BBC History Revealed

When was the Dome of the Rock built?

Q&A When was the Dome of the Rock built? • SHORT ANSWER The golden shrine was built in the seventh century on a spot sacred to Islam, as well as other major religions • LONG ANSWER “The Dome of the Rock is a building of extraordinary beauty, solidity, elegance, and singularity of shape,” wrote the […]

Why did medieval houses overhang?

Q&A Why did medieval houses overhang? • SHORT ANSWER It’s not overhanging, it’s ‘jettying’ – and it was an effective method to make some extra room • LONG ANSWER The skill of making each floor of a building bigger on the way up was not the preserve of medieval architects, but Tudor and colonial American […]

How wealthy was Mansa Musa?

Q&A How wealthy was Mansa Musa? • SHORT ANSWER The richest person ever to have lived had so much gold that he once destabilised a country’s economy • LONG ANSWER In control of half of the world’s gold production, colossal stores of precious salt and numerous lucrative trading routes, it’s no wonder that Musa – […]