This page helps you to identify major points of interest by hovering over the red dots. This page provides very concise information, please see this page for detailed information about the Temple Mount.
The Madrasah al-Ashrafiyya is identified by its protruding volume into the Haram. Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Qaytbay (d. 1496 CE) founded al-Ashrafiyya on the same site. The builders and craftsmen, as well as the Coptic architect of al-Ashrafiyya, were all sent from Cairo to complete the building.
The Gate of the Cotton Merchants, Arabic: Bab al-Qattanin, is one of the most beautiful gates that leads onto the Temple Mount. It was built by the ruler of Damascus, Tankiz, during the reign of Mamluk Sultan ibn Qalwun, as marked by an inscription over the door.
Located on Temple Mount it's the oldest structure. Originally built by abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 690 CE it has been renovated several times since. It is one of the oldest surviving Islamic Structure.
It was probably built during Umayyad period because Ibn al-Faqih al-Hamadani circa 9-10 century CE in his Mukhtasar Kitab al-Buldan mentioned that there was a dome in al-Aqsa enclave called Kubbat Jibril (Dome of Gabriel). Back then it was also called Kubbat al-Ruh and Kubbat al-Arvah (Dome of the Spirits).
Dome of the Chain (قبة السلسلة), Qubbat al-Silsilah, is a free-standing dome located adjacently east of the Dome of the Rock in the Old City of Jerusalem. One of the oldest structures on the Haram ash-Sharif (Temple Mount), it is not a mosque or shrine, but is used as a prayer house.
The Well of Souls (بئر الأرواح Bir al-Arwah) sometimes translated Pit of Souls, Cave of Spirits, or Well of Spirits is a partly natural, partly man-made cave located inside the Foundation Stone under the Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem. Also known in Christianity and Judaism by the time of the Crusades as the Holy of Holies.
Qanatir (قناطر), also known as the Arched Gates (البوائك) or 'The Scales' (الموازين), are the arched structures that surround the Dome of the Rock Platform. According to legend on the Day of Judgement the scales of judgement will be suspended to these arches or in place of these arches.
The Kursi Suleiman (قبة كرسي سليمان), also known as the mausoleum or Tomb of prophet Suleyman, is located in the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) along the eastern wall It is also known as the Kursi-i Suleiman (the chair of Solomon) or the foot-stool of Solomon.
In Arabic, it is known as Bab al-Dhahabi, also written Bab al-Zahabi, meaning "Golden Gate"; another Arabic name is the Gate of Eternal Life. Additionally, for Muslims each of the two doors of the double gate has its own name: Bab al-Rahma, "Gate of Mercy", for the southern one, and Bab al-Taubah, the "Gate of Repentance", for the northern one.
The Golden Gate is one of the few sealed gates in Jerusalem's Old City Walls, along with the Huldah Gates, and a small Biblical and Crusader-era postern located several stories above ground on the southern side of the eastern wall.
The iwan is a simple stone structure, with a square plan. The iwan's dome sits directly on the octagonal area with no drum or transition zone. It has an odd shape, and is clumsily finished, giving it the appearance of an incomplete half-oval.
The Dome of Solomon (Qubat Suleyman), the Guide to the Holy Places (1470 CE) states that this structure belonged to Suleyman ibn abd-ul Malik, the seventh caliph of the Umayyad dynasty (715-717 CE) but the current building dates back to c. 1200 CE Ayyubid period.
Gate of Bani Ghanim, as seen from within the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount). The Gate was last renovated in 1308 CE (707 Hj.). It is a relatively small gate named after the Old City’s Bani Ghanim Quarter to which it leads. In the past, the Gate was called Al-Khalil (Hebron) Gate after Prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalil (Abraham).
The Kidron Valley (وادي الجوز), Wadi al-Joz, is the valley on the eastern side of The Old City of Jerusalem, separating the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif) from the Mount of Olives. It starts north of the Old City of Jerusalem and continues east through the Judean Desert, towards the Dead Sea, descending 4000 feet along its 20 mile course.
Originally constructed in 1455 on the orders of the Egyptian Sultan al-Ashraf Sayf ad-Din Enal. In 1482, however, Sultan Qaitbay had it rebuilt, and the structure is named after him. The Sebil is fed by an old water cistern.
The Gate of the Chain (باب السلسلة) which was built during the Ayoubi era is one of al-Aqsa Mosque’s main entrances; it is located in the southern part of Temple Mount’s western wall. The gate is relatively high and topped with ornamented bricks.
The Dome of al-Nahawiya (Qubat ul-Nahawiya), is an official office and it under responsibility of the Office of Religious Endowments. Located at the southwestern end opposite the Chain Gate.
The Chain Gate Minaret is located directly above the Gate of the Chain, thus named as such. Tanzik, the Mamluk Governor of Syria ordered the construction, probably replacing an earlier Umayyad built minaret. This reconstruction took place, as mentioned in the inscriptions, in the days of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad.
The Western Wall, or "Wailing Wall", is the most religious site in the world for the Jewish people. Located in the Old City of Jerusalem, it is the western support wall of the Temple Mount. Next to it is a large public square situated adjacent to the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was formed in 1967 as a result of the razing of the Moroccan Quarter neighborhood in the immediate aftermath of the Six-Day War.
The Moors Gate, Morocco Gate, also known as Maghariba Gate, is the southern-most gate on the western flank of the Temple Mount.
The Islamic Museum is a museum on the Temple Mount in the Old City section of Jerusalem. On display are exhibits from ten periods of Islamic history encompassing several Muslim regions. The museum is located adjacent to al-Aqsa Mosque.
The present-day dome of Masjid al-Aqsa (قبة المسجد الأقصى) was built by az-Zahir and consists of wood plated with lead enamelwork. Nothing remains of the original dome built by Abd al-Malik.
Located on Temple Mount it's the oldest structure. Originally built by abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in 690 CE it has been renovated several times since. It is one of the oldest surviving Islamic Structure.
The al-Kas (الكاس), from Arabic meaning cup or bowl, is an ablution fountain located on the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif) just in front of al-Aqsa mosque.
This is believed to be the location of original mosque of Omer, initially a small wooden structure was built here, along the southern wall of Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) and eastern wall of al-Aqsa. Also known as the al-Qibli Chapel, al-Jami' al-Qibli or Masjid e Umar ibn al-Khattab.
The Huldah Gates were a set of gates leading into the Jerusalem Temple compound in the Hasmonean period and were named as such in the Mishnah. The term is used for the remains of two later sets of gates, the Triple Gate and the Double Gate, known together as the Huldah Gates, built as part of the much extended Herodian Temple Mount, situated in Jerusalem's Old City.
The Southern Steps are a set of an enormous flight of steps leads to the Southern Wall from the south. They were excavated after 1967 by archaeologist Benjamin Mazar and are the northernmost extension of the Jerusalem pilgrim road leading from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount via the Double Gate and the Triple Gate.
The Ophel is part of the Eastern Hill that sits between the City of David and the Temple Mount. The southern side of the temple mount was built and fortified from the Iron/Israelite period. The site was referred in the Bible as the "Ophel" (the high place).
The Mihrab Dawud (محراب داود), according to tradition is the spot where prophet David used to worship (offer salah). It is located in the southern wall of Haram al-Sharif near the south-easter corner.
The al-Marwani Mosque, also known as the Musalla Marwani (المصلى المرواني) or the Eastern Basement of Haram al-Sharif, is a massive subterranean hall located in the south-eastern corner of the al Aqsa mosque. It extends over four and a half acres of land and can cater for approximately 6000 worshippers at once.
The Eastern Wall is an ancient structure in Jerusalem that is both part of the eastern side of the city wall of Jerusalem and the eastern wall of the ancient Temple Mount.
Description
The Temple Mount (Haram as-Sharif) refers to the walled elevated plaza in Jerusalem is a holy site for both Judaism and Islam.
Seen as the holiest site for Jewish believers, parts of the four walls surrounding the Temple Mount date back to the time of the Second Jewish Temple, in the first century BCE. The walls were built around the summit of Mount Moriah. Biblically, this is where Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. The site is also the third holiest in Islam (after Mecca and Medina).
In Muslim tradition, this is where the Prophet Mohammed made his “Night Journey” to the throne of God. In the seventh century, when the Muslims conquered Jerusalem, they built the Dome of the Rock. It is the gold-topped Islamic shrine seen in many iconic photographs of the Old City, next to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
