Umayyad Mosque

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/umayyad-mosque

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Umayyad Mosque built?Construction of the current mosque began in 705 CE
2. What is the location?Old city of Damascus, Syria
3. What is the material?Primarily stone, with extensive marble paneling and gold mosaics
4. Why does the Umayyad Mosque have so many gold mosaics?The builders wanted to make the inside bright and beautiful, using about 4,000 square meters of gold mosaics with plant patterns to inspire awe.
5. How did the Umayyad Mosque change from a temple to a mosque?First it was a Roman temple to Jupiter, then a Christian cathedral, and after the Muslim conquest, the Umayyad Caliph al‑Walid I turned it into a mosque by building over the old church.

Eschatological Reports: Beliefs and prophecies concerning future events, especially the end of the world.
Basilical Plan: An architectural layout featuring long, parallel halls or aisles.
Syncretism: The merging of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.