Israel - The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

View of the Dome of the Chain directly next to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, Israel, 10 September 2013. The exact function of the building is not known until today; on one hand, it is assumed that it served as a model for the Dome of the Rock, other researchers are of the opinion that this building could function as a kind of treasury, a bait al-maal, in which the financial means for the construction of the Dome of the Rock could have beend stored. Jerusalem is a holy city to all three monotheistic religions; Jews, Muslims, and Christians have some of their sanctuaries here. The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount is a octagonal building from Umayyad Era. It covers the rock from which, according to Muslim tradition, Muhammad ascended to heaven and met the former prophet of Judaism and Jesus. According to the Biblical tradition, this is the place where Abraham wanted to sacrifice his son Isaac. The Dome of the Rock with its golden roof is supposed to be the best-known landmark of Jerusalem; for Muslims, it is the third most holy place in the world after Mecca and Medina. Photo: Matthias Tödt