Southwest Asia and North Africa
Reading Time: 4 minutes After diving into the history and cultures of the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa, I decided to travel to Southwest Asia and North Africa and explore what this region had in store.
Site 1: The first site I visited was the Dome of the Ascension in Jerusalem, Israel’s capital. The shrine is believed to be built on the place where Jesus is believed to have ascended to heaven. It was first constructed in 380 AD, thanks to support from a wealthy Roman woman (she was even a part of Rome’s imperial family), named Poemenia. However, the church was destroyed and reconstructed several times until its final construction in the 12th century, with its renovation being overseen by Jerusalem’s governor at the time, Prince Ezz Ad-Din Ottoman bin Al Az-Zanjabily during the reign of King Al-Adel. The dome of the building, however, was made much later in the year 1835. I noticed that the small building was rather plain. It was built out of stone, but its dome was made of marble, as well as its columns. On top of the dome, I noticed a decoration that resembled a crown. An interesting feature about the building, however, was its octagonal shape. When I went inside, I observed that the interior was simplistic as well. The floor was made of stone slabs, and the walls were also stone. There were sections carved out of the wall in which artifacts could be placed. The highly-positioned windows also let in a nice natural light. Amongst all these features, however, there was one that captivated me above all others. On the center of the floor there was a framed impression of what is considered to be the right footprint of Jesus. This was quite a significant aspect of this site. The Dome of the Ascension holds significance for Muslims as well, as they believe this site marks where they claimed the prophet Muhammed ascended to heaven. The site is situated in a mosque today. This sight holds religious and historical significance for many, and is an important attraction for many people.
Image of the imprint of the right foot of Jesus:
An arial view of the Dome of the Ascension:
The exterior and interior of the Dome of the Ascension:
Site 2: The new site I visited was Makam Echahid (Monument es Martyrs) in Algeria’s capital, Algiers. This monument was built in commemoration of Algeria’s fight for independence from France that lasted from 1954-1962. It was built in the 1980s by a Canadian company known as Lavalin. The company was inspired by a model designed by Marian Konieczny, a Polish sculpturer, and Bashir Yelles an Algerian painter. It took seven months and twenty days to complete this monument, from November 15, 1981, to July 5, 1982. Maka Echahid was officially inaugurated by the president Chadli Bendiedid in February of 1986. The first detail I noticed about the monument was its shape. It was in the shape of three fins designed to signify three palm leaves. The monument is constructed out of concrete and is 302 feet high. I also observed that at each end of a fin, there was a soldier representing each state of Algeria’s struggle for independence. At the very top of the monument, I saw there was an Islamic-style turret that was 33 feet in diameter and 25 feet high, with a 20-foot dome on top of it. Finally, underneath the fins, I noticed that there was a raised platform that featured the “eternal flame.” This monument shows Algeria’s history and may even be taken to show how many other African countries struggled for their independence as well. It is one of the most well-known monuments in Algiers today.
The three martyrs of the Makam Echahid:
The Makam Echahid (Monument es Martyrs):
