Database: Dome of the Ass (Donkey)
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"Fetch me my noble ... donkey?" As hard as it might be to believe, in the Abbasid period the donkey was regarded as one of the noblest creatures, fit for royalty, and as some legends and painted manuscripts depict, for the Prophet Muhammad himself. This helps to explain the unconventional name of this building.
The Dome of the Ass (Qubbat al-Himar) was built by Caliph al-Muktafi bi-llah (r. 902-908) in the southwestern corner of his palace. It is described in medieval sources as very great in height, with a spiral stair at such an easy gradient that the caliph could ride to the top on a donkey trained to walk at an easy gait. In order for the slope to be gentle enough for a donkey to climb to its apex with little strain, this building must have been quite large and tall.
The dome's name was also very important in another way. The Year of the Donkey was especially significant for the Abbasid Empire, as it was during this year that the revolution through which they acquired power took place. The Year of the Donkey is also present in some Islamic beliefs related to the Day of Judgment. The Qubbat al-Himar had therefore a significant name that contemporaries would have understood as noble, royal, and heavenly. This symbolic power continued for centuries, as shown by this star-shaped tile of the later Ilkhanid period (1256-1353).