Pavilion

You are now standing next to the remains of the pavilion. This pavilion used to stand in the forecourt of the palace’s gardens and covered a fountain and a deep pool. It was built on four massive pillars with a high dome at the top. Eight smaller pillars supported a balcony on arches. A water channel crossed the gardens and fed the fountain which was situated in the middle of the pool.

1A. Here are photos of three remaining features of the pavilion. Try to find them at the place you are standing now. Draw a line from the features to the corresponding location in the plan. Click on the image to enlarge it.

1B. What was the function of each feature, do you think?

2. Look at the map of Hisham’s Palace. The red circle indicates the location of the pavilion. Why would the caliph have chosen to build the pavilion at this particular place?

3. The dome of the pavilion is called the ‘dome of heaven’ (qubat al-khadra). For what reason, do you think?

4. Are you curious how the pavilion looked like in Umayyad time? Check this 3D reconstruction at once!

3D reconstruction of the Pavilion (Courtesy Omar Aboudi and Yousef Khatib)