Saturday 8 May 2010

the dome of the rock.

I am not going to lie, I didn't come here with a lot of background knowledge about Jerusalem. I did know what the Dome of the Rock was. It's lovely golden dome graces the skyline of the city, and can be seen from almost every window of the center. I have secretly tried to place it in every landscape photo I have taken so that people will know I actually live here. And they only let outsiders in for a few hours a day, making the place even more mysterious. So, I was pretty excited to go...


The place is beautiful. Words can't describe... especially my words. I am suffering from a lack of eloquence at the current moment. The combination of the blues, greens, and golds of the tiles is amazing. Being a minor architecture fanatic I am kind of obsessed. The dome is plated in gold... crazy.

Unfortunately we are unable to actually go in the dome, kind of a bummer.

What is amazing is that the temple mount, the place where the Dome of the Rock resides, is considered holy by the major religions. This is the place that Abraham was sent to sacrifice Isaac. This is the place that Solomon built his temple, and another temple was later rebuilt by Herod the Great. This is the place that the Jews, Christians, and Muslims consider sacred, and I can see it every morning from my bedroom window.

Keeping it classy in the Holy Land
(ps. hey look Talia... Jud and I are friends!)

1 comment:

Riley and Talia Lyman said...

I was so happy when I saw this. I was like, "Hey, that guy is as big as Jud. Oh wait, it is Jud!" I'm glad you two are friends and having the time of your lives!