Jerusalem Temple Mount

Jerusalem Temple Mount
Name	Temple Mount
Native name	Haram al-Sharif
Location	Jerusalem
Coordinates	31°46′N 35°14′E
Religious affiliation	Judaism, Islam, Christianity
Established	10th century BCE (traditionally)
Architecture style	Herodian, Umayyad, Ottoman
Governing body	Israel, Jordan (status disputed)

Jerusalem Temple Mount is a hilltop platform in the Old City of Jerusalem that is one of the most contested religious sites in the world. The site is associated with major figures and institutions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, and has been central to conflicts involving the Kingdom of Judah, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Caliphate, the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate for Palestine, the State of Israel, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Its physical landmarks include the Dome of the Rock, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and remnants attributed to the Second Temple period, making it a focal point for pilgrimage, archaeology, and diplomacy.

History

The site is traditionally linked to the biblical King David and King Solomon and the construction of Solomon's Temple in the 10th century BCE, later associated with the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II. During the Hellenistic period the area interacted with the Hasmonean dynasty; under Herod the Great the platform and the Second Temple underwent massive expansion connected with the Roman province of Judaea. After the First Jewish–Roman War and the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE by forces under Titus, the site entered phases of Roman and Byzantine Empire control, followed by the Muslim conquests of the 7th century CE during the reign of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab and subsequent building campaigns by the Umayyad Caliphate, notably the construction of the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The area was contested during the First Crusade and the Kingdom of Jerusalem before reconquest by the Ayyubid dynasty under Saladin and later administration by the Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire until the British capture of Jerusalem (1917). Following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the site was controlled by Jordan; after the 1967 Six-Day War control shifted to Israel while custodianship arrangements involved Waqf authorities linked to Jordan.

Religious Significance

For Judaism the location is the site of the First and Second Temples and associated with the Holy of Holies, Temple Mount Sifting Project narratives, and messianic expectations tied to figures such as Moses, Davidic dynasty traditions, and temple ritual law codified in the Mishnah and Talmud. In Islam the site—known as Haram al-Sharif—is revered as the location of the Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) and is linked to early caliphs and Umayyad patronage; it is under the custodianship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and associated with institutions like the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound administration. For Christianity the hill figures in biblical events and pilgrimage itineraries related to the Temple in Jerusalem narratives, the life of Jesus, and medieval pilgrimage routes involving the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and crusading orders such as the Knights Templar.

Architecture and Layout

The platform is bounded by retaining walls, most famously the Western Wall (a surviving retaining wall of Herodian expansion), and contains monumental structures including the Dome of the Rock—an octagonal Umayyad shrine—and the congregational Al-Aqsa Mosque complex. Herodian engineering projects produced massive ashlar masonry and substructures such as the Solomon's Stables area and subterranean vaults later used by Ottoman and modern-era constructions. Surrounding gates include the Golden Gate (sealed in medieval times), the Mughrabi Gate, and the Chain Gate, while stairways and colonnaded courtyards reflect layers of Second Temple period, Byzantine architecture, and Islamic architecture interventions.

Archaeology and Excavations

Archaeological work has included early surveys by the British Mandate authorities, excavations by scholars such as Charles Warren and later investigations by the Israel Antiquities Authority and private teams. Excavations around the retaining walls, the City of David area, and the southern and western approaches have produced finds related to the Iron Age, Persian period, Hellenistic period, Herodian period, and Byzantine layers, including ritual baths (mikva'ot), stone inscriptions, coin hoards, and ceramic assemblages. Excavation activity has often provoked political responses from UNESCO, United Nations, and international heritage organizations, with debates about methodology and conservation involving the Waqf and Israeli authorities.

Political and Legal Status

Sovereignty and control of the site have been central to negotiations in treaties and talks involving the Camp David Accords, the Oslo Accords, and proposals in United Nations Security Council resolutions. After 1967, Israeli civil and military authorities assert security jurisdiction while religious administration for the Islamic structures is vested in a Jordanian-linked Waqf overseen by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Department; Israeli law, including the Jerusalem Law (1980), and decisions by the Israeli Supreme Court have affected access and planning. International positions by states and organizations such as the European Union, the United States Department of State, and the Arab League variably recognize competing claims, making the site a locus of diplomacy, protests, and legal contestation.

Cultural Practices and Pilgrimage

The platform receives pilgrims and worshippers from Jewish communities observing festivals like Passover and Sukkot through historical liturgy and modern prayer movements, as well as Muslim worshippers for daily prayers and during Ramadan and the Night Journey commemorations. Christian pilgrims visit in connection with Holy Week routes and biblical landmarks in Jerusalem tied to the Second Temple period narratives. Cultural institutions including the Yad Ben-Zvi Institute, the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Department, and international heritage NGOs organize educational programs, tours, and liturgical events that reflect competing religious calendars and communal customs.

Access, Management, and Security

Access policies are shaped by arrangements among the Israel Police, Israel Defense Forces, the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Department, and municipal authorities of the Jerusalem Municipality; entry points include the Mughrabi Bridge route and various gates used at different hours and for different communities. Security measures, closures during periods of tension involving groups such as Hamas, Fatah, or Hezbollah-linked incidents, and international diplomatic pressure affect visitor flows. Management regimes seek to balance preservation, religious freedom claims adjudicated in the Israeli court system, and international expectations articulated by bodies like UNESCO and the United Nations General Assembly.

Category:Religious buildings and structures in Jerusalem