Temple Mount

The Temple Mount (הַר הַבַּיִת) ^{[see N1]} refers to the trapezium shaped flat platform around a hill generally identified with the Mount Moriah, in Jerusalem. It is the site where historically a number of structures belonging to at least three different religions ^{[see N2]} (Jewish, Roman and Islam) have stood.

Overview

An ariel view of the Temple Mount, with al-Aqsa to the left, Dome of Rock in the center. Bab al-Rahmah Cemetery can be seen along the eastern wall of the Haram al-Sharif. The present site is a flat plaza surrounded by retaining walls (including the Western Wall) which was built during the reign of Herod the Great for an expansion of the temple. The plaza is dominated by three monumental structures from the early Umayyad period: the al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain, as well as four minarets.

According to Jewish tradition and scripture, the First Temple was built by King Solomon on the site. Among Muslims, the Mount is the site of one of the three Sacred Mosques, the holiest sites in Islam. The Temple Mount forms the northern portion of a very narrow spur of hill that slopes sharply downward from north to south. Rising above the Kidron Valley to the east and Tyropoeon Valley to the west, its peak reaches a height of 740 meters (2,428 ft) above sea level.

The Temple Mount has historical and religious significance for all three of the major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It has particular religious significance for Judaism and Islam, and the competing claims of these faith communities has made it one of the most contested religious sites in the world. The historic city remained under Ottoman control for about 400 years, from 1500-1900 CE.

Brief History

circa 950 BCE

The history of the Temple Mount or the timeline spans millennia, with signs of inhabitation going as far back as at least to the reign of Thutmose III. However, revered across Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, its recorded history marked by its transformation from a modest Jebusite threshing floor into a revered sanctuary and a focal point of theological and political conflict. Serving as the site of Solomon's First Temple, the Second Temple, and later Islamic constructions such as the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Mount reflects the layered and contested narratives of faith and history.

Throughout its extensive history, the Temple Mount has witnessed cycles of destruction and renewal, reflecting the shifting dynamics of empires, religious practices, and cultural identities. From its early use as a cultic site to its establishment as a major center of worship and pilgrimage, each phase of its existence has contributed to its enduring legacy. Today, it remains a symbol of spiritual devotion and geopolitical tension, embodying the profound intersections of faith, history, and identity.

Notable Structures

circa 690 CE

al-Aqṣā Mosque
Northeast exposure of al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Originally built by order of the Umayyad caliph al-Walid (reigned 705–15 CE), al-Aqsa stands on what the Crusaders thought to be the site of the First Temple and what others believe was a marketplace on the edge of the Temple. Located on the southern side of the Haram al-Sharif, it is the 3rd most holiest site in Islam. Originally built in circa 700 CE, it is named after the Muslim's account of the night travel of prophet Muhammad, who according to Islamic tradition was transported from Mecca to Jerusalem.

circa 690 CE

Dome of the Rock
Built in the last decade of the seventh century the Dome of the Rock is the most iconic structure on the Haram al-Sharif mount. The rock over which the shrine was built is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. The Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, is traditionally believed to have ascended into heaven from the site. In Jewish tradition it is here that Abraham, the progenitor and first patriarch of the Hebrew people, is said to have prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Dome of the Chain is also partially visible to the right. The large golden dome and an octagon structure, was built by the Umayyad Khalif Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan in 691 CE and named it after Omar.

circa 100 CE

Wailing Wall
The Wailing Wall is a section of Western Wall and is the holiest site in Judaism. Wailing Wall and the Western Wall plaza as seen from Moroccans' Gate access tunnel. The wall was originally erected as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple begun by Herod the Great, which resulted in the encasement of the natural, steep hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount. For Muslims, it is the site where the Islamic Prophet Muhammad tied his steed, al-Buraq, on his night journey to Jerusalem.

circa 1336 CE

Cradle of Jesus
The tradition of the Cradle of Jesus (مهد عيسى) refers to a small, recessed marble alcove found within a chamber known as the Chamber of Virgin Mary or Oratory of Mary, positioned in the southeastern corner of the Temple Mount. It is believed to be the place where Miriam laid Jesus before or after presenting him in the Temple at the age of 40 days. This cradle is situated in the el-Marwani Musallah, also recognized as Solomon's Stables. Another tradition suggests that beneath this area lies a crypt where the venerated wooden cradle of Jesus is preserved.

Archaeological Remains From Earlier Structures

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem has a rich history with various structures built and rebuilt over the centuries. Due to the sensitive nature of the site and the challenges associated with archaeological excavations, uncovering and studying the architectural remains of earlier structures has been limited. However, there have been some archaeological findings and historical accounts that shed light on earlier structures from the First and Second Jewish Temples, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader and Islamic Periods.

Notes

• [N1] This article is a "definition" article strictly discussing the enclosed and raised platform that encompasses approximately 35 acres of walled complex at the heart of modern day Jerusalem. Depending on the archaeological or historical context the term Temple Mount may be extended beyond the immediate walled platform, encompassing the open areas around it as well. The platform itself has been modified and expanded over the centuries. Various structures, including Jewish and Roman Temples, the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, have been built on the platform, contributing to its religious, architectural, historical and archaeological significance.
• [N2] The Temple Mount, known as the Mikdash (Hebrew: מקדש), as used in the book of Exodus, Bayt / Beit Adonai (Hebrew: בית), Beit HaMikdash (Hebrew: בית המקדש), literally meaning, "The Holy House". During the Roman period, probably sometime during the reign of emperor Hadrian, a temple to Jupiter Capitolinus was built on the Temple Mount along with a number of other structures. It is also known as the Noble Sanctuary (Arabic: الحرم الشريف‎, al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf, "the Noble Sanctuary", or الحرم القدسي الشريف, al-Ḥaram al-Qudsī al-Šarīf, "the Noble Sanctuary of Jerusalem"), is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years. At least four religious traditions are known to have made use of the Temple Mount: Judaism, Christianity, Roman religion, and Islam.

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See Also

• Depiction of Temple in the Holyland Model of Jerusalem
• Temple of Solomon
• Second Jewish Temple
• Antonia Fortress
• Mosque of Umar ibn al-Khattab
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre
• Wailing Wall
• Mount of Olives
• Hurva Synagogue
• Timeline of the Temple Mount

Points of Interest

References

• Nicolle, David (1994). Yarmuk AD 636: The Muslim Conquest of Syria. Osprey Publishing.
• Karen Armstrong (29 April 1997). Jerusalem: one city, three faiths. Ballantine Books. p. 229. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
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• Gilbert, Lela (21 September 2015). "The Temple Mount – Outrageous Lies and Escalating Dangers". Hudson Institute. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
• "A Muslim Iconoclast (Ibn Taymiyyeh) on the 'Merits' of Jerusalem and Palestine", by Charles D. Matthews, Journal of the American Oriental Society, volume 56 (1935), pp. 1–21. [Includes Arabic text of manuscript of Ibn Taymiyya's short work Qa'ida fi Ziyarat Bayt-il-Maqdis قاعدة في زيارة بيت المقدس]
• Andreas Kaplony (2009). "635/638–1099: The Mosque of Jerusalem (Masjid Bayt al-Maqdis)". In Oleg Grabar and Benjamin Z. Kedar (ed.). Where Heaven and Earth Meet: Jerusalem's Sacred Esplanade. Yad Ben-Zvi Press. pp. 100–131.
• Carol Delaney, Abraham on Trial: The Social Legacy of Biblical Myth, Princeton University Press 2000 p.120.
• Babylonian Talmud Yoma 54b.
• A Brief Guide to al-Haram al-Sharif, a booklet published in 1925 (and earlier) by the "Supreme Moslem Council", a body established by the British government to administer waqfs and headed by Hajj Amin al-Husayni during the British Mandate period, states on page 4: "The site is one of the oldest in the world. Its sanctity dates from the earliest (perhaps from pre-historic) times. Its identity with the site of Solomon's Temple is beyond dispute. This, too, is the spot, according to universal belief, on which 'David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.'(2 Samuel 24:25)"
• Robert Shick, 'A Christian City with a Major Muslim Shrine: Jerusalem in the Umayyad Period,' in Arietta Papaconstantinou (ed.), Conversion in Late Antiquity: Christianity, Islam, and Beyond: Papers from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Sawyer Seminar, University of Oxford, 2009-2010 pp.299-317 p.300, Routledge 2016 p.300.
• "The Farthest Mosque must refer to the site of the Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem on the hill of Moriah, at or near which stands the Dome of the Rock... it was a sacred place to both Jews and Christians... The chief dates in connection with the Temple in Jerusalem are: It was finished by Solomon about 1004 BCE; destroyed by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar about 586 BCE; rebuilt under Ezra and Nehemiah about 515 BCE; turned into a heathen idol temple by one of Alexander the Great's successors, Antiochus Epiphanes, 167 BCE; restored by Herod, 17 BCE to 29; and completely razed to the ground by the Emperor Titus in 70. These ups and downs are among the greater signs in religious history." (Yusuf Ali, Commentary on the Koran, 2168.)
• Rashid Khalidi, "Transforming the Face of the Holy City: Political Messages in the Built Topography of Jerusalem," paper presented to the conference on "Landscape Perspectives on Palestine," Bir Zeit University, November 12-15, 1998 http://www.jqf-jerusalem.org/journal/1999/jqf3/khalidi.html
• "The city of Jerusalem was chosen at the command of Allah by Prophet David in the tenth century BCE. After him his son Prophet Solomon built a mosque in Jerusalem according to the revelation that he received from Allah. For several centuries this mosque was used for the worship of Allah by many Prophets and Messengers of Allah. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in the year 586 BCE., but it was soon rebuilt and was rededicated to the worship of Allah in 516 BCE. It continued afterwards for several centuries until the time of Prophet Jesus. After he departed this world, it was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 CE." (Siddiqi, Dr. Muzammil. Status of Al-Aqsa Mosque Archived 2011-02-11 at the Wayback Machine, IslamOnline, May 21, 2007. Retrieved July 12, 2007.)
• Sari Nuseibeh, "Islam's Jerusalem," http://www.passia.org/jerusalem/publications/religiousaspectstext.htm
• "Early Muslims regarded the building and destruction of the Temple of Solomon as a major historical and religious event, and accounts of the Temple are offered by many of the early Muslim historians and geographers (including Ibn Qutayba, Ibn al-Faqih, Mas'udi, Muhallabi, and Biruni). Fantastic tales of Solomon's construction of the Temple also appear in the Qisas al-anbiya', the medieval compendia of Muslim legends about the pre-Islamic prophets." (Kramer, Martin. The Temples of Jerusalem in Islam, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, September 18, 2000. Retrieved November 21, 2007.)
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• Gonen, Rivka (2003). Contested Holiness: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Perspectives on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Jersey City (N. J.): KTAV. pp. 149–155. ISBN 9780881257984.
• Was the Aksa Mosque built over the remains of a Byzantine church?, By Etgar Lefkovits, Jerusalem Post, November 16, 2008
• Dan Bahat (1990). The Illustrated Atlas of Jerusalem. Simon & Schuster. pp. 81–82.
• F. E. Peters (1985). Jerusalem. Princeton University Press. pp. 186–192.
• John Wilkinson (2002). Jerusalem Pilgrims before the Crusades. p. 170.
• The Dome of the Rock as Palimpsest, Necipoglu, Muqarnas 2008
• Oleg Grabar, The Haram ak-Sharif: An essay in interpretation, BRIIFS vol. 2 no 2 (Autumn 2000) Archived 2012-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
• "Hashemite Restorations of the Islamic Holy Places in Jerusalem", Jordanian government website.
• Israeli, Raphael (2002). "Introduction: Everyday Life in Divided Jerusalem". Jerusalem Divided: The Armistice Regime, 1947–1967. Jerusalem: Routledge. p. 23. ISBN 0-7146-5266-0.