Yes — purple.
The famous dome did not always appear in its current green color. Historical records show that the dome went through several colors and renovations over the centuries before settling into its present form around 150 years ago.
At different periods, the dome was:
White for a time
And for the longest period, a purple-blue hue
This purple-blue color was especially admired by the Arabs of the Hijaz, for whom such shades symbolized nobility, reverence, and distinction. Contrary to modern assumptions, green was not the original or constant color of the dome.
One of the most important testimonies comes from Rifat Pasha, who recorded in his diaries:
Diaries of Rifat Pasha, Vol. 1, pp. 464–465
Additional confirmation is found in the writings of Sultan Ghalib al-Quʿaiti, who also documents the dome’s earlier coloration:
Sultan Ghalib al-Quʿaiti, Op. Cit., p. 148
The dome only took on its current green color in the late Ottoman period, becoming standardized during 19th-century renovations. Over time, this color became deeply associated with the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, even though it represents just one phase in a long architectural and aesthetic history.
📜 History reminds us: what we see today is often the result of centuries of change — not an original, fixed form.
