Main Page

Nikolai Viktorovich Podgorny (February 18 [O.S. February 5] 1903 – January 12, 1983) was a Soviet statesman who served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the head of state of the Soviet Union, from 1965 to 1977. In October 1964, Podgorny participated in a coup replacing Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev with a troika consisting of himself, Premier Alexei Kosygin, and General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. On December 6, 1965, he replaced Anastas Mikoyan as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. By June 1977, he was removed as Chairman of the Presidium as well as a member of the Politburo. Upon his removal from the Soviet leadership, Podgorny was forced to resign from active politics and sidelined in Soviet affairs until his death in 1983.

The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine and a major landmark in Jerusalem. It was completed in 691 C.E., making it the oldest extant Islamic building in the world. Located on the Temple Mount, a spot is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, the Dome of the Rock has a striking presence in the holy city of Jerusalem. In this way the Dome of the Rock provides a visual reminder and tangible symbol of not only the underlying unity among the Abrahamic religions but also their discord and rivalry.