Temple Mount

Temple Mount. Known in Hebrew as Har HaBayit and in Arabic as al-Haram al-Sharif, this elevated plaza in the Old City of Jerusalem is one of the most contested and spiritually significant sites in the world. It is venerated as the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam, housing major Islamic shrines. The site's history spans millennia, from the biblical First Temple to the modern era of political and religious conflict.

Location and description

The site is a trapezoidal, walled platform built atop a natural hill, traditionally identified as Mount Moriah, situated at the southeastern corner of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is dominated by two iconic Islamic structures: the gilded Dome of the Rock, completed in 691 CE under the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, and the silver-domed Al-Aqsa Mosque, first constructed around 705 CE. The platform is supported by massive retaining walls, including the revered Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple complex. Other notable features include the Islamic Museum and several historic gates like the Golden Gate.

Religious significance

In Judaism, the site is identified as the location of the Foundation Stone, the spiritual nexus of creation and the place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. It was the site of the First Temple, built by King Solomon, and the Second Temple, destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE. In Islam, the compound is revered as the place where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven during the Isra and Mi'raj. The Dome of the Rock enshrines the rock from which this journey commenced, making the entire Haram a major focal point for Muslim pilgrimage and prayer, after Mecca and Medina.

History

The earliest known structure was the First Temple, constructed in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II. The Second Temple was rebuilt under Zerubbabel and later expanded by Herod the Great, whose monumental construction created the current platform. Following its destruction by Titus, the site lay in ruins until the Muslim conquest of the Levant. The Rashidun caliph Umar built a mosque there, preceding the major constructions by the Umayyad Caliphate. Control later passed to the Crusaders, the Ayyubids under Saladin, the Mamluks, and the Ottoman Empire. After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, it fell under Jordanian control until the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel captured the Old City of Jerusalem.

Archaeology

Archaeological work is highly sensitive and politically charged. Excavations along the perimeter, such as those near the Western Wall and Robinson's Arch, have revealed extensive remains from the Herodian period, including paved streets and ritual baths. The Temple Mount Sifting Project, analyzing debris removed by the Waqf, has recovered thousands of artifacts from various periods, including First Temple period seal impressions and Second Temple period coins. Direct excavation on the platform itself is prohibited by the managing Waqf, limiting comprehensive study, though surveys have noted earlier material like fragments from the Hasmonean dynasty.

Modern status and disputes

Administrative control is held by the Jordanian-appointed Waqf, while overall security is maintained by Israel, specifically the Israel Police and Border Police. The site is a central flashpoint in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with access often restricted during periods of tension. Key events include the 1990 Temple Mount riots, the opening of the Western Wall Tunnel in 1996, and the visit by Ariel Sharon in 2000, which helped spark the Second Intifada. The status of the compound remains a core issue in final-status negotiations, with many Palestinians viewing any change to the status quo as a provocation, while some Jewish groups advocate for greater prayer rights or the construction of a Third Temple.

Category:Jerusalem Category:Religious buildings and structures Category:Archaeological sites in Israel