosed and sacred precinct, stood the temple to Zeus-Hadad, which had a cella (the room in which a statue of the god stood).

Map © Google

After the Greeks came the invading Roman armies (led by Pompey in 63 B.C.E.). Under Herod the Great (the local pro-Roman ruler), the city of Damascus was transformed. Herod built a theater whose remains can still be seen in the basement and ground floor of a house called Bayt al- ‘Aqqad (now the Danish Institute). The temple was modified at this time when two concentric walls were added to enclose the precinct (or peribolos ) of the temple and two monumental gates, or propylaea, were added on the western and eastern ends of the precinct which now measured 117,000 square feet. At its center was the temple with a cella for the worship of Jupiter-Hadad. It was now a truly monumental temple. The western gate was refurbished and embellished under the Roman Severan dynasty (193–235 C.E.), additions that remain visible today.

Although the great temple to Jupiter marked the spiritual heart of the city for several centuries, just as it was completed, a new cult to a single God was developing: Christianity. Saul, or Paul as he is known after his conversion, is said to have converted on the road to Damascus (Acts 9.1–2; 9.5–6). Blinded by a light, he was led to the home of a Jew named Judas on Straight Street, the decumanus or main east-west street in Damascus. Ananias had a vision that told him to go and care for Paul and when he touched Paul at Judas’ house, the scales fell from Paul’s eyes and he could see.

View of the exterior of the Great Mosque of Damascus in 2008, photo: Ghaylam , CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Unsurprisingly, once Christianity was widely adopted in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, the temple to Jupiter was once again converted, this time into a cathedral dedicated to John the Baptist. This church is attributed to the Emperor Theodosius in 391 C.E. The exact location of the church is unknown, but it is thought to have been located in the western part of the temenos . It was probably one of the largest churches in the Christian world and served as a major center of Christianity until 636 C.E. when the city was once again conquered, this time by Muslim Arabs. Damascus was a key city, as it provided access to the sea and to the desert. When it was clear that the city was going to fall, the defeated Christians and conquering Muslims negotiated the city’s surrender. The Muslims agreed to respect the lives, property and churches of the Christians. Christians retained control of their cathedral, although Muslim worshippers reportedly used the southern wall of the compound when they prayed towards Mecca.

View of the the prayer hall from the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Damascus (treasury at right), photo: Erik Shin , CC BY-NC 2.0

al-Walid’s mosque

When Damascus became the capital of the Umayyad dynasty , the early 8th century caliph al-Walid envisioned a beautiful mosque at the heart of his new capital city, one that would rival any of the great religious buildings of the Christian world. The growing population of Muslims also required a large congregational mosque (a congregational mosque is a mosque where the community of believers, originally only men, would come to worship and hear a sermon on Fridays — it was typically the most important mosque in a city or in a neighborhood of a large city). The Great Mosque of Damascus was commissioned in 708 C.E. and was completed in 714/15 C.E. It was paid for with the state tax revenue raised over the course of seven years, a prodigious sum of money. The result of this investment was an architectural tour de force where mosaics and marbles created a truly awe-inspiring space. The Great Mosque of Damascus is one of the earliest surviving congregational mosques in the world. The mosque’s location and organization were directly influenced by the temples and the church that preceded it. It was built into the Roman temple wall and it reuses older building materials (called spolia by archaeologists) in its walls, including a beam with a Greek inscription that was originally part of the church.

Courtyard fountain and the dome of the clock in the distance, Great Mosque of Damascus, photo: Thom May , CC BY-NC 2.0

The complex is composed of a prayer hall and a large open courtyard with a fountain for ablutions (washing) before prayer. Before the civil war that began in 2011, the courtyard of the mosque functioned as a social space for Damascenes, where families and friends could meet and talk while children chased each other through the colonnade, and where tourists once snapped photographs. It was a wonderful place of peace in a busy city. The courtyard contains an elevated treasury and a structure know as the “Dome of the Clock,” whose purpose is not fully understood. There are tower-like minarets at the corners of the mosque and courtyard; the southern minarets are built on the Roman-Byzantine corner towers and are probably the earliest minarets in Syria. Again, the earlier structures directly influenced the present form.

Prayer hall, Great Mosque of Damascus with the shrine of Saint John the Baptist in the center, photo: Seier+Seier , CC BY 2.0

From the courtyard, one would enter the prayer hall. The prayer hall takes its form from Christian basilicas (which are in turn derived from ancient Roman law courts). However, there is no apse towards which one would pray. Rather the faithful pray facing the qibla wall. The qibla wall has a niche (mihrab), which focuses the faithful in their prayers. In line with the mihrab of the Great Mosque is a massive dome and a transept to accommodate a large number of worshippers. The façade of the transept facing the courtyard is decorated on the exterior with rich mosaics.

Mosaic, Great Mosque of Damascus, 8th century (photo: american rugbier , CC BY-SA 2.0)

Although a fire in the 1890s badly damaged the courtyard and interior, much of the rich mosaic program, which dates primarily to the early 8th century, has survived. The mosaics are aniconic (non-figurative). Islamic religious art lacks figures, and so this is an early example of this tradition. The mosaics are a beautiful mix of trees, landscapes, and uninhabited architecture, rendered in stunning gold, greens, and blues. Later sources note that there were inscriptions and mosaics in the prayer hall, like the Umayyad mosque in Medina, but these have not survived.

Mediterranean influences

The architecture and the plants depicted in the mosaics have clear origins in the artistic traditions of the Mediterranean. Acanthus-like scrolls of greenery can be seen. Not only are they similar to those found in the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, but similar motifs can be seen in the sculpture of the ancient Roman Ara Pacis .

Arches with acanthus motif in mosaic, Great Mosque of Damascus, photo: Judith McKenzie/Manar al-Athar , CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

There are other strong connections to the visual traditions of the Mediterranean world — to Ptolemaic architecture in Egypt, to the architecture of the Treasury at Petra, and the wall paintings of Pompeii . By using these well-established architectural and artistic forms, the Umayyads were coopting and transforming the artistic traditions of earlier, once dominant religions and empires. The use of such media and imagery allowed the new faith to assert its supremacy. The mosaics and architecture of the Great Mosque signaled this new prominence to an audience that was still predominantly Christian, that Islam was as powerful a religion as Christianity. The subject of the mosaics remains debated to this day, with scholars arguing that the mosaics either represent heaven, based on an interpretation of Quranic verse, or the local landscape (including the Barada River).

Scholars traditionally attributed the creation of these mosaics to artisans from Constantinople because a twelfth-century text claimed that the Byzantine emperor had sent mosaicists to Damascus. However, recent scholarship has challenged this as the text that made this claim was written from a Christian perspective and is much later than the mosaics. Scholars now think that the mosaics were either created by local artisans, or possibly by Egyptian artisans (since Egypt also has a long tradition of decorating domes with mosaics).

The influence of the mosque and its artistry can be seen as far as a way as Cordoba, Spain, where the 8th century Umayyad ruler, Abd al-Rahman (the only survivor of a massive family assassination that sparked the Abbasid Revolution), had fled. The mihrab and the dome above in the Great Mosque of Cordoba was decorated in blue, green and gold mosaics, evoking his lost Syrian homeland.

The Umayyad mosque of Damascus is truly one of the great mosques of the early Islamic world and it is remains one of the world’s most important monuments. Unlike many of Syria’s historic buildings and archaeological sites, the mosque has survived the Syrian Civil War relatively unscathed and hopefully, will one day again welcome Syrians and tourists alike.

Bibliography

“The Art of the Umayyads,” The Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Manar-al-athar photography archive at the University of Oxford

Monuments of Syria

Ross Burns,  The Monuments of Syria: A Guide, revised edition, London: I. B. Tauris, 2009

Ross Burns,  Damascus: A History . revised edition, London: Routledge, 2007

Finbarr Barry Flood, The Great Mosque of Damascus: studies on the makings of an Umayyad visual culture,  Leiden: Brill, 2001

Alain George and Andrew Marsham, editors, Power, Patronage, and Memory in Early Islam Perspectives on Umayyad Elites , New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.

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Umayyad Mosque (Great Mosque of Damascus)

The Umayyad Mosque (الجامع الأموي), also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus (جامع بني أمية الكبير), located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. It is considered by some Muslims to be the fourth-holiest place in Islam. Its religious importance stems from the eschatological reports concerning the mosque, and historic events associated with it.

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Brief history.

• Interior (Prayer Hall)
• Shrine of Yahya's Head
• Sundial of Ibn Shatir
• Propylaea of the Temple of Jupiter
• Tomb of Salah al-Din Ayyubi
• Fire of 1893 CE

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After the Muslim conquest of Damascus in 634 CE, the mosque was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to John the Baptist, honored as a prophet by Christians and Muslims. A legend dating to the sixth century holds that the building contains the head of John the Baptist.

The Great Mosque of Damascus, constructed between 705 and 715 CE under the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid I, has its roots in ancient history. Originally, the site housed an ancient Aramaean temple dedicated to the deity Hadad. With the spread of Hellenization, the temple was rededicated to Zeus, and during the first century BCE, the Romans transformed it into the Temple of Jupiter Damascenus. In 391 CE, Emperor Theodosius converted the temple into the Christian Cathedral of Saint John. The construction of the mosque by Caliph al-Walid I was heavily influenced by these earlier structures. The significance and implications of this transition—from a Roman temple (with scant information about its Aramaic predecessor) to a Christian cathedral and finally to an Islamic mosque—are profound. This transformation raises questions not only about art and architecture but also about the religious continuity of sacred spaces over time.

The Umayyad Mosque is one of the few early mosques in the world to have maintained the same general structure and architectural features since its initial construction in the early eighth century CE and its Umayyad character has not been significantly altered.

circa 700 CE

The sixth Umayyad caliph, al-Walid I (reigned 705–715 CE), commissioned the construction of a mosque on the site of the Byzantine cathedral in 706 CE. Prior to this, the cathedral was still in use by the local Christians, but a prayer room ( musalla ) for Muslims had been constructed on the south-eastern part of the Roman period temple of Jupiter. al-Walid , who personally supervised the project, had most of the cathedral, including the musalla , demolished. The construction of the mosque completely assimilated the layout of the existing building. According to tenth-century CE Persian historian Ibn al-Faqih , somewhere between 600,000 and 1,000,000 dinars were spent on the project, but this is most probably just speculation. Coptic craftsmen as well as Persian, Indian, Greek, Byzantine and Moroccan laborers provided the bulk of the labor force which consisted of 12,000 people.

Architectural Elements

Interior (Prayer Hall) The main prayer hall of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria, is a majestic space that exemplifies the architectural and spiritual significance of one of the oldest and most revered mosques in the world. Located at southern side of the mosque complex, the prayer hall is designed to accommodate a large congregation of worshipers, reflecting the mosque's role as a central hub for religious and communal activities. In the center of the sanctuary with a larger, higher arcade that is perpendicular to the qibla (direction of prayer) wall and faces the mihrab (niche in the wall which indicates the direction of qibla towards Mecca) and the minbar (pulpit).

Architecturally, the prayer hall of the Umayyad Mosque features a grand, open-plan layout with a series of arched bays supported by columns adorned with intricate capitals, taken from various earlier structures. These columns and arches create a sense of spaciousness and grandeur, while also facilitating natural ventilation and acoustic enhancement during prayers.

The interior of the prayer hall is embellished with ornate decorations, including marble panels, Quranic inscriptions, and intricate mosaics that adorn the walls and ceilings. These artistic elements, dating back to the Umayyad period and subsequent renovations, reflect a blend of Byzantine, Roman, and Islamic artistic influences, creating a visually stunning environment conducive to worship and contemplation.

circa 710 CE

Mosaics The mosaics of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus are among the most stunning and historically significant examples of early Islamic artistry. Dating back to the early 8th century CE, these mosaics adorn the interior walls and ceilings of the mosque's prayer hall, showcasing a blend of Byzantine, Roman, and Persian influences. Skilled Byzantine artisans were employed to create the mosaics, still visible, which depict landscapes and buildings in a characteristic late Roman style.

Muhammad al-Idrisi relates, " In Damascus there is a mosque that has no equal in the world, not one with such fine proportion, nor one so solidly constructed, nor one vaulted so securely, nor one more marvellously laid out, nor one so admirably decorated in gold mosaics and diverse designs, with enamelled tiles and polished marbles ".

One of the most renowned mosaic panels is the "Tree of Life" located on the Treasury Dome, situated in the courtyard. This intricate artwork features a lush, stylized tree with intertwined branches and vibrant foliage, symbolizing spiritual growth and abundance. The Tree of Life mosaic is surrounded by geometric patterns and Quranic inscriptions, creating a harmonious blend of decorative elements that enhance the mosque's spiritual ambiance.

Major subject of the expansive mosaics within the Umayyad Mosque is the depiction of paradise, characterized by lush gardens, flowing rivers, and pavilions adorned with colorful tiles. These mosaics serve not only as artistic expressions but also as visual representations of Islamic concepts of paradise and spiritual fulfillment.

circa 710-800 CE

Domes The domes of the Umayyad Mosque are integral to its architectural identity and functional needs. Situated at various sites within the sprawling complex of the mosque, these domes reflect a blend of historical influences and architectural styles spanning centuries.

One of the most prominent domes is located over the central prayer hall, known as the Dome of the Eagle. This dome, adorned with intricate geometric patterns and Quranic inscriptions, rises elegantly above the prayer space, symbolizing spiritual transcendence and divine protection. Its construction dates back to the Umayyad period, showcasing early Islamic architectural techniques and artistic craftsmanship.

The Treasury Dome is another one of the most important dome of Umayyad Mosque where the treasury funds and some Greek and other historic manuscripts used to be stored until late seventeenth century CE. It was constructed by the Abbasid governor of Damascus, al-Fadl ibn Salih ibn Ali , nine years after the construction of the mosque concluded. The intended purpose of the Dome of the Treasury was to house the mosque's funds and other valuable holdings.

circa 790 CE

Shrine of Yahya's Head The Shrine of John the Baptist (known in Arabic as the " Maqam Ra's-i Nabi Yahya ") is a domed shrine inside the main prayer hall of the Umayyad Mosque. According to Islamic, originally from Christian tradition, Saint John's head was buried there. Ibn al-Faqih relays the story that during the construction of the mosque, workers found a cave-chapel which had a box containing the head of Saint John the Baptist, or Yaḥyā ibn Zakarīyā in Islam. Upon learning of that and examining it, caliph al-Walid I ordered the head buried under a specific pillar in the mosque that was later inlaid with marble.

Gates There are four gates of the Jami Umavi al-Kabir , each in one of the four walls. hese gates have evolved over centuries, reflecting the architectural styles and cultural influences of different periods in Islamic history.

One of the most notable gates is the Gate of Paradise ( Bab al-Jinan ), located on the southern side of the mosque complex. This gate, adorned with intricate geometric patterns, serves as a ceremonial entrance for worshipers and visitors. It is named after the concept of Paradise in Islamic tradition, symbolizing the spiritual journey and purification that occurs within the mosque's sacred precincts.

Another significant gate is the Gate of the Clock ( Bab al-Sa'at ), situated on the eastern side of the Umayyad Mosque. This gate derives its name from the clock tower installed nearby during the Ottoman era, which became a prominent feature in the mosque's surroundings. The Gate of the Clock, like other entrances to the mosque, features architectural elements such as arches, columns, and decorative motifs that blend Ottoman influences with the mosque's original Umayyad design.

The Bab al-Barid , also known as the Gate of the Post, is a significant entrance to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria. Located on the northern side of the mosque complex, this gate holds historical and cultural importance dating back centuries well in to the pre-Roman periods.

circa 850-1488 CE

Minarets The minarets of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus are iconic symbols of Islamic architecture and cultural heritage, standing as testament to the mosque's historical and religious significance. Dating back to the early Islamic and medieval periods, these minarets are among the oldest surviving examples of Islamic architecture in the world, showcasing the architectural prowess and innovations of their time.

The most renowned among the minarets of the Umayyad Mosque is the Minaret of Jesus (Minaret of Isa), named for its association with the Abrahamic figure of Jesus, who is revered in Islam as a prophet. This minaret stands prominently near the southwestern corner of the mosque's courtyard, characterized by its distinctive square base and octagonal upper levels adorned with somewhat intricate stonework. The Minaret of Jesus is not only a visual landmark but also serves as a historical link to the mosque's diverse cultural influences, reflecting the Umayyad Caliphate's policy of incorporating local traditions into Islamic architecture.

In addition to the Minaret of Jesus is the Minaret of Qaitbay, named after the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay who renovated it in the fifteenth century CE. This minaret features a cylindrical shaft and a conical roof, typical of Mamluk architectural style at the time of its construction, which blends harmoniously with the Umayyad Mosque's overall design. Together, these minarets stand as enduring symbols of Damascus' cultural and religious heritage, attracting visitors and scholars alike to marvel at their architectural splendor and historical significance within the context of Islamic civilization.

The third and last minaret of the mosque is th eMinaret of the Bride (also known as the Minaret of the Bride of the Umayyad Mosque) is a distinctive architectural feature located within the Umayyad Mosque complex in Damascus, Syria. This minaret is named in honor of the wife of Caliph al-Walid II, who commissioned its construction during the early eighth century CE. Standing approximately 40 meters tall, the Minaret of the Bride is notable for its slender, elegant design, which differs from the more robust structures of other minarets in the region. It is characterized by a square base with intricate geometric patterns and decorative elements that reflect the artistic influences of the Umayyad period. The upper levels of the minaret are octagonal in shape, adorned with ornate stonework (most of which is now lost), showcasing the craftsmanship and architectural sophistication of the time.

The Minaret of the Bride holds historical and cultural significance within the Umayyad Mosque complex, serving both functional and symbolic roles in the daily call to prayer and as a visual marker of the mosque's prominence in Damascus.

circa 1300 CE

Sundial of Ibn Shatir Replica of the Ibn Shatir's sundial , developed by ibn Shatir, atop the Madhanat al-Arus (The Minaret of the Bride) in Umayyad Mosque. Constructed by the astronomer and engineer Ibn Shatir in the fourteenth century CE (who was working as a muwaqeet , a timekeeper, at the mosque), this sundial exemplifies the sophisticated knowledge and technological advancements of its time. Original sundial was removed in the eighteenth century CE, short time afterwards, an exact replica was installed atop the first built Madhanat al-Arus (The Minaret of the Bride) in Umayyad Mosque. The sundial was designed as part of his larger work on astronomical instruments and calculations, contributing significantly to the field of Islamic astronomy.

The Sundial of Ibn Shatir is noted for its precision and complex design, which integrates geometric principles and mathematical calculations to accurately measure time based on the position of the sun. It consists of a series of concentric circles and radial lines carved into a stone platform, ingeniously calibrated to cast shadows that indicate both the time and the seasons throughout the year.

Notable Structures in the Vicinity

circa 50 CE

Propylaea of the Temple of Jupiter The remains of the Roman propylaea lie to the west of the mosque complex, at a distance of some 30 meters. The propylaea is preserved up to a length of approx. 23 meters.

circa 1193 CE

Tomb of Salah al-Din Ayyubi The mausoleum of Saladin stands in a small garden adjoining the north wall of the mosque. The tomb was constructed shortly after Salah al-Din's death in 1193 CE, by his son, al-Adil I. It is situated within a serene setting of archaeological remains of previous buildings, the structure exemplifies traditional Islamic architectural styles of the time, featuring a dome-covered mausoleum surrounded by peaceful courtyards and ornate marble decorations. It was once part of the al-Aziziyah madrasa, but nothing remains of the school.

Notable Incidents

circa 1893 CE

Fire of 1893 CE The Fire of 1893 was a devastating event that significantly impacted the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria. Occurring on October 10, 1893, the fire erupted in the mosque's southeastern corner, resulting in widespread damage to its architectural features, mosaics, marble panelling, and historical artifacts. The fire also destroyed the inner fabric of the prayer hall and caused the collapse of the mosque's central dome. The blaze, believed to have started accidentally, quickly spread due to the mosque's wooden structures and flammable materials.

The fire engulfed several parts of the mosque, including its iconic prayer hall and numerous adjoining buildings within the complex. The damage was extensive, affecting the mosque's centuries-old mosaics, wooden ceilings, and ornate decorations. Efforts to contain the fire and minimize the destruction were severly hampered by the lack of modern firefighting equipment and infrastructure at the time.

In response to the tragedy, immediate restoration efforts were initiated to salvage what remained of the Umayyad Mosque's cultural and architectural treasures. Skilled craftsmen and artisans were employed to repair and reconstruct the damaged sections, aiming to preserve the mosque's historical integrity while incorporating modern techniques where necessary.

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

Umayyad Mosque

Damascus, Syria

Peta Stamper

25 aug 2021.

About Umayyad Mosque

Also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus, the Umayyad Mosque in Syria is not only one of the oldest and largest mosques in the world, but is the fourth holiest site in Islam. The mosque was built on top of a basilica to St John the Baptist after the Muslims took Damascus in 634 AD.

A 6th century legend says the head of the saint lives somewhere within the mosque. If you can’t find the relic when visiting, you can certainly find the mausoleum of Saladin in a small garden beside the north wall.

Umayyad Mosque history

In 661, the Islamic Caliphate came under the rule of the Umayyad dynasty, which chose Damascus to be the capital of the Muslim world. The sixth Umayyad caliph commissioned the construction of a mosque on the site of the Byzantine cathedral in 706 used by local Christians who had also built a Muslim prayer room.

The caliph al-Walid’s new mosque completely demolished the basilica, although features such as the arches were recycled. When the Christians protested, the caliph allowed them access to the seized churches in Damascus. The mosque was completed in 715, shortly after al-Walid’s death and was dedicated to the great city.

The  Abbasid dynasty  came to power in 750 and moved the capital of the Caliphate to  Baghdad . The Abbasids had no interest in Damascus and the mosque suffered under their rule. However, because it was undeniably a triumph of Islam, the building was spared from the Abbasid’s systematic destruction of all things Umayyad.

Umayyad Mosque today

Today, entry to this beautiful Islamic landmark is free, but be aware you can’t enter without being dressed modestly (for women, that means covering shoulders and hair). The best time to go is early in the morning or in the later evenings when the mosque is lit up against the night sky, as this popular religious spot can become over-crowded.

Getting to the Umayyad Mosque

Located in the Umayyad Mosque Square, the mosque is easily found on foot in central Damascus.

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Umayyad Mosque

The Great Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Umayyad Mosque, in Damascus was completed around 715. The Umayyads used various decoration techniques to embellish their mosques. In the Great Mosque of Damascus, the decoration, for the most part, comprises mosaics , which adorn the upper parts of the building, while the lower sections of the walls were clad with marble panels. The same division is found in Byzantine churches.

The mosaics of the Great Mosque of Damascus are, together with those of the Dome of the Rock of Jerusalem , the best preserved examples of this form of art under the Umayyads, but are only a remnant of the entire original decoration, most of which was destroyed by several fires, the last of which occurred in 1893. Although there were still a few fragments visible early in the twentieth century, the most important mosaics that can be seen today were first uncovered in 1929, when the plaster covering them - applied by the Ottomans - began to be removed. The main Umayyad-era mosaics, created circa 715, that have survived are in the western vestibule, in the western portico of the courtyard and on the façade, and on the façade of the transept of the mosque. The repairs carried out on the mosaics over the centuries altered their original appearance very little. However, the twentieth-century restorations were not always undertaken with great scientific rigor. In places, large blanks were covered in a more or less felicitous imitation of Umayyad mosaics. These restorations are generally easy to identify because of the dividing lines if not by their style and color, often different from the older mosaics. The decoration is essentially comprised of landscapes in which images of towns or isolated houses take a central place, as well as of groups of geometrical and plant ornamental motifs. The subjects stand out against a golden background and the predominating colors are most certainly blue and green.

The most important remaining panel, known as the "Barada" because the river shown all along this mosaic is often identified as the one that crosses Damascus, measures approximately 34.5 meters by 7.15 meters. It is located in the western portico. The towns and villages are formed of various architectural elements assembled somewhat curiously; many varieties of trees stand between them. The same subjects were reproduced everywhere, such as on the transept façade, where two architectural works still remain. Several hypotheses have been put forward to interpret this decoration, which may consist of images of paradise, as was often the case in other Byzantine buildings where this type of subject was also depicted.

The artists who created this decorative work were clearly trained in Byzantine art, and may have been local Christian or Muslim artists. However, precedence should perhaps be given to the suggestion that Byzantine artists were at work here. Although the style of the Damascus mosaics and their repertory of ornamental forms as well as the images of landscapes are clearly based on Byzantine and late classical models, the iconography as a whole is nevertheless different from that of Byzantine churches. The most striking difference is the absence of humans and animals in the illustrations, which implies of course the absence of narrative scenes. This is one of the first examples of the application of the Islamic ban on the representation of animate creatures. Here it should be remembered that this ban concerned sacred art, profane art being mainly figurative. Thus Christian art of late Antiquity and Byzantine art both provided forms and styles, and sometimes even artists to the Arab world, who made use of them to develop a new art according to their own rules and tastes.

Mosaics from the  Louvre

Shrine of St John the Baptist

In an address to the citizens of Damascus, the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I (r. 705–715) proclaimed: "Inhabitants of Damascus, four things give you a marked superiority over the rest of the world: your climate, your water, your fruits, and your baths. To these I wanted to add a fifth: this mosque." The construction of the Great Mosque (or Friday Mosque) of Damascus was a means of establishing the permanence of the Umayyad rule, a significant gesture in a city that had been under Persian rule from 612–628 and then Arab rule from 635–661. Al-Walid chose a site that was already considered holy: it had originally housed a temple dedicated to the Syrian storm-god Hadad, which was replaced with a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter Dolichenus, which was in turn replaced with the Church of John the Baptist. Al-Walid bought the church and promptly demolished it, leaving only the inner walls of the original temple, which became the entrance to the mosque. The mosque was unlike any before it, and its form was mirrored by later imperial mosques. Four minarets (all from different time periods) sit atop the four corners. Unlike earlier mosques, this structure's rectilinear proportions created a vast empty space. On three sides of the court there is a single-aisled portico. The fourth wall (known as the qibla) has a long prayer hall that, similar to a Christian basilica, has an east-west axis. This prayer hall has three aisles that run parallel to the qibla wall and an axial nave that runs perpendicular to it. A pitched roof is aligned at right angles to the direction of prayer. Of particular importance are the mosaics that decorate the mosque. Attributed to Byzantine workmen, these mosaics appear on the prayer hall, the inner side of the perimeter walls, and the court facades. Flowing rivers, fantastic houses, and richly foliate trees of variegated greens ornament the golden background. The motifs in these mosaics are similar to those of the Dome of the Rock, which predate this monument by fifteen years. Finbarr Flood has suggested that the meaning of these verdant mosaics is related to passages from the Qur’an quoted in inscriptions on the walls. The vibrant sense of nature as a source of life and activity suited the function of the mosque as the central meeting place for the citizens of Damascus. The monument functions specifically as a Friday mosque—a mosque "capable of accommodating the entire male Muslim population for the Friday prayer." This was the site of political rallies, public announcements, the appointment of public officials, funerary prayers, and it also served as temporary housing for the poor. The idyllic landscape depicted in the mosaics seems to give visual form to the words of al-Walid's speech. As it turns out, al-Walid's proclamation was more than just rhetoric—the mosque still stands, attracting numerous pilgrims and visitors and asserting the prowess of the Umayyad rule.

Mosaics of the Great Mosque of Damascus (Qantara)

Great Mosque of Damascus (MET)

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The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

UMAYYAD MOSQUE

June 1, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Damascus, Syria

(photo from Wikipedia)

Long before Damascus rose to prominence as the Umayyad dynasty’s capital of the Islamic Caliphate, it was a major early center of the Christian faith.  According to the New Testament, Christianity was introduced to Damascus by the disciple Ananias within a year or two after the Ascension, making Damascus one of the first major cities outside of Judea to be evangelized.  Ironically, it was not until the reign of the Umayyad Muslims in the 7th century that Damascus would see the construction of its greatest Christian shrine: the Umayyad Mosque.  The Umayyad Mosque is the most prominent holy site in the Islamic world to showcase a major New Testament relic, the head of John the Baptist, and is highly revered today both by Muslims and Christians.  The Umayyad Mosque is part of the Ancient City of Damascus UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Damascus is one of the Levantine cities that lays claim to the title of the oldest city in the world, and most historians and archaeologists agree that if nothing else it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.  For most of its early history Damascus was primarily a transit point clinging to a precarious existence in the frontier region between the empires of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Anatolia.  Its strategic importance grew during the wars between Assyria, Babylon and the Israelite kingdoms.  Damascus briefly rose to prominence during the Persian period as the provincial capital of Syria, but receded once again to quasi-obscurity following the founding of Antioch by the Seleucids.

Christianity arrived in Damascus at a very early date, perhaps as early as 35 AD.  Ananias, one of the Seventy Disciples, began evangelizing there in the years following the Pentecost.  One of the most pivotal moments in early Christian history took place here.  Paul, the great persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, received a vision of Christ on the road to the city and was overcome with blindness.  Shortly afterwards he arrived in Damascus where he was cured and formally converted to Christianity by Ananias.  Damascus became an important place of refuge for Christians during the Jewish revolts.  It is even possible that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem relocated to Damascus for a time in the 1st and 2nd centuries.

With the rise of Islam, Damascus found itself in the world spotlight.  Soon after the death of the Prophet Mohammed, Muslim armies swarmed out of Arabia conquering everything in their path.  The city of Damascus was taken and became the forward base for further campaigns against the Byzantine Empire.  The Caliph Omar chose Damascus as his new capital and within a few short years was one of the world’s largest cities.  The Umayyads adorned it with immense new public works including the Umayyad Mosque.  Taking a cue from the area’s many Byzantine churches, the Muslims decided to sanctify the mosque with an important relic, and brought the head of John the Baptist there, possibly from Herod’s fortress at Machaerus.

Following the arrival of the Abbasids, Syria waned in importance again, at least until the arrival of Christian Crusaders in the 11th century suddenly made Damascus a major strategic prize.  Damascus was a focal point in the standoff between Christians and Muslims in the 12th century, and it was from here that Saladin launched the counterattack that eventually drove the Crusaders from Jerusalem.  Over the next eight centuries, Damascus was ruled by a succession of Islamic dynasties, sacked several times by the Mongols, and was generally not a friendly place for Christians.  Nevertheless, the city’s ancient Christian community survived through centuries of trials and tribulations right down to the present day, held together in part by the tradition of John the Baptist and the mosque.

The Umayyad Mosque is a spectacular edifice.  Constructed before the more Persian-style Islamic architecture came into vogue, it appears much more like a Byzantine monastic compound than a mosque.  This is not unusual since it was largely constructed by Byzantine workers who previously worked on churches and cathedrals.  The three minarets were added at different times, exhibiting a variety of construction styles.  One of the minarets is dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth.  Despite the mosque’s ancient look, the building has been regularly repaired over the centuries, with a substantial renovation having been made after a fire in the 19th century.

The interior of the mosque is richly decorated, blending Christian and Muslim styles of many periods.  The head of John the Baptist is contained in an elaborate white-marble tomb located beneath the great dome.  The reliquary is visible through a series of latticework protected portals.  The Umayyad mosque is also home to the tomb of one of Islam’s greatest heroes: Saladin, the king who retook Jerusalem from the Crusaders.  Because he had given most of his money away to the poor, Saladin was laid to rest in a simple garden outside of the mosque’s walls.  A marble mausoleum was constructed in the 20th century as a gift of the German empire, but the body was never moved, and remains in a wooden coffin nearby.

The Umayyad Mosque is located in the heart of the Old City of Damascus, and is part of a cluster of major sites that are inundated with visitors and pilgrims on a daily basis.  It is an rarity from a tourism standpoint, as it is probably the greatest shrine in the Muslim world that permits non-Muslims to enter its holy precincts.  That said, extreme respect in the form of dress and behavior is expected.  The mosque is open daily from 9:00am-9:00pm.  The cost of admission varies throughout the year, from SL10 to SL50 depending on the season.  Web: Not currently available due to ongoing problems in the region

Other Sites

Although it has been a Muslim city for the better part of thirteen centuries, Damascus has been home to a substantial Christian population for nearly two thousand years.  Old Damascus has a large Christian quarter that dominates the eastern half of the city.  The Chapel of Ananias supposedly stands on the place where Ananias baptized Paul, and St. Paul’s Chapel marks the spot where Paul escaped from the city in a basket over the wall.  There are at least half a dozen other shrines throughout the region that claim to be home to the relics of John the Baptist.  There is a pretty good chance that the body was once interred in the Tomb of John the Baptist in Sebaste in Palestine, while the head was probably kept for a while at the Fortress of Herod at Machaerus .  John the Baptist is still highly venerated at both of these places.

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

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For RE Teachers

This “ Visiting a Mosque: RE Teachers Resources ” pack is intended to support and empower Religious Education (RE) Teachers in organising and delivering school visits to Places of Worship such as mosques.

Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, “in-person” visits to Places of Worship such as mosques were paused. As a result, signposting to “virtual” mosque tours has been included in this pack as an additional resource and to increase familiarity and confidence when organising in-person visits.  Please note: this page and associated resources are best viewed on a desktop/laptop device.

Used the resources? We’d love to hear what you think. Click here for a feedback form .

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Resource 4: Explore 360 Mosque Tours

Click on an image to be taken to the 360 tour for that mosque. Please note the tours are viewed best on a desktop computer.

Teacher’s Guide (including profile information on each mosque):   Click here to download (PDF)

Looking for more 360 Mosque Tours?

Check out tours for Shah Jahan Mosque (Woking), Suleymaniye Mosque (London) and Bradford Grand Mosque .

Resource 5: Explore Recorded Mosque Tours

Click on the videos below to watch a short excerpt from a recorded mosque tour for that mosque, or follow the link underneath to watch the full recorded tour (on YouTube or Facebook video). Please note the videos are viewed best on a desktop computer.

Teacher’s Guide (including time stamps for each recorded tour):   Click here to download (PDF)

Looking for more Recorded Mosque Tours? Check out these video tours for Glasgow Central Mosque  and East London Mosque .

———————————————————————————-

Inter Faith: Tours of Other Places of Worship

Check out this useful page by Cumbria SACRE with virtual tours of a church, mosque, synagogue and gurdwaras .

If you have used this resource, we would love to hear your feedback and experiences. Click here for a feedback form .

Acknowledgements

We would like thank a wide range of contributors who were involved in the development and review of these resources, including the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE), The Inter Faith Network (IFN), RE Matters, Theos Think Tank, Association for RE Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants (AREIAC), MCB National Council Members, Lancashire Council of Mosques, Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) and individual RE teachers and volunteers. We are also grateful to those who have provided funding for the completion of this resource work including Culham St. Gabriel’s Trust and individual donors.

Photo credit: School children sitting in mosque hall – St. Eanswythe’s CE Primary School . Imam delivering presentation on fasting – Southampton Medina Mosque .

This resource pack is copyrighted; however copyright does not extend to the linked resources, which are covered by the copyright of the organisations that have produced them. These resources are intended for schools to use and may be reproduced  and adapted by teachers to enable pupils to learn about Islam and mosques in the UK.

If an individual, school, publisher or organisation wishes to reproduce all or part of this resource in any other context than described above, please email us at [email protected]

The360World

THE VIRTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORK OF FADI SAWAQED

UMAYYAD MOSQUE

• October 14, 2013

Umayyad Mosque  positioned at the northern section of the upper level of the Jabal al-Qal’a in Amman, Jordan, it is speculated that this Umayyad Qasr served as the regional administrative center from 720 to 750 AD. The complex incorporates an audience hall, four vaulted assembly rooms, and a colonnaded road. .

Virtual Tours and Panoramic Photography project for Umayyad Mosque in Amman, Jordan

VIRTUAL TOUR

PANORAMIC PHOTOS

Prophet's Mosque

Prophet's mosque - 3d virtual tour.

Prophet's Mosque virtual tours can be started by clicking the preview window or by downloading the stand-alone versions. Just drag the mouse to the direction you want to look. Use the scroll wheel to zoom at the details. Press F9 to get a list of the 3D sites you downloaded (residing in the same directory). To install the listed sites as a screensaver press F5 . Our advise is to install all the sites, including Prophet's Mosque , as a screensaver. When the screensaver starts, a random site is chosen and shown around automatically (this gives the impression of looking at a documentary in HD quality). To see the usage of other keys press F1 . Press Ecs to exit.

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi, often called the Prophet's Mosque, is a huge mosque situated in the city of al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia. As the final resting place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, it is considered the second holiest site in The Prophet's Mosque is the second holiest mosque in the world after al-Haram in Mecca. (Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem comes in third.) It is a major pilgrimage site and many people who perform the Hajj go on to al-Madinah before or after Hajj to visit the mosque.

The original mosque was built by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), next to the house where he settled after his journey to al-Madinah in 622 AD. The original mosque was an open-air building with a raised platform for the reading of the Qur'an. It was a rectangular enclosure of 30 m × 35 m (98 ft × 110 ft), built with palm trunks and mud walls, and accessed through three doors: Bab Rahmah to the south, Bab Jibril to the west and Bab al-Nisa' to the east. The basic plan of the building has since been adopted in the building of other mosques throughout the world.

Inside, Muhammad (s.a.w) created a shaded area to the south called the suffah and aligned the prayer space facing north towards Jerusalem. When the qibla (prayer direction) was changed to face the Kaaba in Mecca, the mosque was re-oriented to the south. The mosque also served as a community center, a court, and a religious school. Seven years later (629 AD/7 AH), the mosque was doubled in size to accommodate the increasing number of Muslims.

Abbasid Caliph al-Mahdi (775-785) replaced the northern section of Al-Walid's mosque between 778 and 781 to enlarge it further. He also added 20 doors to the mosque; eight on each of the east and west walls, and four on the north wall.

During the reign of the Mamluk Sultan Qalawun, a dome was erected above the tomb of Muhammad (s.a.w) and an ablution fountain was built outside of Bab al-Salam. Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad rebuilt the fourth minaret that had been destroyed earlier. After a lightning strike destroyed much of the mosque in 1481, Sultan Qaitbay rebuilt the east, west and qibla walls.

During the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid (1839-1861), the mosque was entirely remodeled with the exception of Muhammad's (s.a.w) Tomb, the three mihrabs, the minbar and the Suleymaniyya minaret. The precinct was enlarged to include an ablution area to the north. The prayer hall to the south was doubled in width and covered with small domes equal in size except for domes covering the mihrab area, Bab al-Salam and Muhammad's (s.a.w) Tomb. The domes were decorated with Qur'anic verses and lines from Qasida al-Burda (Poem of the Mantle), the famous poem by 13th century Arabic poet Busiri. The qibla wall was covered with glazed tiles featuring Qur'anic calligraphy. The floors of the prayer hall and the courtyard were paved with marble and red stones and a fifth minaret (al-Majidiyya), was built to the west of the enclosure.

After the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, the mosque underwent several major modifications. In 1951 King Ibn Saud (1932-1953) ordered demolitions around the mosque to make way for new wings to the east and west of the prayer hall, which consisted of concrete columns with pointed arches. Older columns were reinforced with concrete and braced with copper rings at the top. The Suleymaniyya and Majidiyya minarets were replaced by two minarets in Mamluk revival style. Two additional minarets were erected to the northeast and northwest of the mosque. A library was built along the western wall to house historic Qur'ans and other religious texts.

In 1973 Saudi King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz ordered the construction of temporary shelters to the west of the mosque to accommodate the growing number of worshippers in 1981, the old mosque was surrounded by new prayer areas on these sides, enlarging five times its size.

The latest renovations took place under King Fahd and have greatly increased the size of the mosque, allowing it to hold a large number of worshippers and pilgrims and adding modern comforts like air conditioning. He also installed twenty seven moving domes at the roof of Masjid Nabawi.

Architecture

As it stands today, the mosque has a rectangular plan on two floors with the Ottoman prayer hall projecting to the south. The main prayer hall occupies the entire first floor. The mosque enclosure is 100 times bigger than the first mosque built by Muhammad (s.a.w) and can accommodate more than half a million worshippers.

The mosque has a flat paved roof topped with 24 domes on square bases. Holes pierced into the base of each dome illuminate the interior. The roof is also used for prayer during peak times, when the 24 domes slide out on metal tracks to shade areas of the roof, creating light wells for the prayer hall. At these times, the courtyard of the Ottoman mosque is also shaded with umbrellas affixed to freestanding columns. The roof is accessed by stairs and escalators. The paved area around the mosque is also used for prayer, equipped with umbrella tents.

Plans for future buildings around the Prophet's Mosque.

The north facade has three evenly spaced porticos, while the east, west and south facades have two. The walls are composed of a series of windows topped by pointed arches with black and white voussoirs. There are six peripheral minarets attached to the new extension, and four others frame the Ottoman structure. The mosque is lavishly decorated with polychrome marble and stones. The columns are of white marble with brass capitals supporting slightly pointed arches, built of black and white stones. The column pedestals have ventilation grills that regulate the temperature inside the prayer hall.

This new mosque contains the older mosque within it. The two sections can be easily distinguished: the older section has many colorful decorations and numerous small pillars; the new section is in gleaming white marble and is completely air-conditioned.

The open courtyard of the mosque can be shaded by folded, umbrella-like canopies.

Ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah

The heart of the mosque houses a very special but small area named ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah, which extends from Muhammad's (s.a.w) tomb to his pulpit. Pilgrims attempt to visit and pray in ar-Rawdah, for there is a tradition that supplications and prayers uttered here are never rejected. Entrance into ar-Rawdah is not always possible (especially during the Hajj season), as the tiny area can accommodate only a few hundred people. Ar-Rawdah has two small gateways manned by Saudi police officers. The current marble pulpit was constructed by the Ottomans. The original pulpit was much smaller than the current one, and constructed of palm tree wood, not marble. Ar-Rawdah an-Nabawiyah is considered part of Jannah (Heaven or Paradise).

It is prescribed for the one who visits the mosque to pray two rak’ahs in the Rawdah or whatever he wants of naafil prayers, because it is proven that there is virtue in doing so. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that Muhammad (s.a.w) said: “The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens (riyaad, sing. rawdah) of Paradise, and my minbar is on my cistern (hawd)” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1196; Muslim, 1391.

And it was narrated that Yazeed ibn Abi ‘Ubayd said: “I used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa’ and he would pray by the pillar which was by the mus-haf, i.e. in the Rawdah. I said, ‘O Abu Muslim, I see that you are keen to pray by this pillar!’ He said, ‘I saw that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to pray here.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 502; Muslim, 509.

Source: wikipedia

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