Green Dome - Qubbat al-Khadra

The history of the dome above the Chamber of Happiness is quite old. The first dome was built of wood during the reign of Mamluk Sultan Qalawun in 678 AH / 1279 AD. The dome underwent various repairs and modifications in the following centuries and was renewed with a lead covering in 820 AH / 1417 AD. The dome acquired its current green color by the order of Sultan Mahmud II in 1253 AH / 1837 AD; it had previously been painted white and even black. Since this date, the structure has been referred to as the "Green Dome" and has become an indispensable part of the silhouette of the Prophet's Mosque. The dome carries an extremely special and profound spiritual meaning for Muslims around the world as it marks the grave of the Prophet Muhammad. In Islamic art, in its miniatures and architectural depictions, the Green Dome is used as a symbolic representation of Medina and the Prophet's Mosque. [Source: "Qubbat al-Khadra", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kubbe-i-hadra; "Prophet's Mosque", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mescid-i-nebevi]