Being sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians alike, the Dome of the Rock is a major tourist attraction. It is known as Haram al Sharif in Arabic and was built by Abd al-Malik, the ninth Caliph. It is believed that Abraham sacrificed his son Isaac at this very site. It is not meant for public worship but is a shrine for pilgrimage.

The dome of the monument was originally made of gold; it was later changed to aluminium. Verses from the Quran are inscribed on the octagonal part of the Dome, the Cupola, which is decorated with red and gold floral prints. The centre of the shrine is the sacred rock; next to it is the reliquary where a hair from Prophet Muhammad’s beard is stored.