The Omar Mosque is a 12th-century building located in the center of the Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is built of stone and connects with other buildings standing around the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. Its rectangular minaret with a polygonal top is most visible.
The Caliph Omar's mosque is often mistakenly identified with the Dome of the Rock. However, this building stands in a different place. It neighbors the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Its origins date back to the 7th century, although today's building is younger. According to caliph Omar, after his capture of Jerusalem, he arrived at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. The patriarch of that time invited him to pray together. Caliph, however, refused and began to pray in the church yard. The first Omar mosque was built here. In the 12th century, a new, much larger building was built south of the original location. Currently, the mosque is only available to Muslims. Other visitors can only admire its stone walls, forming, together with other buildings in this part of the Christian Quarter, a picturesque tangle.
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