Sacred Architecture of the Rock : An Innovative Design Concept and Iconography in Al-Aqsa Mosque

Abstract

The religious sanctity and symbolisms of the Sacred Rock in Islam has

been a frame of reference for inspiration of the architect who established

a building over it in the early Islamic period. His challenging task was to

generate an architectural archetype based on idea and concept in architecture

vivid with sacredness and reflecting the religious symbolism of the

place. Nowhere can this be true as Qubbet al-Sakhrah (the Dome of the

Rock); an Islamic masterpiece which is considered to be the utmost

achievement of the Umayyad Islamic religious art and architecture in the

late seventh century C.E. It is evident that the architect of the Sacred Rock

was very successful in dealing with the site when establishing an attractable

mature building that is dominating the skyline of the al-Aqsa mosque

and the city of Islamicjerusalem alike. In addition to the Umayyad religious

objective in establishing this sacred building, another important goal

was achieved which reinforced their political power and Islamic sovereignty

over the city. Indeed, Qubbet al-Sakhrah is a memorable building

that commemorates the Sacred Rock and is full of religious feelings. It

has, visually, strong impact on observers as its form and function recalls

both of the archetype of Makkah and Islamicjerusalem and their religious

experience.

Keywords

• Islamic sacred art and architecture,the sanctity of the rock,Islamic religious symbolism,Islamic Iconography,Islamic memorial archetype

Muallak Taşı’nın Kutsal Mimarisi: Mescid-i Aksa’da Yenilikçi Tasarım Konsepti ve İkonografi

Abstract

Kudüs şehri M.S 637’de Müslümanların yönetimine geçti. Müslümanların

şehre ilgisi, üzerine Mescid-i Aksa’nın inşa edildiği Muallak Taşı’na verilen

önemden .türü daha erken dönemlere dayanmaktadır. Beytülmakdis bölgesinin,

temelde, ilk kutsal mescidin sonrasında inşa edilen ikinci mescidin

bulunduğu yer olduğuna inanılmaktadır. Ayrıca, Hz. Muhammed’in miraca

yükseldiği (İsra) ve diğer peygamberlere namaz kıldırdığı yer olarak da

alan önem kazanır. Müslümanlar nezdindeki bu saygın konumu, Halife Hz.

Ömer’i şehri almaya ve bu kutsal bölgenin İslami kimliğini görünür kılmak

için bir mihrap (niş) yapmaya sevk etmiştir.

Keywords

• Kutsal sanat,İslami sembolizm,arketip,kutsal mimarî

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