The Temple Mount is known as Haram al-Sharif or “The Noble Sanctuary” in Arabic. It is one of the holiest places in Islam because of its two main structures, the Dome of the Rock and the El Aksa Mosque.
The Temple Mount is also considered the holiest site in Judaism by many. King Solomon’s temple was here before the Babylonians destroyed it in 586 BC. After the return of the Jews from Babylon, Zerubbabel started the Second Temple in 516 BC. King Herod renovated the temple, but the Romans destroyed it in 70 AD during the First Jewish Revolt.
View West: Temple Mount with El Aksa Mosque (left) and Dome of the Rock (right). The West Jerusalem skyline is in the background (top).
View West: Jerusalem in the First Temple Period (ca. 1000-600 BC) with the Temple Mount (right).
View West: Arab and Crusader Jerusalem (to AD 1517) with the Temple Mount (bottom).
View West: Jerusalem in the New Testament Period (ca. AD 66) with the Temple Mount (lower center). The models in these photos are in Jerusalem on the grounds of The Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies – Brigham Young University.
View West: The small boy is sitting on the steps below the eastern arches (Qanatir–قناطر) leading up to the Dome of the Chain (see below).
View Southeast: The eastern arches. In addition, two southern arches, three western arches, and two northern arches surround the Temple Mount.
Dome of the Chain: The small building outside the Dome of the Rock (east side). The building was erected in 691-692 AD, and is one of the oldest structures on the Temple Mount.
Dome of the Chain (detail): The building was built by the Umayyads (661-750 AD). Under the Crusaders (1099-1187 AD) it became a chapel. The Ayyubids (1169-1260 AD) used it as a prayer house.
View North: The southern arches (middle) leading to the Dome of the Rock. The gate has a sundial in the middle of the southern facade.
View Northwest: The southern arches (south-east corner) were built in 1030 AD. The Dome of the Chain is visible through the gates.
North-eastern Arches: They were built by Sultan Mohammad bin Qalawun in 726 AD.
Western Arches (center): The steps lead to the western entrance of the Dome of the Rock.
Western Arches: The south-western corner with Dome of al-Nahawiya to the right.
Dome of Spirits: It was probably built during the Umayyad dynasty (661-750 AD), also known as the Arab kingdom.
Western Arches: These young ladies asked to have their picture taken. Otherwise, I avoid taking pictures of people unless I can do it unnoticed.
View Northwest: The Fountain of Qaitbey (center structure) was built in 1455 AD by the Egyptian Sultan al-Ashraf Sayf ad-Din Enal. It was rebuilt in 1482 by Sultan Qaitbey and named after him. The Sebil or fountain is fed by an old water cistern. The Cotton Merchants Gate is to the right of the fountain.
View West: The Fountain of Qaitbey (left) with the Bab al-Qattanin or Cotton Merchants Gate (right), one of most beautiful gates leading to the Temple Mount. An inscription over the gate says it was built by Tankis (ruler of Damascus) during the reign of Mamluk Sultan Ibn Qalawun (1285-1341 AD).
View North, looking toward Jerusalem’s Old City walls (top left), the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and El Aksa Mosque, the Kidron Valley (center), and the Mount of Olives (right). The photo was taken from the south Jerusalem promenade near Abu Tur.