Situated along the eastern retaining wall of the Haram al-Sharif, between Bab al-Asbat (Lions’ Gate) and Bab al-Rahma wa’l-Tauba (Golden Gate), the Kursi Sulaiman, commonly known as the "Dar al-Hadith" occupies a relatively secluded position northeast of the mosque esplanade. The structure abuts the eastern boundary of the Haram, which is also part of the Old City's defensive wall.

The building comprises two primary sections: a western part designed in the style of an Ottoman mosque with domed bays and a mihrab, and an eastern hall housing a large stone cenotaph. Since at least 1403/1982–3 CE, it has been used as the Dar al-Hadith, a center for the study and teaching of the Prophet Muhammad’s traditions. The Qur'anic inscription above the cenotaph (Sura al-Naml 27:30–33) underlines its commemorative purpose, linking the Prophet Sulaiman with the Qur'anic invitation to faith addressed to Queen Bilqis.

This is most likely a memorial that was probably built to commemorate the Prophet Suleyman (biblical Solomon). It is located within the plaza of Haram al-Sharif, which supports its eastern wall. Kursi (الكرسي), which means chair, is an odd name for a building, and possibly relates to the spur of the Rock against which it is erected. The building itself is undated, but is clearly a mid-16th century foundation, as the shape of the two shallow domes covering the building are associated with the Ottoman period.

circa 1600 CE

While no construction date is inscribed on the monument, the earliest administrative record of its religious use appears in a Jerusalem sijill (no. 89:84) dated 1017/1608–9 CE, referencing the appointment of Musa ibn Abi’l-Nasr al-Barg to the service of “the tomb of our lord Sulaiman” within the enclosure of al-Masjid al-Aqsa. This suggests the presence of a cultic or commemorative site at that time, though possibly without a built superstructure.

Literary references from the 17th century confirm the structure’s existence and devotional status. Evliya Çelebi, writing in the mid-1600s, described it as the “Shrine of Solomon and his Throne,” noting its two domes and association with the Haram’s eastern wall. Al-Nabulsi, during his visit in 1101–1105/1690–1694 CE, recorded praying inside the structure and described its large rock-like cenotaph.

Though the structure is not mentioned in Nasir al-Din Muhammad ibn Khadr al-Rumi’s mid-16th-century pilgrim guide, it is referenced consistently in 17th-century sources onward. This supports an architectural dating in the early 17th century CE, reinforced by stylistic parallels with nearby zawiyas such as al-Zawiya al-Qadiriyya (dated 1043/1633–4) and al-Zawiya al-As‘adiyya (waqf established 1033/1623).

circa 1600 CE

Exterior
The Kursi Sulaiman is rectangular in plan, with three visible façades built of uniform masonry blocks and a fourth eastern wall incorporated into the Haram's outer perimeter. The north façade serves as the primary entrance, opening onto a square paved courtyard. Its doorway is slightly off-center, flanked by three high windows, and surmounted by a slab lintel and relieving arch. Above it is a Qur'anic inscription (inspect) on a marble slab in a recessed panel (Qur’an 17:1), added in recent decades reads the first verse of Surah Isra mentioning the Night Journey of prophet Muhammad.

The building has three facades visible from the Temple Mount esplanade and the eastern facade is integrated in the eastern wall of Haram al-Sharif compound. The west façade, the longest at 13.25 meters, contains symmetrical window arrangements split by a central buttress. The south elevation is simpler, featuring three rectangular windows and one slit opening, with signs of reconstruction at the southeast corner—possibly post-earthquake repairs. The eastern façade forms part of the Old City wall and shows no architectural articulation. The roof features two hemispherical domes above the western prayer area and a flat stone-slab roof over the eastern cenotaph chamber. A continuous cornice demarcates the upper edge of the building.

circa 1600 CE

Interior
The interior is divided into two distinct sections by a set of north–south pointed arches supported by a central pier. The western prayer chamber contains two domed square bays, separated by an east–west arch. A mihrab is positioned in the southern bay, framed by a muqarnas cornice with Timurid-style stucco ornamentation and flanked by windows.

The eastern hall, barrel-vaulted and minimally lit by two high windows, houses a massive stone cenotaph measuring approximately 9.5 meters by 7 meters and 2 meters in height. The cenotaph bears a marble inscription quoting verses from Surah al-Naml, and its ends are topped with two cylindrical finials. The cenotaph is traditionally covered with a green pall.

The building has a large hall divided into different areas, one of which is the prayer area with a mihrab. It is surmounted by two shallow domes. Additionally, a cavetto frieze situated above the mihrab is identical to one found over the mihrab in the al-'Imara al-'Amira complex (959/1552), suggesting that Kursi Sulayman (the 'throne of Solomon') was built around that time. The hall also includes a symbolic tomb which might allude to the tomb of Suleyman or his throne. The building is presently used as an institute for Hadith (دار الحديث في المسجد الأقصى).