Dome

Overall view, main building (1966); The Knesset compound (the unicameral legislature of Israel) sits on a hilltop in western Jerusalem in a district known as Sheikh Badr before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, now Givat Ram. The main building was financed by James A. de Rothschild as a gift to the State of Israel in his will and was completed in 1966. It was built on land leased from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Over the years, significant additions to the structure were constructed, however, these were built at levels below and behind the main 1966 structure as not to detract from the original assembly building's appearance. Although Joseph Klarwein won the competition for the building in 1956-1957, his design was debated and altered for over 7 years, with different consulting architects being brought into the project. The interior design was equally contentious; the primary interior architect was Dora Gad. Marc Chagall decorated the interior of the State Hall in 1960. Source: Knesset of Israel [website]; http://www.knesset.gov.il/ (accessed 7/21/2013)