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How to Visit Temple Mount & Dome of the Rock as a Tourist

Last Modified: January 20, 2024 //  by  Anda //   15 Comments

A visit to the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount was at the top of my list when I was planning our our trip to Israel . Temple Mount is one of the biggest attractions in Jerusalem , so I didn’t want to miss it. The site has been the most contested piece of territory in the Holy Land since Israel occupied East Jerusalem, in 1967.

Table of Contents

What is the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock?

The religious significance of the temple mount and the dome of the rock, who can visit the dome of the rock, how to access the dome of the rock, visiting hours and admission, what to expect when visiting the dome of the rock, dome of the chain, al-aqsa mosque, the purification fountain, fountain of qayt bay, how to dress when visiting temple mount and the dome of the rock, tips for visiting the dome of the rock and temple mount.

Temple Mount is a walled compound that sits above the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. The compound is the site of two magnificent structures: the Dome of the Rock to the north and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the south.

The Dome of the Rock occupies the area where the Holy Jewish Temple previously stood. The structure was completed in 692 AD, making it one of the oldest Islamic structures in the world. The Dome is a monumental building, beautifully decorated with mosaic, faience and marble. Much of these embellishments were added several centuries after its completion. 

For Jews, Temple Mount is the holiest place on Earth because it’s the site where their two temples once stood. The First Temple was built by King Solomon and was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC.

The Second Temple was built by Herod the Great in the 6th century BC and was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Jews still continue to mourn the destruction of their temple to this day. They believe that that the temple is going to be rebuilt prior to the Messianic Age .

For Muslims, Temple Mount is known as Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) and is the third holiest site in Islam. They believe Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from this place in the 7th century. The Dome of the Rock was built over the Foundation Stone that marks the spot where Muhammad ascended into heaven. 

Since this place is holy to both Jews and Muslims, religious sensitivities have triggered violence, political chaos and tensions for decades. Despite the current truce, the peace is very volatile and the situation can get out of control at any moment.

Most tourists to Jerusalem want to visit the Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount. Sadly, while everybody can visit the Temple Mount complex, only Muslims can get inside the Dome of the Rock, or the Al Aqsa Mosque. As a non-Muslim, you can only visit the outside of these grandiose mosques and take pictures of them.

The Temple Mount is a prayer site for Muslims, who can pray here at any time. Christians and Jews may only visit the site as tourists, but are forbidden to pray on the Temple Mount.

The Dome of the Rock sits at the top of Temple Mount, which is currently under the control of the Jordanian government through the  Waqf (the Islamic trust in Amman.) The Israeli government has control over the external security of the compound and can impose entry limits to the site.

Muslims can access the Temple Mount complex through twelve gates, but tourists and non-Muslims can only enter through the Moroccan Gate which (also known as Mugrabi Gate ). This gate is located near the Western Wall Plaza, close to Dung Gate.

Admission for visiting Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock is free. However, the site is only open during very specific times which causes very long lines.

Visiting hours for the Temple Mount are Monday through Thursday :

• Winter : 7:30 am – 10:30 am and 12:30pm – 1:30 pm
• Summer: 8:30am – 11:30am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm

The Temple Mount is closed to visitors on Friday and Saturday . It may also be closed without notice for security reasons.

We wanted to visit the Dome of the Rock without the crowds, so we came very early in the morning. To our surprise we were not the first ones in line, but at least the queue wasn’t very long.

At the checking point we passed through metal detectors and had our backpacks and cameras x-rayed. They asked us if we had any prayer books or Bibles with us. We didn’t of course, so they let us pass. As we started walking up the wooden ramp towards the entrance gate, we noticed several men with semi-automatic rifles. This didn’t surpris, as military forces are omnipresent all over Israel.

Once we passed through the gate, we found ourselves in a large, open area where we could see the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the right and the Dome of the Rock on the left. It was around 7:45 a.m. when we arrived and the golden roof of Dome of the Rock was glittering the morning light.

As we began walking around taking pictures of the beautiful Dome, we noticed there many other structures around worth checking out.

Other structures to visit on Temple Mount, besides the Dome of the Rock

The biggest attraction on Temple Mount is of course the Dome of the Rock. But before rushing to the upper platform visit the Dome of the Rock, we took time to admire the beautiful arches ( qanatirs ) that frame the terrace. They have been built by the Mamluks, in the 15th century.

Located on the same platform and just adjacent to the Dome of the Rock, is a free-standing dome called the Dome of the Chain , which is one of the oldest structures on the Temple Mount. The dome is used as a prayer house.

While the Dome of the Rock serves more as a shrine, Al Aqsa is a big functioning mosque that can accommodate up to 5000 worshippers at a time. It’s such a pity that we couldn’t get inside this beautiful mosque!

North to the Al Aqsa mosque there is a small fountain used for drinking and purification before prayers. The fountain is surrounded by a green metal fence and marble chairs.

This is where Muslims wash their feet before entering the mosque. According to Islam, every Muslim must purify himself before he prays. You’ll find this kind of fountains in the vicinity of every mosque.

This beautiful domed fountain that sits on the western esplanade is very easy to miss. Compared to the Dome of the Rock, the fountain is really small but nonetheless one of the most beautiful structures on the Temple Mount.

Also known as Sabil Qaitbay (in Arabic), the Fountain of Qayt Bay was built in the 15th century by the Mamluks of Egypt. Water used to pour from the shaft near the door of the fountain into ditchs below each window.

The Muslim authorities may have different requirements on different days. We friend visited Temple Mount wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts and had no problems.

Our friend visited the compound a few weeks later wearing pants and was told she needed to wear a long skirt. She had to rent a wrap from the entrance. If you know what to expect in Israel , things like these should not surprise you.

It’s better to come prepared, so bring a wrap just in case they ask you to cover your pants. Also, bring a scarf to cover your hair. They say you don’t have to do it, but you never know! I covered my hair anyway just to avoid being kicked out.

As a general rule, women should wear modest clothes that go down below the knees and cover their arms. No sleeveless shirts or shorts for men or women. Also, avoid physical contact with your partner. We have been scolded for trying to get closer together in order to take a selfie!

• Arrive early as the lines may be very long
• Bring water, sunscreen and a hat as there is very little shade around
• Dress modestly and wear clothing that covers your knees and arms
• Bring your passport for the security check point
• Don carry any Bible, prayer book, or religious artifacts with you
• Temple Mount is a holy site, so be respectful

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Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

Reader Interactions

Lilitz Palmer

October 23, 2021 at 6:41 pm

My friends are going to Israel in November and planning to go here. Where does the line start? Any info that you can provide is highly appreciated.

October 24, 2021 at 11:07 am

We visited the Temple Mount in late October and every time se passed by the entrance the line was all the way to the Dung Gate. In order to avoid the line we came to the entrance first thing in the morning, 10-15 minutes before they opened. The line was very short. The crossing process lasted only 10 minutes.

Rhonda Albom

January 27, 2020 at 1:24 pm

I am embarrassed to admit that I don’t know a lot about this area. Thanks for the great information and advice. I’m sure that one day I will visit Jerusalem. I am surprised that access to Temple Mount is controlled by Jordan.

Anda Galffy

January 27, 2020 at 1:27 pm

I was surprised about that too, Rhonda, but then when you get deeper into the conflict between Israel and its neighboring countries, you’ll understand why.

Debra Schroeder

January 23, 2020 at 8:03 am

Great photos, you were lucky to get ones without any people. I visited the Dome when I was in Israel in 2008. It’s one of those things that never change. Although, it looks like the checkpoint has.

January 22, 2020 at 2:28 am

Great post!! I couldn’t have found your post in a better moment as I have been planning my trip to Jerusalem and honestly after reading many reviews from people you have tried to visit the dome of the rock, I felt it is better to be left out but now I am somewhat optimistic about adding it to my list again.

January 21, 2020 at 7:51 am

I must admit this post comes at great timing when I start planning my travels to this astonishing country. Like you said no travel is complete without a visit to the Dome of the Rock and reading all about it does help understand its significance. The architecture is the main driver for me to visit it whilst the historic past and religious significance adds to it. It is always good to arrive early to these attractions as they can get very busy at peak periods when hundreds of visitors arrive. Thanks for a great post

Yukti Agrawal

January 20, 2020 at 7:41 pm

I always see Jerusalem on TV and is interested to visit this interesting place. The Dome of the Rock where there was Holy Jewish Temple previously looks stunning and good to know it was completed in 692 AD and one of the oldest Islamic structures in the world. I loved the pictures of the Dome which is really a monumental building with intricate patterns of mosaic, faience and marble works. Thanks for sharing all information about how to visit Dome of the rock.

Jennifer Prince

January 20, 2020 at 7:16 pm

I loved my time there when I went! It was long ago. It is totally understandable why Muslims are the only ones allowed in as it is a place of worship. It is totally beautiful, too!

Linda (LD Holland)

January 19, 2020 at 3:32 pm

When we visited Jerusalem, we only got to see the golden dome from afar. It was an amazing site to see glowing on the horizon. But I am now sorry we did not get a visit there on our day trip. But good to know that only Muslims can visit the Dome of the Rock. Not us for sure. The tile work on the outside looks stunning. Certainly not visible from afar. Thanks for taking me through this spot.

January 19, 2020 at 2:36 pm

I been to Jerusalem about ten years ago and to be honest, I wish I had this information back then so I could explore the dome of the rock. I have seen it from a distance but that is all. I found Jerusalem to be a confusing city to visit (and I don’t usually get confused on my travels) but I was only day for the day. i think I need a return visit.

Jeff Titelius

January 19, 2020 at 12:46 pm

WOW, what an encyclopedic overview Anda! While I knew some of the basics previously, I learned a great deal more about this sight’s religious significance and why it’s so revered by two religions, Judaism and Islam, both of which I am not at all familiar with. Thanks for encapsulating the details so brilliantly!

January 20, 2020 at 1:54 pm

Thank you for your comment, Jeff. Hope you’ll visit the Dome of the Rock sometime in the near future.

January 19, 2020 at 5:15 am

I visited Jordan a couple of years ago and was so disappointed that I didn’t get to visit Israel. Jerusalem is definitely a must visit and this post is really interesting. I didn’t know too much about The Dome of the Rock but I really want to visit it now!

January 19, 2020 at 11:06 am

Hope you’ll visit Israel soon, David.

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Dome of the Rock and The Temple Mount – Travel Guide

Before visiting the Dome of the Rock and The Temple Mount in Jerusalem, this guide will cover everything you need to know.

Table of Contents

• 2 Directions
• 3 Temple Mount Entrances
• 4 Opening Hours
• 5 Entrance Fee
• 6 Security Check
• 7 Dress Code
• 8 Short Overview
• 9.1 Temple Mount – Description
• 10.1 Al-Aqsa Mosque – Description
• 11.1 Dome of the Rock – Description
• 11.2 Inside Dome of the Rock
• 12 The Temple Mount and Archaeology
• 13 Common Questions

Dome Of The Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque are situated on the Temple Mount within the Old City Of Jerusalem . Dung Gate is the closest one, but you can reach it from any entrance.

Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit

Interactive map of the area:

• Hotels, hostels, and apartments in this area:
• Buy photos of Israel and support this blog.
• Get 10% off for your next tour at Bein Harim with coupon code LEV10#12306.

You can find the following map in several places in the Old City of Jerusalem .

Note: you can click on the map to enlarge it.

On the photo of the map above, the Dome Of The Rock is marked as #43 (square H11). Al-Aqsa Mosque is listed as #38 (square J11), and the Temple Mount is marked as #47 (square G11).

To complete this section, I would like to show an aerial photo. However, as far as I know, you cannot fly drones above the Old City. But you can always take a picture of a model. Here is a photo of the Western Wall and Temple Mount (a model at Mini Israel ).

See the Old City Of Jerusalem for detailed directions on reaching this site.

Temple Mount Entrances

There are eleven entries to the Temple Mount. Muslim prayers can enter through ten of them. But non-Muslims are not allowed to pass there. And for visitors, there is an additional entrance near the Western Wall .

For a more straightforward explanation, let’s use the following aerial photo from Davidson Center .

The simplest way to reach the tourist entrance is by entering the Old City through the Dung Gate (lower-left corner in the photo above). Then you continue straight along the fence of Davidson Center until you reach the security checkpoint. There are three entrances at this security point. Two lead to the Western Wall , and the one to the right climbs up to the Temple Mount.

In the following photo of the Western Wall, you can see a bridge to the right. You will be using it to climb the Temple Mount.

Opening Hours

Summer: Sundays – Thursdays: 7:30 – 11:00, 13:30 – 14:30. Winter: Sundays – Thursdays: 7:00 – 10:30, 12:30 – 13:30.

The Temple Mount is closed to tourists on Fridays and Saturdays .

• The opening hours can change due to security limitations. In Jerusalem, you can see the opening on a small electronic display above the entrance. Or you can call +972-2-6226250 in advance and find out about changes.
• The opening hours are pretty limited, and there is a security check at the entrance (you may find yourself waiting in a long line). Thus, I suggest arriving early.

Entrance Fee

Security check.

The security check is similar to the one you pass in an airport. Before entering, you will pass metal detectors, and your bags will be scanned. Also, the security personnel may request an id. Thus make sure you have your passport with you.

Also, I want to mention that you are not allowed to bring any religious artifacts to the Temple Mount.

The last thing you need to know before visiting is the dress code rules. As with other holy sites, visitors to the Temple Mount are asked to dress modestly. I call it the “knees and shoulders” rule – meaning at least a knee-length dress or trousers. And the shoulders should be covered by a top or a scarf.

Short Overview

The Temple Mount – in Arabic, al-Haram al-Sharif – dominates the Jerusalem skyline. With the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque at its center, this rectangular esplanade of some 150,000 square meters occupies one-sixth of the terrain in the Old City. For at least 3000 years, this site has been considered sacred for millions of people worldwide, first by the Jews, later by the Muslims, and Christians also revere it. It inspires research in history, archeology, and culture and incites controversial religious and political sentiments. In Hebrew, it is known as Mount Moriah and Har ha-Bayit (the Temple Mount). In Jewish tradition, it is where Isaac was bound and where Solomon built the First Temple. After its destruction, the Second Temple was built on this same spot by the Jews who returned from exile, and the Hasmoneans and King Herod later renewed this Temple. Following the destruction in 70 CB, it became the focus of Jewish prayer and longing for reconstruction at the final redemption. The Prophet Muhammad established Jerusalem as the first direction of Muslim prayer before the Kaaba in Mecca, and the al-Aqsa Mosque is referred to as “the first Qibla” or “the first direction” of prayer. Muslim tradition also maintains that this mosque was the second place of Islamic worship. The Quran mentions the “farthest mosque: to which Muhammad traveled from Mecca to ascend to heaven on his celestial horse. Muslim tradition regards Al Aqsa as this “farthest mosque.” The site is considered the third holiest in Islam, after the Kaaba in Mecca and The Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. Since its construction, it has been an essential Muslim center, except for a short period under the Crusaders (1099-1187). In Arabic, it is known as al-Haram al-Sharif (“the Noble Sanctuary”) or al-Aqsa, a general name for the plaza. Both Jews and Muslims believe that the Foundation Stone at the center of the Mount is the umbilicus Mundi, the navel of the world, on which the earth rests and from which it expanded. In Christian tradition, the site has historical significance as the site of many events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the place where he founded his new religion.

Source: “The Mount” exhibition at the Tower Of David .

On The Temple Mount

Now, after covering the basics, let’s visit Temple Mount. Also, in this section, I want to bring informational extracts.

Temple Mount – Description

The Temple Mount (Hebrew: Har HaBáyit, “Mount of the House [of God, i.e., the Temple in Jerusalem]”), known to Muslims as the Haram esh-Sharif (Arabic: al-Ḥaram al-Šarīf, “the Noble Sanctuary”, or al-Ḥaram al-Qudsī al-Šarīf, “the Noble Sanctuary of Jerusalem”) and the Al Aqsa Compound, is a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem that for thousands of years has been venerated as a holy site in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike. 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. Herodian walls and gates, with additions from the late Byzantine and early Islamic periods, cut through the flanks of the Mount. Currently, it can be reached through eleven gates, ten reserved for Muslims. One for non-Muslims, with guard posts of Israeli police in the vicinity of each. According to Jewish tradition and scripture, the First Temple was built by King Solomon, the son of King David, in 957 BCE, and destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE. However, no substantial archaeological evidence has verified this. The Second Temple was constructed under the auspices of Zerubbabel in 516 BCE and destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE. Jewish tradition maintains that a third and final Temple will also be built here. The location is the holiest site in Judaism and is the place Jews turn towards during prayer. Due to its extreme sanctity, many Jews will not walk on the Mount itself to avoid unintentionally entering the area where the Holy of Holies stood since, according to Rabbinical law, some aspect of the divine presence is still present at the site. Among Muslims, the Mount is the site of one of the three Sacred Mosques, the holiest sites in Islam. Amongst Sunni Muslims, it is considered the third holiest site in Islam. Revered as the Noble Sanctuary, the location of Muhammad’s journey to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven, the site is also associated with Jewish biblical prophets who are also venerated in Islam. Umayyad Caliphs commissioned the construction of the al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock on the site. The Dome was completed in 692 CE, making it one of the oldest existing Islamic structures in the world. The Al Aqsa Mosque rests on the far southern side of the Mount, facing Mecca. The Dome of the Rock currently sits in the middle, occupying or close to the area where the Holy Temple previously stood. In light of the dual claims of both Judaism and Islam, it is one of the most contested religious sites in the world. Since the Crusades, the Muslim community of Jerusalem has managed the site as a Waqf. The Temple Mount is within the Old City, which Israel has controlled since 1967. After the Six-Day War, Israel handed administration of the site back to the Waqf under Jordanian custodianship while maintaining Israeli security control. It remains a major focal point of the Arab–Israeli conflict. In an attempt to keep the status quo, the Israeli government enforces a controversial ban on prayer by non-Muslims.

Source: Wikipedia

Panorama of the Second Temple Model at Israel Museum :

Herodian Temple Mount and the modern one (shot during Archeological Experience at Tzurim Valley National Park ):

Al-Aqsa Mosque

You enter the Temple Mount in its southern part, near the al-Aqsa Mosque.

The opening hours were adjusted to prayer times. And you will be visiting in between prayers. Nonetheless, during my visit, I saw some people resting and others praying in front of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. I did not feel comfortable photographing them, so here is a photo of the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Davidson Center .

Al-Aqsa Mosque – Description

The Al-Aqsa Mosque (“the Farthest Mosque”), located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam. The mosque was built on top of the Temple Mount, known as the Al Aqsa Compound or Haram esh-Sharif in Islam. Muslims believe Muhammad was transported from the Great Mosque of Mecca to al-Aqsa during the Night Journey. Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led prayers towards this site until the 17th month after he migrated from Mecca to Medina, when Allah directed him to turn towards the Kaaba in Mecca. The covered mosque was originally a small prayer house erected by Umar, the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, but was rebuilt and expanded by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik and finished by his son al-Walid in 705 CE. The mosque was destroyed by an earthquake in 746 and rebuilt by the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur in 754. It was rebuilt again in 780. Another earthquake destroyed most of al-Aqsa in 1033, but two years later, the Fatimid caliph Ali az-Zahir built another mosque whose outline is preserved in the current structure. The mosaics on the arch at the qibla end of the nave also go back to his time. During the periodic renovations undertaken, the various ruling dynasties of the Islamic Caliphate constructed additions to the mosque and its precincts, such as its Dome, facade, its minbar, minarets, and the interior structure. When the Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, they used the mosque as a palace and the Dome of the Rock as a church, but its function as a mosque was restored after its recapture by Saladin in 1187. The Ayyubids, Mamluks, Ottomans, the Supreme Muslim Council, and Jordan undertook more renovations, repairs, and additions in the later centuries. Today, the Old City is under Israeli control, but the mosque remains under the administration of the Jordanian/Palestinian-led Islamic Waqf.

Dome of the Rock

I headed towards the Dome of the Rock from the Al-Aqsa Mosque. And here is the al-Kas ablution fountain.

Dome of the Rock – Description

The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was initially completed in 691–92 CE at the order of Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik during the Second Fitna on the site of the Second Jewish Temple, destroyed during the Roman Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE. The original Dome collapsed in 1015 and was rebuilt in 1022–23. At its core, the Dome of the Rock is one of the oldest existing works of Islamic architecture. Its architecture and mosaics were patterned after nearby Byzantine churches and palaces. However, its outside appearance was significantly changed in the Ottoman period and again in the modern period, notably with the addition of the gold-plated roof, in 1959–61 and again in 1993. The octagonal plan of the structure may have been influenced by the Byzantine Church of the Seat of Mary (also known as Kathisma in Greek and al-Qadismu in Arabic), built between 451 and 458 on the road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The Foundation Stone the Temple was built over bears great significance in the Abrahamic religions as the place where God created the world and the first human, Adam. It is also believed to be where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son and as the place where God’s divine presence is manifested more than in any other place, towards which Jews turn during prayer. The site’s great significance for Muslims derives from traditions connecting it to the creation of the world and the belief that Muhammad’s Night Journey to heaven started from the rock at the center of the structure. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has been called “Jerusalem’s most recognizable landmark,” along with two nearby Old City structures, the Western Wall and the “Resurrection Rotunda” in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is the earliest archaeologically-attested religious structure built by a Muslim ruler, and the building’s inscriptions contain the earliest epigraphic proclamations of Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The inscriptions proved to be a milestone, as afterward, they became a common feature in Islamic structures and almost always mention Muhammad.

And here is a closeup:

Inside Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock exterior is stunning, but what about the interior? Well. Let’s start with another question.

Can you go inside the Dome of the Rock?

No. Non-Muslim visitors cannot enter the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

I have seen footage of non-Muslim visitors inside the Dome of the Rock. But for that, you need some connections in the Islamic Waqf. And I have none. Thus I was not inside. But I can show several photos of a model I photographed at the Tower Of David .

The interior of the Dome is lavishly decorated with mosaic, faience, and marble, much of which was added several centuries after its completion. It also contains Qur’anic inscriptions. The dedicatory inscription in the Kufic script placed around the Dome contains the date believed to be the year the Dome was first completed, AH 72 (691/2 CE). At the same time, the name of the corresponding caliph and builder of the Dome, al-Malik, was deleted and replaced by the name of Abbasid caliph Al-Ma’mun (r. 813–833), during whose reign renovations took place.

The Temple Mount and Archaeology

The Temple Mount is an important site, but it never underwent archaeological excavations.

In 1999, the Muslim Waqf began renewal work on the Temple Mount. The renovations were carried out without any archaeological supervision. The building contractors who worked on the Temple Mount dumped the earth and rubble they removed from the site at different trash dumping sites around the city.

As a result, it was decided to carry out extraordinary rescue excavations. And this is how the Temple Mount Sifting Project was born.

We visited Tzurim Valley National Park and participated in the Ancient Jerusalem Sifting Project. We enjoyed the experience, and I am mentioning it since it can be a lovely add-on to this visit.

Note: in the Ancient Jerusalem Sifting Project, we went through rubbles from the City Of David and not Temple Mount. You can find additional information at Tzurim Valley National Park .

Common Questions

Inside the Dome of the Rock, you can find the Foundation Stone. And the Foundation Stone has tremendous significance in Abrahamic religions. For example, the belief that this is where God created the world and the first human.

Everybody can visit Temple Mount and see the Dome of the Rock exterior. But only Muslims are allowed to enter inside.

Everybody can visit the Temple Mount, but only Muslims can pray there.

Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine. You can find the Al-Aqsa Mosque nearby.

Visitors pass through the security checkpoint. Moreover, there are police patrols on the Temple Mount. Thus I felt perfectly safe. And in case of any unrest, the site will be closed to visitors.

As I mentioned in the guide to the Old City Of Jerusalem , the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount are among the most important sites in the city. Thus if you can, I would recommend not skipping it.

Have you ever visited the Dome Of The Rock And The Temple Mount? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

For additional points of interest nearby, check out Jerusalem and the Old City Of Jerusalem . And if you are looking for other places to visit, check out Around The Old City Of Jerusalem .

Additional Resources

• Israel Trip Planner is the page that will help you to create your perfect travel route.
• National Parks And Nature Reserves page lists and put all national parks on the map. There is also a top list, information about ticket types and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem , Tel Aviv , Haifa , Sea Of Galilee , and Makhtesh Ramon .
• Wondering what events are there in Israel? Here is the Events And Festivals By Season guide.

Lev Tsimbler

Lev from israel-in-photos.com. You can contact me at [email protected]

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Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock

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Temple Mount is one of the holiest sites in Jerusalem for both Jews and Muslims. Historians have associated it with Mount Moriah (where the binding of Isaac took place) and Mount Zion (where the original Jebusite fortress once stood); however, neither theory has been proven. Jews believe that this section of the Old City is the resting place of the Divine Presence on earth and the source of the dust that God used to create Adam. Meanwhile, Muslims believe that Muhammad's ascent to heaven took place at Temple Mount. Even if you're not a believer, travelers say that Temple Mount is worth visiting for its resounding historical significance. According to one TripAdvisor user, "It was so interesting to see thousands of years converge in one place. This is a do not miss experience in my opinion."

Despite its importance to both religions, Temple Mount's most notable feature is distinctly Muslim: the Dome of the Rock. Encased in this golden-topped structure is the rock where Muhammad prayed with Gabriel. It is also said to be the exact location of his ascension. You should also pay a visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place in Islam behind Mecca and Medina. Constructed in 720 A.D., Al Aqsa is described by many as one of the most beautiful mosques in the world.

Temple Mount's visiting hours vary, and you must obtain permission from the guards to enter the area. You will not be granted access if your legs and shoulders aren't covered. Entry to the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa is 38 ILS (roughly $10 USD). Also, note that you will need to remove your shoes upon entering these two attractions in accordance with Muslim tradition. You can learn more about Temple Mount here .

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#1 Old City

Chances are that you'll spend much of your time here. The Old City is home to many of Jerusalem's most sought-after attractions, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Temple Mount. Originally built by King David in 1004 B.C., the walled Old City comprises four distinct areas: the Jewish Quarter (or the Cardo), the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. Each quarter exudes its own unique atmosphere, with religious sites, shops, and food offerings reflecting its respective heritage. Yet the Old City's winding alleyways and ancient stone plazas allow mixing and mingling among these cultures, making a very eclectic environment.

It's easy to lose yourself (both metaphorically and geographically) in the Old City, but make sure you devote some attention to its boundaries. You can access the Old City from seven entryways: the New Gate, Damascus Gate, Herod's Gate, Lions' Gate, Dung Gate, Zion Gate, and Jaffa Gate. Each doorway marks a significant era of Jerusalem's history. For example, Jaffa Gate is where the Tower of David (the city's primary defense point) can be found.

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How to Visit the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

Written by Becca

Updated on April 26th, 2024

Visiting the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock, which is one of the most important Muslim sites in the world, requires some planning and preparation. Here's how to plan the most efficient trip for your visit to this extraordinary cultural place.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Posted in Israel

Table of contents

• What should you bring to Dome of the Rock?
• What should you not to bring to Dome of the Rock?
• When can you visit Dome of the Rock?
• What’s the Dome of the Rock security like?
• What is inside the Temple Mount Complex?
• Why is the Dome of the Rock important?

As per a Travel Advisory update posted by the US Department of State on October 14, 2023, Israel has been marked a Level 3 Country: “Reconsider travel” due to the ongoing armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism from “Hamas, a U.S. government-designated foreign terrorist organization.” Please visit the travel.state.gov page for Israel to learn more and stay informed.

After you’ve explored Tel Aviv and gotten your bearings in Jerusalem, you can start planning your visit to one of the most visited places in the world, the Dome of the Rock.

Even though we had both been to Israel before, we had not been to the Dome of the Rock due to some factors. For one thing, going to the Dome of the Rock requires waiting in line, and the visiting hours are pretty specific. Second, you have to come prepared.

Visiting the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock , which is one of the most important Muslim sites in the world, requires some planning and preparation.

Here’s how to plan the most efficient trip for your visit to this extraordinary cultural place. If you’d like to access the Dome of the Rock, we’ve listed six things to help you get the most out of your visit.

What should you bring to Dome of the Rock?

The Temple Mount is a very important place in the Islamic religion, so it is important to dress modestly. Men should avoid shorts and tank tops and opt for pants and T-shirts with sleeves instead.

For women, legs, neck and arms should be covered to stay safe. It is advisable to bring a scarf in winter or lightweight shawl or pashmina for summer. I wore yoga pants, and this did not qualify as pants when I entered, so I was given a free rental skirt in a nice turquoise hue.

I wore a zip-up hoodie to cover my arms, and I was instructed to wrap my light scarf around my neck to cover up. If you plan to visit in summer, you can also bring your own floor-length skirt or wrap.

Looking for a great travel hoodie? Check out our review of the First Class Merino Hoodie by Aviator.

What should you not to bring to Dome of the Rock?

Here are a few things that are not allowed in the Temple Mount (guards will check your bags, so there is no way around this): any Jewish objects such as prayer books, tefillin, tallit, flags or other religious Jewish objects.

This is good to keep in mind if you plan to go shopping for souvenirs or gifts in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City on the same day of your trip. You can do the shopping afterward, or leave these items at your place of accommodation.

In regard to camera gear, we overheard that tripods are not allowed into the Temple Mount area. If you plan to be out for the day, leave your tripod at home!

When can you visit Dome of the Rock?

Visiting the Dome of the Rock requires planning, as the open hours center around hours of Muslim prayer. The hours are different in winter and in summer for this reason.

It’s advised to check the schedule before working a trip to Dome of the Rock into your day, but we did not have a problem. For the 1pm opening, we arrived at 12pm on the dot and were the tenth people in line for security.

What’s the Dome of the Rock security like?

Security is airport-style for entrance into the Temple Mount complex. When summoned by guards, you will proceed to a metal detector and all your bags will go through a scanner.

Guards will look at your passport and may question you about your intentions for your visit. If you are Jewish, you may be taken aside and questioned privately, with guards reminding you to not make any remarks to anyone about Judaism while inside, for your safety.

What is inside the Temple Mount Complex?

Once inside the Temple Mount complex, you will feel like you’ve entered another world. The most striking thing is that on one side of a wall is the holiest place in Judaism, the Western (Wailing) Wall, and on the other is a place where daily Muslim life is going on and a call to prayer is broadcasted multiple times per day over loudspeakers.

There are people going to pray, there are children tossing around soccer balls and there are people coming to meet each other.

While visiting, we felt very safe, and it is permitted to take photos of nearly anything, as long as you are not getting in anyone’s way. The Dome of the Rock itself is an incredibly beautiful building and is one of the most famous pieces of architecture in the world.

Why is the Dome of the Rock important?

Visiting the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock is one of the most interesting things you can do in Jerusalem and it is an excellent learning experience as well. It’s important to remain respectful and keep in mind all of the scheduling and security precautions in order to have a seamless visit there.

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• Sacred Destinations

Sacred Sites, Religious Places, Pilgrimages

• Destinations

Temple Mount, Jerusalem

The Temple Mount (Hebrew: Har haBáyit ) or Noble Sanctuary (Arabic: Haram esh-Sharif ) is a elevated plateau in the Old City of Jerusalem rich with history and religious importance. It is currently governed by the Waqf, or Supreme Muslim Religious Council.

Like many sites in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount is sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians. Originally, it was the site of the great Temple of Jerusalem, the holiest place in Judaism. For Muslims, it is the site of the Prophet Muhammad's journey to heaven described in the Qur'an. Finally, Christians revere it as a place frequently visited by Jesus and some believe it will play a major role in end-time events.

History of Temple Mount

In the 10th century BC, after King David captured the city of Jerusalem and made it the capital of the Israelites, he chose this high place as the site of a great temple to house the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 24:18-25). Prior to this, the Ark had moved among several sanctuaries, especially those of Shechem and Shiloh. The construction project was undertaken by David's son, King Solomon, and completed in 957 BC .

The Temple's two main purposes were to house the Ark of the Covenant and provide a place for people to worship, so the Temple was a fairly small building with a large courtyard. The courtyard included a huge bronze basin for priestly ablutions and was surrounded by storehouses. The Temple itself was a rectangular building oriented east and made up of three parts: a porch ( ?ulam ) ; a main room for services ( hekhal , Holy Place); and the devir , or Holy of Holies.

The Holy of Holies housed the Ark of the Covenant, which was accompanied by two cherubim carved of olive wood. It was also considered the dwelling place of the Divine Presence ( Shekhinah ). So sacred was this innermost sanctuary that it could be entered only by the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

The Temple of Jerusalem was an important center of religious and national identity from the beginning, but it became even more important when Josiah (r. 640–609 BC) abolished all other sanctuaries and established Solomon's Temple as the only acceptable place for sacrifice in the Kingdom of Judah.

The First Temple was looted of its treasures - including the Ark of the Covenant - between 604 BC and 597 BC and totally destroyed in 587-86 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. (Incidentally, Nebuchadnezzar's palace gates can be seen at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin .) The Jews were deported to Babylonia between 586 and 582 in what is known as the Babylonian Exile .

In 538 BC, the Persian king Cyrus II (who had conquered Babylonia) allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. This was completed around 515 BC as a modest version of the original, without the Ark or any other ritual objects. But the Temple resumed its role as the religious center of Judaism, with elaborate rituals conducted by priests and Levites.

The next few centuries saw Jerusalem subjugated to a number of foreign rulers. The Temple was respected by these (Persian and Hellenistic) rulers until Antiochus IV Epiphanes , who plundered it in 169 BC and desecrated it in 167 BC, by commanding that sacrifices be made to Zeus inside. This sparked the Hasmonean revolt , after which Judas Maccabaeus rededicated the Temple. This event is still celebrated in the annual festival of Hanukkah.

During the Roman era, Pompey entered (and thereby desecrated) the Holy of Holies in 63 BC, but left the Temple intact. In 54 BC, Crassus looted the Temple treasury. The Temple's fortunes rose again, however, with King Herod the Great of Judea, who began to rebuild it in 20 BC. The project was completed in 26 AD, after the birth of Jesus.

Herod doubled the size of Temple Mount, surrounding it with retaining walls and gates. The Temple itself was enlarged and faced with large white stones. A series of "courts" allowed access to successively smaller groups of people: Jews and Gentiles; Jews only; Jewish men only; and priests only. Although it still lacked the Ark, the Temple now housed the Scriptures and other Jewish writings. It also became the headquarters of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court of law during the Roman period.

According to the New Testament, the Temple of Jerusalem played a significant role in the life of Jesus . After his birth (around 4 BC), Jesus was dedicated at the Temple in accordance with the Law of Moses (Luke 2:22-28). When he was a boy, he impressed the Jewish teachers with his knowledge (Luke 2:41-52). Jesus was later tempted by Satan to jump off the Temple to prove his status (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13) and he angrily overturned tables of moneychangers during the "Cleansing of the Temple" (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, John 2:14).

In 66 AD, a Jewish rebellion against Rome began and culminated in the near-complete destruction of the Temple (and the entire city) by Titus on August 10, 70 AD . This event is commemorated (complete with a relief showing the looting of a menorah by Roman soldiers) on the Arch of Titus in Rome. All that remained was a portion of the Western Wall , which is the focus of Jewish pilgrimage in Jerusalem today. Ever since this destruction, Jews around the world have continued to cherish the hope that it will one day be rebuilt.

This hope seemed to be realized after Simon Bar Kochba led a major rebellion against the Romans (132 AD). Jerusalem was liberated for three years, during which reconstruction on the Temple probably began. But in 135, Roman armies retook Jerusalem and forbade Jews to enter the city. Emperor Hadrian continued his construction of the new Roman city (called Aeila Capitolina ) and built a Temple to Jupiter Capitolinus on the site of the Temple.

Two centuries later, in 324, Emperor Constantine destroyed Hadrian's pagan temple and built a church in its place. Excavations at Al-Aqsa Mosque have uncovered an elaborate mosaic floor and fragments of an elaborate marble chancel screen, indicating that the Byzantine church was an elaborate and important one.

Jewish hopes for rebuilding rose again briefly in 363, from a quite unexpected source - the Roman emperor Julian "the Apostate." Julian rejected the Christianity in which he had been raised, embraced a form of Roman paganism, and enthusiastically promoted the idea of rebuilding the Jewish Temple. The project was funded by Julian himself as well as donations from Jews around the world and construction began almost immediately. Tragically, however, as the site was cleared by workers, "fearful balls of fire, breaking out near the foundations, continued their attacks, till the workmen, after repeated scorchings, could approach no more: and he [the architect] gave up the attempt" (Ammianus Marcellinus). Emperor Julian died within the year and the project was abandoned.

Early Christian authors record that some stones of the Temple were still visible, although only foundations remained. During the Byzantine period, Jews were permitted to visit the Temple at least once a year, on the anniversary of the destruction in 70 AD. They would pour oil over a stone, weep and tear their garments.

Jerusalem was a very holy city for Byzantine Christians, but most of the focus was on sites associated with the death and resurrection of Christ, like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . The Temple Mount was mostly ignored and its stone continued to be looted for use in other structures.

In 614, Persian forces invaded Jerusalem, slaughtering the inhabitants and destroying the churches. Thus, Islamic historians record that when the Muslims captured the city in 638, Caliph Umar I found the Temple Mount completely destroyed and began immediately to repair it. In 688-91 the fifth Umayyad caliph ?Abd al-Malik ibn Marw?n built the Dome of the Rock on the restored platform.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem (specifically the Al-Aqsa Mosque ) is regarded by Muslims as the third holiest site outside the cities of Mecca and Medina . The main reasons are these:

When the Crusaders briefly controlled Jerusalem ( 1099-1187, 1229-39 and 1240-44 ), Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount was the headquarters of the Templars . Their legacy can be seen in the three Romanesque central bays of the mosque's main facade.

The 20th and 21st centuries have been full of turmoil for Jerusalem, with the city (and parts of the city) claimed by various groups at various times. The most significant event occurred in 1967 , when Israelis captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Old City from Jordan in the Six-Day War. Israel now claims all of Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, while Arabs and international opinion reject the claim with regard to East Jerusalem.

These turbulent events have not much changed the state of affairs at the Temple Mount, however, which continues to be administered by the Waqf, or Supreme Muslim Religious Council. Access to the Temple Mount is free and open to the public and is a popular stop for tourists and pilgrims. In general, Jews still do not enter the Temple Mount, instead focusing their prayers and lamentations on the famous Western Wall .

What to See at Temple Mount

The Temple Mount covers 35 acres and can be accessed by non-Muslims through a gate next to the Western Wall. Signs at the entrance list strict rules for visiting the site, including modest dress and no religious activity. Another sign, posted by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, warns: "According to the Torah it is forbidden for any person to enter the area of the Temple Mount due to its sacredness." Devout Jews do not visit the Temple Mount, in case they might break divine law by walking over the Holy of Holies or the area reserved for priests.

The location of the Temple has not been identified with certainty. Many scholars believe it stood on the present site of the Dome of the Rock , but others haved proposed locations at the north or south end of the platform. Today, the primary structures on and around the Temple Mount are these:

Quick Facts on Temple Mount

• Temple of Jerusalem - Encyclopaedia Britannica (accessed April 2009)
• Jerusalem Sights: Temple Mount - Fodors.com
• Temple Mount (Haram Es Sharif)--Dome of the Rock - Frommers.com
• The Temple Mount - the Haram-esh-Sharif - Jewish Virtual Library
• The Importance of the Temple Mount to Christians - Lambert Dolphin, TempleMount.org
• The Temple of Solomon - Lambert Dolphin, TempleMount.org
• The Destruction of the Second Temple - TempleMount

More Information

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• Photos of Temple Mount - here on Sacred Destinations

Map of Temple Mount, Jerusalem

Below is a location map and aerial view of Temple Mount. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

Temple Mount

Jerusalem, Jerusalem District, Israel

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites for Jews, Muslims and Christians and is believed to be the site of many significant events for each of these religions.

Sarah Roller

24 nov 2020, @sarahroller8.

About Temple Mount

History of temple mount.

Jews believe that the Temple Mount was the location of the First and Second Temples, the first built by King Solomon in the tenth century BC to house the Ark of the Covenant and the second completed in the sixth century BC. Both of these temples, which remain of great significance to the Jewish faith, were destroyed (in the sixth century BC and first century AD respectively). Jews also believe Temple Mount to be the site of many prominent biblical events such as where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son Isaac (on the Foundation Rock housed in the Dome of the Rock).

For Islam, Temple Mount has been an important site even prior to the Prophet Muhammad’s night journey and ascent into heaven (believed to have occurred on the site of the Dome of the Rock). It is said that it was originally the practice of Islam to pray towards Temple Mount, whereas today Muslims pray facing Mecca. In fact Temple Mount is one of the holiest sites in Islam along with Mecca and Medina and is mentioned several times in the Hadith. The Islamic structures on the site, such as the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque, are perhaps the most ancient Islamic structures in existence, dating back as far as to Caliph Omar.

The site also has relevance for Christianity. The New Testament frequently mentions Jesus’ activities on the site including the prediction of the destruction of the Second Temple.

In 324-5AD Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine I, built a small church on the mount. Temple Mount is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

Temple Mount today

Temple Mount has always been the subject of controversy and remains so today. Captured by Israel during the Six Day War of 1967, it is under Israeli sovereignty but under the control of the Islamic wakf. There is a ban on religious activities at the Temple Mount for non-Muslims, including prayer. Some Orthodox Jews are banned from visiting the site, because they fear they might inadvertently step on sacred grounds.

As one of the biggest open spaces in the city of Jerusalem, it’s also not unusual to see people relaxing or playing football on the site. This sometimes seems a little incongruous, but it’s a glimpse into the way life goes on around religious discord for many people.

Getting to Temple Mount

Temple Mount is part of Jerusalem’s Walled Old City: the nearest entrance is the Dung Gate if you’re driving, and there’s normally parking to be found near Gethsemane. Buses stop on Ma’ale HaShalom St outside.

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12 Things To Know About the Temple in Jerusalem

On Tisha B’Av, Jews mourn the destruction of the Temple. But how much do you know about what it was really like?

By My Jewish Learning

All this came to a screeching halt in 70 CE when the Temple was destroyed in a devastating war with the Romans. In its wake, rabbinic Judaism (the Judaism practiced by virtually all Jews today) and its central text, the Talmud , laid the foundation for Jewish ritual and worship in a world without the Temple. 

Though the Temple is long gone, it is far from forgotten. The construction of the Temple is described in great detail in the Hebrew Bible, and its practices are meticulously documented and parsed in the Talmud. An entire annual holiday — Tisha B’Av — is given over to mourning its absence from Jewish life. And a piece of the Temple — the western retaining wall of the platform on which it stood, called the Kotel or Western Wall — is today one of the holiest sites for Jews.

Even though remembering the Temple remains a central part of Jewish practice today, it can be difficult to grasp just how central the Temple was to ancient Jewish life. Here are 12 facts that help illustrate what the ancient Temple was really like, and what it has meant to Jews throughout history.

1. There were actually two Temples on the same spot

The first Temple, built by King Solomon in approximately 1000 BCE, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. When the Persians conquered the Babylonians almost a century later, they agreed to let the Jewish leaders who had been taken into exile return to the land of Israel where they would rebuild the Temple . This Second Temple stood for hundreds more years, then was thoroughly renovated and expanded by Herod the Great in the last few decades before the beginning of the Common Era. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.

According to Jewish tradition, both Temples were destroyed on the ninth day of the month of Av . Tisha B’Av (literally: Ninth of Av) commemorates the destruction of both Temples, as well as other disasters in Jewish history, both ancient and modern.

2. The Temple was built on a mountain that goes by many names

Jerusalem is in the hill country. The Temple was situated on one particular rise that goes by many names in the Hebrew scriptures. The Torah never identifies the mountain, but simply talks about “the place God will choose to rest His name” (e.g. Deuteronomy 12). 

The specific mountain is identified in Isaiah and the Book of Psalms as Mount Zion (e.g. Isaiah 60:14, Psalms 125:1). The biblical Book of Chronicles , however, calls it Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1). Micah 4:1 refers to it generically as Har Beit Adonai — meaning “The Mount of the House of the Lord.” Jeremiah 26:18 shortens this to Har HaBayit, “The Mountain of the House,” commonly translated as the Temple Mount. This last name, Temple Mount , is used frequently in the Mishnah and Talmud and other rabbinic literature.

3. The Temple stood on the spot where the world began

According to the Talmud, on the top of Mount Moriah is a foundation stone from which God created the whole world (Yoma 54b). This same foundation stone later lay under the Holy of Holies, the most sacred room of the Temple. Ancient interpreters also believed that more than a millennium before the Temple was built, the stone was the site of the Binding of Isaac .

4. The exact location of the Temple is still debated today

The Temple definitely stood on the Temple Mount — that has always been an agreed fact and has been confirmed by archaeologists. However, where exactly it stood is a matter of debate. Some believe that it was in the exact location of the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim shrine (highly recognizable on the Jerusalem skyline) which houses the foundation stone. Another view agrees with a statement in the Talmud ( Berakhot 54a ) which says it was aligned with the Eastern Gate, which would place it slightly north of the Dome of the Rock. There is also a theory that it was situated slightly east of the Dome of the Rock.

5. After the First Temple was destroyed, the priests returned the keys to God

Taanit 29a describes a remarkable scene that took place as the First Temple was being destroyed by the Babylonians:

When the Temple was destroyed for the first time, many groups of young priests gathered together with the Temple keys in their hands. And they ascended to the roof of the Sanctuary and said before God: Master of the Universe, since we did not merit to be faithful treasurers, and the Temple is being destroyed, let the Temple keys be handed to You. ( Taanit 29a )

The priests ’ final act of divine service was to throw the keys up to heaven, where a divine hand reached out of the clouds to catch them. Then the priests threw themselves into the flames consuming the Temple.

6. The Temple was enormous

Picturing something the size of a synagogue? Not even close. In the first century, when Herod renovated the Temple, he began by building a retaining wall around the Temple Mount and then constructing a platform over the top, turning the mount into a four-sided plateau 37 acres in area. 

Pictured: A 1:50 scaled model of the Second Temple and the Old City as it is believed to have looked in 66 CE. The model is located at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Israel.

The Temple complex itself contained a series of courtyards surrounding the central room, the Holy of Holies, which was only entered once a year, on Yom Kippur , by the high priest . In addition to the large courtyards and Holy of Holies, the Temple complex contained many other storage and administrative rooms, plus numerous ritual baths for purification. The whole system was fed by an aqueduct that brought water from 10 kilometers away , and it was protected by high walls and a series of gates.

To get a sense of the scale, consider that the Kotel, the famous Western Wall that is a central Jewish holy site, is what remains of just a piece of the western side of the retaining wall built around the Temple Mount.

7. The Temple was messy — and smelly

The primary purpose of the Temple and its staff ( the priests and Levites ) was to offer sacrifices to God. It was open for business 365 days a year. Many of these sacrifices were animals that were brought live into the Temple and slaughtered in the courtyard before some or all of their flesh and/or blood was offered on the altar. On pilgrimage festivals , all of Israel came from near and far to offer sacrifices. As a result, the courtyard of the Temple ran almost constantly with animal blood, while the smell of sacrifices on the fire probably pervaded most of Jerusalem. (The smell was largely the point — that fragrant smoke is what went up to God.) 

Some sacrificial blood was carefully collected and sprinkled on the altar as part of the ritual. Much of it, however, was rinsed away via channels that were built into the floor and conducted it out to the nearby Kidron River. The water of this river, enriched by this blood, was sold to farmers as fertilizer (Mishnah Yoma 5:6). Despite this impressive ancient plumbing system, the Temple stones required regular deep cleaning. Mishnah Middot chapter 3 indicates that there was also a schedule for whitewashing the stones of the Temple, as well as the altar and ramp leading up to it. 

8. The Second Temple was missing a few key items

In Tractate Yoma of the Babylonian Talmud, the Gemara lists significant items in the First Temple that were not in the Second Temple:

The Ark of the Covenant, and the Ark cover upon it, and the cherubs that were on the cover; fire; and the Divine Presence; and the Divine Spirit; and the urim v’tummim (the stones in the high priest’s breastplate). ( Yoma 21b )

Some of the most religiously charged items in the First Temple were apparently already lost to history in the time of the Second Temple. Whereas the first Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant that housed the Ten Commandments Moses had brought down from Sinai (both pairs: the one he smashed when he discovered the Golden Calf and its replacement), the second Holy of Holies stood empty. Likewise, the special stones the high priest used for divination purposes (urim v’tummim). Even God’s presence, this text suggests, which literally dwelt in the First Temple, was absent from the second.

There is a rabbinic legend ( Shekalim 16 ) that the Ark of the Covenant was not destroyed with the First Temple, but secreted away beneath one of the flagstones in the floor of the Temple. When a priest accidentally discovered it and tried to tell others, God smote him before he could get the words out. Clearly, it was meant to stay hidden.

9. The Temple was a party zone

Think Jewish Temple worship was all serious business? Not at all. Joy was an integral aspect of Jewish worship. On Sukkot in particular, the Temple became the site of a carnival that, according to the Talmud, was unlike anything else around:

One who did not see the festival of water-drawing never saw celebration in his days. ( Sukkah 51a )

The Talmud continues describing Simchat Beit Hashoevah , the water-drawing festival. During this nighttime celebration, golden candelabras hoisted onto poles burned so brightly they illuminated the entire city. The festival featured dancing, juggling, singing and a full orchestra of Levite musicians.

10. Synagogues are designed to mirror the Temple

Since it was destroyed for the second time in 70 CE, Jews have not been able to worship at the Temple. But elements of the Temple ritual are brought into Jewish practice, including in the architecture of the synagogue. The ark of the synagogue , which houses the Torah scrolls, mirrors both the Ark of the Covenant that held the original Ten Commandments and also the Holy of Holies, the chamber where it was stored — which was also screened by a curtain. The ner tamid, or eternal light, that hangs above the ark recalls the fire of the altar. And in synagogues where men and women sit separately , the women’s section is called the ezrat nashim , the courtyard of the women, as was the area of the Temple permitted to women.

As the synagogue mirrors the Temple, the prayers said inside it are explicitly linked to the sacrifices. In particular, the three traditional recitations of the Amidah each day — Shacharit (morning), Mincha (afternoon), and Maariv (evening) — parallel the sacrifices offered at those times in the Temple.

11. Real Temple treasures might still be in the Vatican

The Arch of Titus, a first-century monument built to celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem, depicts the Romans marching back to Rome after having destroyed the Second Temple. Their hands are full of treasure, including vessels of gold and silver and the famous seven-branched menorah made entirely of pure gold that was lit at all times in the Temple. Though these treasures have never been recovered, some speculate they may remain locked in the vaults of the Vatican.

12. Jews don’t agree about whether a Third Temple should be built

For thousands of years, Jews have mourned the destruction of the Temple on Tisha B’Av and prayed for its reconstruction. But it has never happened, even now that a Jewish state exists in the land of Israel. There are many reasons for this.

First, the Temple Mount is under Muslim authority and home to a sacred Islamic shrine, the Dome of the Rock. A Temple could not be built on that spot without destroying it. 

Second, not all Jews believe God has granted them authority to rebuild the Temple. Many hold that only God will build it. 

Third, Judaism has flourished for thousands of years without a Temple. Since the rabbis say that Torah study and prayer can replace Temple service, there is less urgency to bring back a Temple. And many Jews agree with Maimonides that sacrifices are no longer the best way to worship God. Early leaders in the Reform movement even named their houses of worship temples to signify they had abandoned the traditional Jewish longing to rebuild the Temple. 

There are, however, a minority of Jews who are preparing to build a Third Temple, by studying Temple worship practices and constructing implements to be used in the Temple when it is rebuilt.

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What Is the Temple Mount?

Holy to both Jews and Muslims, this area in Jerusalem's Old City has been a focal point of inter-religious tension for decades.

The Temple Mount

The temple mount.

The Temple Mount: Dimensions

At the beginning of the Second Temple period, the area of the Temple Mount was five hundred cubits square (approx. two hundred and fifty square meters). During the time of Herod, the area was greatly expanded and reached its present day dimensions, approximately 36 acres (150,000 square meters). The Holy Temple and its courtyards were situated on the Temple Mount.

The Temple Mount: 2nd Temple Era

The bottom left picture depicts the Temple Mount following Herod's expansion to current size, (approximately 36 acres). The top left picture highlights the Holy Temple and the area of the Temple Courtyards, surrounded by the low wall known as the Soreg , beyond which point Jews with tamei met (impurity due to contact with a dead body), and non-Jews, were forbidden to enter. The picture on the right shows Temple kohanim and Passover pilgrims with their lambs, passing through openings in the Soreg .

The Temple Mount Walls: The Eastern Wall

The wall surrounding the Temple Mount rose to a height of forty cubits. However on the eastern side the wall was lower, so that the kohen (priest) could see directly into the entrance to the Heichal (Sanctuary) of the Holy Temple, while standing on the Mount of Olives, (also called the Mount of Anointing), due east of the Holy Temple, where he slaughtered and prepared the ashes of the red heifer.

The Temple Mount: The Stoa & Watchtowers

The Levites kept watch in watchtowers which were situated in the four corners of the wall surrounding the Temple Mount plaza. The Stoa was a covered area that stood on pillars, (a portico, or colonnade) ran along the entire circumference of the Temple Mount plaza.

The Temple Mount: Sanctity

The Temple Mount was defined as the "Levite Camp." The source for the sanctity of the "Levite Camp" is the Camp of the Levites in the desert; its parallel in the Temple is the entire Temple Mount plaza (seen in the pictures on the right inside the red line), enclosed by the Stoa colonnade. Maimonides writes: “The Temple Mount is more sacred than the city itself, in that women who have just given birth [and others who are temporarily impure] may not enter it... [On the other hand,] a corpse may be brought there, and certainly one who is impure from having come in contact with death may enter” (Beit HaBechira 7:15).

Those forbidden to enter onto the Temple Mount Plaza (Levite Camp) were:

Men and women experiencing irregular emissions.

Menstruating women; Women who had recently given birth.

Lepers. (Lepers were also forbidden to enter the walled city of Jerusalem.)

The Soreg: Those who had been rendered impure through exposure to the dead were not allowed to proceed beyond the Soreg fence, which was a low built partition,(seen in the pictures on the left inside the red line). A number of openings in the Soreg allowed for pilgrims who were permitted, to pass through.

Gentiles were permitted to enter the Temple Mount up until the Soreg fence. Large signs made of stone were placed along the Soreg with warnings engraved on them, forbidding entry to gentiles and those who were impure. Some of these signs have been found in archaeological excavations. Written in Greek and Latin, the signs state: "The stranger may not pass the Soreg and the partition around the Temple. A stranger who enters, does so at his own risk.”

Temple Mount: Uses & Duties

The Temple Mount served as a gathering place for the pilgrims arriving on the three festivals.

The Stoa area also served as a storage place for various items such as the four species, which were placed there during the Sukkot festival, when it occurred on the Sabbath.

The picture on the right shows Sukkot pilgrims holding their four species ( arba minim ) which they have just taken from the Stoa where they had been temporarily stored.

On the left can be seen a cross section diagram of the Stoa portico which surrounded the Temple Mount. Behind it is a model of the Temple Mount. The pitched red covered the Stoa along the southern edge of the Temple Mount. Along the western, northern and eastern walls the Stoa has a flat white roof.

Temple Mount: The Outer Gates: The Chuldah Gates

The Chuldah Gates are the southern gates of the Temple Mount. These gates served as the main entrance to the Temple Mount, since the majority of the population lived in the City of David area, which was south of the Temple Mount. The Chuldah gates served as both entrance and exit and therefore were double. The double gates let into a tunnel that took the pilgrims up to the Temple Mount plaza.

Two reasons are suggested for the gate's name:

A. The prophetess Chuldah was in the practice of sitting there. (see 2 Kings 22:14–20 and 2 Chronicles 34:22–28)

B. The underground tunnels that led from the gates up to the Temple Mount complex resembled tunnels made by a mole in the ground. ( Chuldah is Hebrew for "mole.")

Temple Mount: The Chulda Gates: Sanctity

Through these gates one entered the area of the Temple Mount, whose sanctity paralleled that of the "Levites Camp." However, since the gates themselves were beneath the level of the Temple Mount, and there is a principle that the underground tunnels were not sanctified, those who were forbidden to enter the Temple Mount plaza were permitted to enter the gate compound.

Pictures on left show the location of the Chuldah Gates tunnels exits on the Southern portion of the Temple Mount, (designated by arrows), and the Gates themselves, (designated by circles).

The top right model of the 2nd Temple era Temple Mount shows the Chuldah Gates entrances at the base of the southern wall of the Temple Mount.

The bottom right picture depicts Passover pilgrims with their Passover lambs, outside the Chuldah Gates. The pilgrims are removing their leather sandals in preparation for entering the gates and ascending the Temple Mount. It is forbidden to wear leather shoes on the Temple Mount.

Temple Mount: The Kiponos Gate

The Kiponos Gate was located on the western side of the Temple Mount, just south of where the contemporary Western Wall Plaza is today. There are many opinions as to the origin of the name. For example, Kiponos is possibly the Greek name of the man that constructed the gate, or alternatively, the name of a rose garden that was adjacent to the gate. (Kiponos is Greek for "rose;" Source: Tractate Midot 1:3).

The pictures on the right depict Holy Temple pilgrims approaching the Kiponos Gate on Shavuot (top picture) and on Passover (bottom picture).

The Kiponos Gate was located north of today's Western Wall Plaza and is identified with today's Shalshelet (Chain) Gate, through which Jewish worshipers on the Temple Mount exit the Mount.

All the gates of the Holy Temple were twenty cubits high and ten cubits wide. The Kiponos Gate had a square lintel as did the other gates opening into the Holy Temple Plaza, (with the exception of the Tadi Gate), and its doors were overlaid in gold.

Temple Mount: The Kiponos Gate: Function:

The Kiponos Gate served as an entry and exit for the Temple Mount. All those entering would enter on the right side, walk around the Temple Mount and exit on the left side. The interior area of the gate had the level of sanctity as the Temple Mount.

Temple Mount: The Tadi Gate:

The Tadi Gate was the northern gate, one of the five gates of the Temple Mount. It was located next to the Antonia Fortress, built by Herod for protecting the Holy Temple. This gate did not serve as an entrance or exit for pilgrims, but was used exclusively by Temple kohanim who had become impure and therefore was situated in the north, closest to the Place of the Hearth and the Priests' Immersion Chamber. From there the kohanim would exit through a special tunnel directly to this gate. There are those who opine that the name was not Tadi but Tari, which indicates the gate's special lintel built from two stones, one leaning on the other, together forming a triangle - "tri" in Greek. (Source: Tractate Midot 2:3). Like all the gates of the Holy Temple, the Tadi Gate was twenty cubits high and ten cubits wide. The interior side of the gate had the same level of sanctity as the Temple Mount.

Temple Mount: The Shushan Gate

The Shushan Gate was the name of the eastern gate, one of the five gates of the Temple Mount. The source of the name Shushan: The Jews that returned from the Babylonian/Persian exile etched the image of the city of Shushan (the Persian capitol) on the gate - to signify their appreciation to the Persian kingdom that was instrumental in building the Second Temple. Like the other Temple Mount gates, the Shushan Gate was twenty cubits high and ten cubits wide, and its doors were overlaid in gold. The Shushan Gate's lintel was lower than the Temple Mount wall. This enabled the kohen who stood on the Mount of Olives and officiated in the burning of the red heifer to look above the gate, and gaze directly through the eastern gate of the Women's Courtyard. In this manner the kohen was able to see into the entrance of the Sanctuary, thus fulfilling the requirement that he must "face the Tabernacle" while preparing the red heifer. When a red heifer was slaughtered and prepared, the kohen and those that accompanied him led the red heifer out through this gate, and across a special bridge, to the Mount of Olives. On Yom Kippur an individual was appointed to exit through this gate with the scapegoat that was cast away in the wilderness as an atonement. The interior of the gate had the same level of sanctity as the Temple Mount.

Note: The Hebrew measurement, " amah ," translated as cubit, is the length of a fore-arm: 50 centimeters, (20 inches).

Top left picture: The Shushan Gate is designated by the red circle.

Bottom left picture shows the preparation for the burning of the red heifer, while the kohen (priest) faces the Temple Sanctuary.

Right picture shows the se'ir l'azazel (the scapegoat) being led out of the Temple via the Shushan Gate on Yom Kippur.

Temple Mount: The Temple Mount Plaza

The Temple Mount Plaza is located on Mount Moriah and is also called the "Outer Courtyard." The festival pilgrims would gather here before entering the Holy Temple. The Temple Mount featured five gates: the two Chuldah Gates in the south, the Kiponos Gate in the west, the Tadi Gate in the north and the Shushan Gate in the east. The people that entered the Temple Mount would initially walk to the right except for mourners. These would walk against the flow of the crowd - to the left. This was done to make their situation apparent to the public, thus enabling them to receive condolences.

Entrance to the Temple Mount is forbidden while carrying a walking stick (as a showy sign of status, not as an aid for walking, which is permitted), while carrying coins bundled in an obvious manner, while wearing leather shoes or while engaged in any other activity that would convey a lack of respect. Additionally, one was forbidden to use the Temple Mount as a short cut between two points. (Sources: Tractate Midot 2:2; Brachot 62).

In the two bird's-eye pictures the Outer Courtyard is highlighted. It extends from the perimeter of the Temple Mount Plaza up to the low Soreg Wall which begins the area of greater holiness where entry is restricted to Jews who were not impure through exposure to death.

The top left picture depicts Passover pilgrims streaming through the Outer Courtyard and entering into the Cheil - the area beyond the Soreg.

The bottom right picture depicts a kohen (Temple Priest) walking through the Outer Courtyard at dawn. He is receiving a signal from the kohen in the far tower that the sun has appeared in the eastern sky and it is time for the morning service to begin.

Temple Mount: The Cheil

The area between the Soreg and the wall of the Courtyard is called the Cheil . In the Cheil , there were 12 stairs leading to the courtyards of the Holy Temple. The width of the Cheil was ten cubits (approximately 50 centimeters, or 20 inches) around the entire Courtyard. According to Torah law, its holiness was only that of the "Levite Camp." However, as a safeguard, our sages enacted extra measures of stringency regarding entry past the Cheil . Only Jews who were pure (of the spiritual impurity contracted through contact with a corpse) were permitted entry. When the Eve of Passover occurred on Shabbat, several changes were made in the Passover offering procedure due to the Shabbat prohibition on carrying from one domain to another. Generally, after the offering was brought, the people would take home the permitted parts to roast and eat. On the Shabbat, however, this is not permitted, and so everyone would remain within the Temple area until the end of the Shabbat.

The two top pictures depicting bird's eye views of the Temple Mount shows the area of the Cheil in highlight. The bottom picture depicts a Temple scene on the Shabbat of Passover Eve (as described in Mishna Pesachim 5:10). The first group of those who came to bring their Paschal lamb has finished; they wait (at right) in the Temple Mount plaza for the end of Shabbat. Aside them can be seen one of their offerings, wrapped in the lamb’s skin, with the slaughtering knife leaning upon it. The second group waits in the Cheil (rampart), on the steps (at left) behind the Soreg (latticed gate) partition. The third group is seen still in the Azara (Inner Courtyard, far left), waiting there until darkness falls. When three stars are seen, and Shabbat is over, all depart to roast their Passover lambs in Passover ovens throughout Jerusalem.

Temple Mount: The Temple Mount Wall

The wall surrounded the Temple Mount on four sides. Its height was about forty cubits, except for the eastern wall, which was shorter. The wall delineated the area of the holy Temple Mount. The wall had five gates: the Kiponos Gate in the west, the Shushan Gate in the east, the Tadi Gate in the north and the two Chulda Gates in the south. At the corners of the walls were watchtowers in which the Levites kept watch. The eastern side of the wall was the oldest, dating from the time of Solomon's Temple. It is generally thought that the other walls were built by Herod.

The wall was built from giant stones, which were quarried from the mountains around the city of Jerusalem. Some of the stones that were found reached a length of 14 and a half meters! The wall rose to a height of about twenty meters. The wall had a gate on every side, and on the southern side there were two gates called the Chuldah Gates.

The Temple Mount Wall surrounds the "Levite Camp." Beyond the wall, men and women experiencing irregular emissions, menstruating women and women who had just given birth were forbidden entry.

The two bird's-eye view pictures show the Temple Mount support walls highlighted. The bottom picture depicts a group of pilgrims facing the Holy Temple from the Mount of Olives, east of the Temple Mount. They see, by the reflection of the rising sun in the Golden Lamp which was suspended above the entrance to the Temple Sanctuary, that it is time to recite the morning "Shema" prayer. The lamp was a gift from Queen Helena, a convert to Judaism.

"The Largest Stone, (see photo), also known as the 'Western Stone', is the biggest stone of the Western Wall in Jerusalem and can be found in the Kotel Tunnels. It is recorded as one of the heaviest objects ever lifted by humans without the assistance of any machinery. This stone is about 45 feet in length (13.6 meters), about 13 ft. wide (4 meters), and weight about 570 tons. The Largest Stone was revealed by during the Western Wall tunnel excavations. The open area of the Western wall is about 200 feet in length and most of it is buried under the ground. The tunnels serve as an avenue for additional access of the wall at about 1600 feet."

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How to visit Temple Mount as a tourist: Old City, Jerusalem, Israel

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Temple Mount is one of the one most incredible sights in Jerusalem but restricted opening hours and tight security can make it difficult to visit. With some careful planning we were able to access the site of Temple Mount and it was one of the highlights of our trip to Israel. Here’s our step by step guide to visiting Temple Mount as a tourist or Non-Muslim.

1 | The Entrance to Temple Mount

Temple Mount can be accessed by 11 gates in the Old City of Jerusalem but tourists and non-Muslims are only allowed to enter through the Moroccan Gate which is also known as Mugrabi Gate. This gate is located near the Western Wall Plaza close to Dung gate.

The wooden walkway marking the non-Muslim entrance to Temple Mount:

2 | Tourist and Non-Muslim Opening Times at Temple Mount

Entrance times are restricted for tourists and non-Muslims and Temple Mount is only accessible during the below hours.

• Summer: Sunday to Thursday: 8:30am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 2:30pm
• Winter: Sunday to Thursday: 7:30am to 10:30am and 12:30pm to 1:30pm
• If you don’t make it through security before closing the guards won’t let you in.

It is possible that the site may be closed for security reasons at any time and, as a result, entrance is not guaranteed. Temple Mount is typically closed to non-Muslims on Jewish festivals and Israeli national days when rioting is likely to occur. Due to this try to plan your visit early in your trip to Jerusalem in case of closures.

The discarded riot shields act as a reminder of the unrest that had broken out at Temple Mount and resulted in its closure the day prior to our visit:

Where to stay in Jerusalem

Visiting Jerusalem is an incredible experience but due to the layout of the city and the narrow streets the only real way to explore the city is to walk. We found visiting the Old City early in the morning and later in the evening when crowds were quieter to be the best experience. To allow you to do this we recommend staying as close to the Old City walls as possible. The best hotels we recommend are:

• Harmony Hotel: Where we stayed and a short 5 minute walk from the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City. This stunning boutique hotel really made our stay in Jerusalem special. A delicious breakfast each morning, afternoon drinks on the sun filled terrace and a perfect location make this our top pick for staying beside the Old City of Jerusalem. The local area is lively with a great atmosphere and lots of great restaurants and bars. The hotel also has free parking which was great when we rented a car for a day trip to Massada – click here to book now!
• Sephardic House Hotel : located within the Old City itself in the Jewish Quarter (close to the Zion Gate), this hotel is a short walking distance from all of the sights, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Temple Mount and the Western Wall to name a few nearby). Perfect if you want to stay in the Old City itself – click here to book now!
• Bezalel Hotel:  A fantastic value hotel located 10 minutes walk from the Jaffa Gate. A sister hotel of the Harmony hotel, the Bezalel is a great alternative if the Harmony Hotel is booked out! – click here to book now!

Click here for the best Jerusalem hotel prices

3 | The Queues

Having made a failed attempt to visit Temple Mount earlier in the week, we weren’t taking any chances on missing out and we arrived around 12pm for the 1:30pm summer afternoon visiting session! We were first in the line but by the time Temple Mount opened for visitors there was an enormous queue behind us. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat as there’s little shade and the slow security checks mean it can take over an hour to pass through.

Watching a Bar Mitzvah pass by on the way to the Wailing Wall:

3 | Temple Mount Dress Code

A modest dress is essential to gain access to Temple Mount. Women should wear a knee length dress or trousers (trousers are preferable as some cotton skirts can be considered as see through and therefore inappropriate) and upper arms and chest must be covered by a top or a scarf. Men are required to wear long pants below the knee or cover up with a shawl.

I like your skirt!

4 | Security Checks

Bring your passport and ensure that you are not carrying anything that could be considered as a weapon. Security is tight at Temple Mount with airport style checks at the entrance and our passports were checked upon entry.  It is not permissible to bring sacred Jewish objects to the Temple.

The security hut:

Having had our passports scrutinized and passing the clothing and security checks we were finally granted access to Temple Mount. For more pictures and info on our visit check out our post here.

We made it! The wooden walkway marking the entry way to Temple Mount:

5 | While Visiting Temple Mount

First and foremost Temple Mount is a religious site and must be treated as such. Be respectful.

The Israeli government currently enforces a ban on non-Muslim prayer on the site and anyone who does not obey this ban may be removed from the site.

Entering the Mosques

Non-Muslims are forbidden from entering Dome of the Rock or Al-Aqsa mosque.

Entrance sign:

Is it safe to visit Temple Mount?

The high levels of security meant we felt very safe during our visit to Temple Mount. The authorities are quick to react during times of unrest and typically close the site on Jewish festivals and Israeli national days when rioting is a possibility.

For more on our visit to Temple Mount check out our incredible pics and details of the trip here!

21 thoughts on “how to visit temple mount as a tourist: old city, jerusalem, israel”.

Very informative

Thank you so much for this blog! I have been doing research on non-muslims visiting this area, and it is very hard to find information. Can you tell me about the safety of the area? Where did you guys lodge? Thanks!

Hi Kenna! We found Jerusalem very safe and there was a lot of security which put us at ease. We stayed in a little boutique hotel not far from the Old City called Harmony Hotel, we really liked it. Hope that helps!

Thanks for the great info. I think we will try to go up there on a Thursday afternoon 1st October, during Sukkot, a Jewish festival. This will be our only chance. Do you think it will be open on that kind of holiday day? Also, would you know if 1st October is considered summer or winter time? Don’t want to get the wrong hour. Thanks kindly.

Hi Judith. I believe it was open last year but it could be very busy and tensions have been very high in previous years (have a look at some of the news articles from 2014). I think October would fall under winter but the hours could vary during the festival.

Very nice blog! Thank you very much for important details. Regards from Salzburg!

Thanks Alexander, glad you found the post useful!

Really helpful post! I’m going to try and get there tomorrow! Thanks for posting!

Glad it was useful Ellie, saw your pic on Instagram so know you made it!

Hello, in regards to not being able to enter the Dome or Mosque as a non-muslim. How did they know/check if you where one?

Hi Andres! I guess they can gather a lot from appearance – we looked like complete tourists so it was very obvious! We approached one of the entrances earlier in the week and were meet with a lot of shouting and waving.

Great post, Elaine! Very informative and useful!

Thanks Cameron, glad you liked it!

Thanks for this, Elaine! What months are considered “winter”? We’re planning to go in two weeks– in March. Thanks!

Hi Wayne, glad you liked the post! I’m guessing March is winter but not really sure! Let me know when you visit if you find out!

Extremely helpful – thank you so much for the details and pictures you’ve included here

You fail to point out that Non Muslims are treated differently to Jews especially religious Jews. Non Jews have quicker, access through security checks to the Mount . Also they are able to walk around freely without Police escort to most areas . Jews on the other hand are allowed only to walk where Police and Wakf ( Jordanian Security) allow and must follow Police instructions at all time.Saying a prayer out loud can and does get you thrown off . You are also not allowed to drink from water taps. This is the only site in all of Israel where there is NO freedom of religion. However don’t let this stop you . Go .. the more people that go up to the Mount the better . I go once a week.

Thanks for the info

Hello, I am writing fiction. Assuming VERY unusual circumstances, such as an emergency and government approval, can vehicles access the Mount or is that physically impossible?

I have no idea! Good luck with your research!

Were you able to go inside the mosque? I went in there back in 1976 and again in 1983.

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Ask Smithsonian 2017

A Smithsonian magazine special report

What Is Beneath the Temple Mount?

As Israeli archaeologists recover artifacts from the religious site, ancient history inflames modern-day political tensions

Joshua Hammer

Contributing writer

My stint as an amateur archaeologist began one morning on the southern slope of Mount Scopus, a hill on the northern outskirts of Jerusalem. Inside a large hothouse covered in plastic sheets and marked “Temple Mount Salvage Operation,” a woman from Boston named Frankie Snyder—a volunteer turned staffer—led me to three rows of black plastic buckets, each half-filled with stones and pebbles, then pointed out a dozen wood-framed screens mounted on plastic stands. My job, she said, was to dump each bucket onto a screen, rinse off any soil with water from a garden hose, then pluck out anything of potential importance.

It wasn’t as easy as it sounded. A chunk of what looked like conglomerate rock turned out to be plaster used to line cisterns during the time of Herod the Great, some 2,000 years ago. When I tossed aside a shard of green glass I thought was from a soft-drink bottle, Snyder snatched it up. “Notice the bubbles,” she told me, holding it up to the light. “That indicates it’s ancient glass, because during that time, oven temperatures didn’t reach as high as they do now.”

Gradually, I got the hang of it. I spotted the handle of an ancient piece of pottery, complete with an indentation for thumb support. I retrieved a rough-edged coin minted more than 1,500 years ago and bearing the profile of a Byzantine emperor. I also found a shard of glass from what could only have been a Heineken bottle—a reminder that the Temple Mount has also been the scene of less historic activities.

The odds and ends I was gathering are the fruits of one of Israel’s most intriguing archaeological undertakings: a grain-by-grain analysis of debris trucked out of the Temple Mount, the magnificent edifice that has served the faithful as a symbol of God’s glory for 3,000 years and remains the crossroads of the three great monotheistic religions.

Jewish tradition holds that it is the site where God gathered the dust to create Adam and where Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Isaac to prove his faith. King Solomon, according to the Bible, built the First Temple of the Jews on this mountaintop circa 1000 B.C., only to have it torn down 400 years later by troops commanded by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who sent many Jews into exile. In the first century B.C., Herod expanded and refurbished a Second Temple built by Jews who had returned after their banishment. It is here that, according to the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ lashed out against the money changers (and was later crucified a few hundred yards away). The Roman general Titus exacted revenge against Jewish rebels, sacking and burning the Temple in A.D. 70.

Among Muslims, the Temple Mount is called Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). They believe it was here that the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the “Divine Presence” on the back of a winged horse—the Miraculous Night Journey, commemorated by one of Islam’s architectural triumphs, the Dome of the Rock shrine. A territorial prize occupied or conquered by a long succession of peoples—including Jebusites, Israelites, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, early Muslims, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans and the British—the Temple Mount has seen more momentous historical events than perhaps any other 35 acres in the world. Nonetheless, archaeologists have had little opportunity to search for physical evidence to sort legend from reality. For one thing, the site remains a place of active worship. The authority that controls the compound, an Islamic council called the Waqf, has long forbidden archaeological excavations, which it views as desecration. Except for some clandestine surveys of caves, cisterns and tunnels undertaken by European adventurers in the late 19th century—and some minor archaeological work conducted by the British from 1938 to 1942, when the Al-Aqsa Mosque was undergoing renovation—the layers of history beneath the Temple Mount have remained tantalizingly out of reach.

Thus the significance of those plastic buckets of debris I saw on Mount Scopus.

Today the Temple Mount, a walled compound within the Old City of Jerusalem, is the site of two magnificent structures: the Dome of the Rock to the north and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the south. In the southwest stands the Western Wall—a remnant of the Second Temple and the holiest site in Judaism. Some 300 feet from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in the southeast corner of the compound, a wide plaza leads to underground vaulted archways that have been known for centuries as Solomon’s Stables—probably because the Templars, an order of knights, are said to have kept their horses there when the Crusaders occupied Jerusalem. In 1996, the Waqf converted the area into a prayer hall, adding floor tiles and electric lighting. The Muslim authorities claimed the new site—named the El-Marwani Mosque—was needed to accommodate additional worshipers during Ramadan and on rain days that prevented the faithful from gathering in the open courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Three years later, the Waqf, with the approval of the Israeli government, announced plans to create an emergency exit for the El-Marwani Mosque. But Israeli officials later accused the Waqf of exceeding its self-stated mandate. Instead of a small emergency exit, the Waqf excavated two arches, creating a massive vaulted entranceway. In doing so, bulldozers dug a pit more than 131 feet long and nearly 40 feet deep. Trucks carted away hundreds of tons of soil and debris.

Israeli archaeologists and scholars raised an outcry. Some said the Waqf was deliberately trying to obliterate evidence of Jewish history. Others laid the act to negligence on a monstrous scale.

“That earth was saturated with the history of Jerusalem,” says Eyal Meiron, a historian at the Ben-Zvi Institute for the Study of Eretz Israel. “A toothbrush would be too large for brushing that soil, and they did it with bulldozers.”

Yusuf Natsheh, the Waqf’s chief archaeologist, was not present during the operation. But he told the Jerusalem Post that archaeological colleagues had examined the excavated material and had found nothing of significance. The Israelis, he told me, were “exaggerating” the value of the found artifacts. And he bristled at the suggestion the Waqf sought to destroy Jewish history. “Every stone is a Muslim development,” he says. “If anything was destroyed, it was Muslim heritage.”

Zachi Zweig was a third-year archaeology student at Bar- Ilan University, near Tel Aviv, when he heard news reports about dump trucks transporting Temple Mount soil to the Kidron Valley. With the help of a fellow student he rounded up 15 volunteers to visit the dump site, where they began surveying and collecting samples. A week later, Zweig presented his findings—including pottery fragments and ceramic tiles—to archaeologists attending a conference at the university. Zweig’s presentation angered officials at the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). “This is nothing but a show disguised as research,” Jon Seligman, the IAA’s Jerusalem Region Archaeologist, told the Jerusalem Post . “It was a criminal deed to take these items without approval or permission.” Soon afterward, Israeli police questioned Zweig and released him. By that point though, Zweig says, his cause had attracted the attention of the media and of his favorite lecturer at Bar-Ilan—the archaeologist Gaby Barkay.

Zweig urged Barkay to do something about the artifacts. In 2004, Barkay got permission to search the soil dumped in the Kidron Valley. He and Zweig hired trucks to cart it from there to Emek Tzurim National Park at the foot of Mount Scopus, collected donations to support the project and recruited people to undertake the sifting. The Temple Mount Sifting Project, as it is sometimes called, marks the first time archaeologists have systematically studied material removed from beneath the sacred compound.

Barkay, ten full-time staffers and a corps of part-time volunteers have uncovered a wealth of artifacts, ranging from three scarabs (either Egyptian or inspired by Egyptian design), from the second millennium B.C., to the uniform badge of a member of the Australian Medical Corps, who was billeted with the army of British Gen. Edmund Allenby after defeating the Ottoman Empire in Jerusalem during World War I. A bronze coin dating to the Great Revolt against the Romans (A.D. 66-70) bears the Hebrew phrase, “Freedom of Zion.” A silver coin minted during the era when the Crusaders ruled Jerusalem is stamped with the image of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Barkay says some discoveries provide tangible evidence of biblical accounts. Fragments of terra-cotta figurines, from between the eighth and sixth centuries B.C., may support the passage in which King Josiah, who ruled during the seventh century, initiated reforms that included a campaign against idolatry. Other finds challenge long-held beliefs. For example, it is widely accepted that early Christians used the Mount as a garbage dump on the ruins of the Jewish temples. But the abundance of coins, ornamental crucifixes and fragments of columns found from Jerusalem’s Byzantine era (A.D. 380–638) suggest that some public buildings were constructed there. Barkay and his colleagues have published their main findings in two academic journals in Hebrew, and they plan to eventually publish a book-length account in English.

But Natsheh, the Waqf’s chief archaeologist, dismisses Barkay’s finds because they were not found in situ in their original archaeological layers in the ground. “It is worth nothing,” he says of the sifting project, adding that Barkay has leapt to unwarranted conclusions in order to strengthen the Israeli argument that Jewish ties to the Temple Mount are older and stronger than those of the Palestinians. “This is all to serve his politics and his agenda,” Natsheh says.

To be sure, the Mount is a flash point in the Middle East conflict. Israel seized East Jerusalem and the Old City from Jordan in 1967. While Israelis saw this as the reunification of their ancient capital, Palestinians still deem East Jerusalem to be occupied Arab land (a position also held by the United Nations).The Temple Mount is precariously balanced between these opposing views. Although Israel claims political sovereignty over the compound, custodianship remains with the Waqf. As such, Israelis and Palestinians cautiously eye each other for any tilt in the status quo. A September 2000 visit to the Temple Mount by the Israeli politician Ariel Sharon was interpreted by Palestinians as a provocative assertion of Israel’s sovereignty, and helped spark the second intifada uprising, which, by some estimates, claimed as many as 6,600 lives, as rioting, armed clashes and terrorist bombings erupted throughout the Palestinian territories and Israel. At its core, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict represents rival claims to the same territory—and both sides rely on history to make the case for whose roots in the land run deepest.

For the Israelis, that history begins 3,000 years ago, when the Temple Mount—believed by many biblical scholars to be the mountain in the region of Moriah mentioned in the Book of Genesis—was an irregularly shaped mound rising some 2,440 feet among the stark Judean Hills. The summit loomed above a small settlement called Jebus, which clung to a ridge surrounded by ravines. The Old Testament describes how an army led by David, the second king of ancient Israel, breached the walls of Jebus around 1000 B.C. David then built a palace nearby and created his capital, Jerusalem. At the site of a threshing floor atop the mountain, where farmers had separated grains from chaff, David constructed a sacrificial altar. According to the Second Book of Kings and the First Book of Chronicles, David’s son, Solomon, built the First Temple (later known as the Beit Hamikdash) on that site.

“The Temple Mount was the Parthenon of the Jews,” says Barkay, describing how worshipers would have climbed a steep set of stairs to get to it. “You would feel every step of the climb in your limbs and your lungs.”

Still, “we know nothing about the First Temple, because there are no traces of its physical remains,” says Benjamin Kedar, a history professor at Hebrew University and chairman of the board of directors at the IAA. Scholars, however, have pieced together a tentative portrait of the Beit Hamikdash from descriptions in the Bible and architectural remains of sanctuaries elsewhere in the region built during the same era. It is envisioned as a complex of richly painted and gilded courts, constructed with cedar, fir and sandalwood. The rooms would have been built around an inner sanctum—the Holy of Holies—where the ark of the covenant, an acacia-wood chest covered with gold and containing the original Ten Commandments, was said to have been stored.

Until recently, Palestinians generally acknowledged that the Beit Hamikdash existed. A 1929 publication, A Brief Guide to the Haram al-Sharif , written by Waqf historian Aref al Aref, declares that the Mount’s “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 and peace offerings.” But in recent decades, amid the intensifying quarrel over the sovereignty of East Jerusalem, a growing number of Palestinian officials and academics have voiced doubts. “I will not allow it to be written of me that I have...confirmed the existence of the so-called Temple beneath the Mount,” Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat told President Bill Clinton at the Camp David peace talks in 2000. Arafat suggested the site of the Temple Mount might have been in the West Bank town of Nablus, known as Shechem in ancient times.

Five years after the Camp David talks, Barkay’s sifting project turned up a lump of black clay with a seal impression inscribed with the name, in ancient Hebrew, “[Gea]lyahu [son of] Immer.” In the Book of Jeremiah, a son of Immer—Pashur—is identified as chief administrator of the First Temple. Barkay suggests that the seal’s owner could have been Pashur’s brother. If so, it’s a “significant find,” he says—the first Hebrew inscription from the First Temple period to be found on the Mount itself.

But Natsheh—sipping Arabic coffee in his office at Waqf headquarters, a 700-year-old former Sufi monastery in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City—is dubious. He says he’s also frustrated by Israeli dismissal of Palestinian claims to the sacred compound where, he says, the Muslim presence—excepting the Crusader period (A.D. 1099-1187)—“extends for 1,400 years.” Natsheh won’t say if he believes in the existence of the First Temple, given the current political climate. “Whether I say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ it would be misused,” he tells me, fidgeting. “I would not like to answer.”

According to contemporary accounts, the Babylonian Army destroyed the First Temple in 586 B.C. The ark of the covenant disappeared, possibly hidden from the conquerors. Following the conquest of Jerusalem by the Persians in 539 B.C., the Jews returned from exile and, according to the Book of Ezra, constructed a Second Temple on the site.

In the first century B.C., King Herod undertook a massive reshaping of the Temple Mount. He filled up the slopes surrounding the mount’s summit and expanded it to its present size. He enclosed the holy site within a 100-foot-high retaining wall constructed of limestone blocks quarried from the Jerusalem Hills and constructed a far more expansive version of the Second Temple. “Herod’s attitude was, ‘Anything you can do, I can do better and larger,’” says Barkay. “It was part of his megalomania. He wanted also to compete with God.”

Barkay says he and his co-workers have turned up physical evidence that hints at the grandeur of the Second Temple, including pieces of what appear to be opus sectile floor tiles—elements of a technique in Herod’s time that used stone of various colors and shapes to create geometric patterns. (Describing the temple, the ancient historian Jo­sephus wrote of an open-air courtyard “laid with stones of all sorts.”) Other discoveries might offer glimpses of daily religious rituals—notably ivory and bone combs that could have been used in preparation for a ritual mikvah, or purifying bath, before entering the courts’ sanctified interior.

On a cloudless morning, I join historian Meiron for a tour of the Temple Mount. We enter the Old City through the Dung Gate and then arrive at the Western Wall plaza. When the Romans destroyed Herod’s temple in A.D. 70, they knocked the retaining wall down piece by piece. But the stones from the top tumbled down and formed a protective barrier that preserved the wall’s lower portions. Today, hundreds of Orthodox Jews are gathered in devotion before the remnant of that wall—a ritual that perhaps first occurred in the fourth century A.D. and has been practiced continually since the early 16th century, after the Ottoman conquest of Jerusalem.

During the Ottoman Empire and the British Mandate, this area was a warren of Arab houses, and Jews who wanted to pray here had to squeeze into a 12-foot-wide corridor in front of the Herodian stones. “My father came here as a child and he told me, ‘We used to go through alleys; we entered a door; and there was the wall on top of us,’ ” Meiron tells me. After Israel claimed sovereignty over East Jerusalem in 1967, it demolished the Arab houses, creating the plaza.

Meiron and I climb a “temporary” wooden walkway that leads above the Western Wall to the Mughrabi Gate, the only entry point to the Temple Mount for non-Muslims—and a symbol of how any attempt to change the site’s geography can upset the delicate status quo. Israel erected the wooden structure after an earthen ramp collapsed in 2004, following an earthquake and heavy snowfall. In 2007, the IAA approved the construction of a permanent bridge that would stretch from the Old City’s Dung Gate to the Mughrabi Gate.

But members of both the Jewish and Muslim communities opposed the plan. Some Israeli archaeologists raised an outcry over the bridge’s proposed path through the Jerusalem Archaeological Park—the site of excavations conducted in the Old City—saying the construction could damage artifacts. The late Ehud Netzer, the archaeologist who discovered King Herod’s tomb in 2007, argued that moving the entrance ramp could effectively cut off the Western Wall’s connection to the Temple Mount, thereby undermining Israel’s claims to sovereignty over the sacred compound. And the Israeli activist group Peace Now warned the project might alarm Muslims since the new route and size of the bridge (three times the original ramp) would increase non-Muslim traffic to the Mount.

Indeed, when Israel began a legally required archaeological survey of the planned construction site, Palestinians and Arab Israelis joined in a chorus of protest. They claimed the Israeli excavations—although conducted several yards outside the walls of the sacred compound—threatened the foundations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Some even said that it was Israel’s covert plan to unearth remains of the First and Second Temples in order to solidify its historic claim to the Mount. For the time being, non-Muslim visitors continue to use the temporary wooden bridge that has been in place for seven years.

Such disputes inevitably send ripples throughout the international community. Both the Jordanian and Turkish governments protested Israel’s plans for the new walkway. And in November 2010, the Palestinian Authority created a diplomatic kerfuffle when it published a study declaring the Western Wall was not a Jewish holy site at all, but part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The study contended, “This wall was never part of the so-called Temple Mount, but Muslim tolerance allowed the Jews to stand in front of it and weep over its destruction,” which the U.S. State Department called “factually incorrect, insensitive and highly provocative.”

Today, the scene is calm. At various spots on the wide, leafy plaza Palestinian men gather in study groups, reading the Koran. We ascend steps toward the magnificent Dome of the Rock—which was built during the same period as the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the south, between A.D. 685 and 715. The Dome of the Rock is built on top of the Foundation Stone, which is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. According to Jewish tradition, the stone is the “navel of the Earth”—the place where creation began, and the site where Abraham was poised to sacrifice Isaac. For Muslims, the stone marks the place where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the Divine Presence.

On the east side of the Temple Mount’s retaining wall, Meiron shows me the Golden Gate, an elaborate gatehouse and portal. Its provenance remains a subject of debate among historians, pitting the majority, who claim early Muslims built it, against those who insist it is a Byzantine Christian structure.

Historians who argue that the Byzantines didn’t build the gate point to ancient accounts describing how early Christians turned the Mount into a garbage heap. The Byzantines, scholars say, saw the destruction of the Second Temple as vindication of Jesus’ prophecy that “not one stone shall be left here upon another” and as a symbol of Judaism’s downfall. But other historians counter that the eastern entrance to the Mount, where the Golden Gate was built, was important to the Byzantines because their interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew holds that Jesus entered the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives to the east when he joined his disciples for the Passover meal. And in A.D. 614, when the Persian Empire conquered and briefly ruled Jerusalem, they took back to Persia parts of the True Cross (believed to be the cross of the Crucifixion) from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Fifteen years later, after defeating the Persians, Heraclius, a Byzantine emperor, is said to have brought the True Cross back to the holy city—passing from the Mount of Olives to the Temple Mount, and then to the Holy Sepulchre. “Thus you had two triumphant entrances: Jesus and Heraclius,” says Meiron. “That’s enough to explain why the Byzantines would invest in building that gate.”

While Barkay is in the camp that believes the Golden Gate is an early Muslim structure, Meiron thinks the sifting project’s discovery of Byzantine-era crosses, coins and ornamental columns supports the theory that the gate was built by the Byzantines. “Now we’re not so sure the Temple Mount fell into disrepair,” Meiron says. In addition, Barkay has found archival photographs taken during renovations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the late 1930s that appear to reveal Byzantine mosaics beneath the structure—further evidence that some sort of public building had been constructed at the site.

I visited Barkay at his modest apartment in East Talpiot, a Jewish suburb of East Jerusalem. The grizzled, chain-smoking archaeologist was born in Budapest in 1944, the very day the Nazis sent his family to the city’s Jewish ghetto. After the war his father—who had spent a year in a Nazi forced labor camp in Ukraine—established the first Israeli delegation in Budapest, and the family emigrated to Israel in 1950. Barkay earned his doctorate in archaeology at Tel Aviv University. In 1979, exploring a series of ancient burial caves in an area of Jerusalem above the Valley of Hinnom, he made a remarkable discovery: two 2,700-year-old silver scrolls delicately etched with the priestly blessing that Aaron and his sons bestowed on the children of Israel, as mentioned in the Book of Numbers. Barkay describes the scrolls, which contain the earliest-known fragments of a biblical text, as “the most important find of my life.”

Barkay and I get into my car and drive toward Mount Scopus. I ask him about Natsheh’s charge that the sifting project is infused with a political agenda. He shrugs. “Sneezing in Jerusalem is an intensely political activity. You can do it to the right, to the left, on the face of an Arab or a Jew. Whatever you do, or don’t do, is political.”

Still, some criticism of Barkay stems not from politics but from skepticism about his methodology. Natsheh is not the only archaeologist to raise questions about the value of artifacts not found in situ. The dirt excavated by the Waqf is landfill from previous eras. Part of that landfill, Barkay says, comes from the Mount’s eastern section, which the Waqf paved over in 2001. But most of it, he says, was taken from vacant parts of the Mount when an entrance to Solomon’s Stables was blocked, sometime between the reign of the Fatimid and Ayyubid dynasties. Collectively, he says, the landfill includes artifacts from all periods of the site.

But Israeli archaeologist Danny Bahat told the Jerusalem Post that, since the dirt was filler, the layers do not represent a meaningful chronology. “What they did is like putting the remains in a blender,” adds Jerusalem region archaeologist Seligman about the Waqf excavation. “All the layers are now mixed and damaged.” Archaeologist Meir Ben-Dov, a specialist on the Old City, has raised doubts as to whether all the landfill even originated on the Temple Mount. Some of it, he suggests, was brought there from Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter.

Barkay, not surprisingly, rejects this suggestion, citing the frequent finds of Ottoman glazed wall-tile fragments from the Dome of the Rock, dating back to the 16th century, when Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent repaired and beautified the shrine. And, though the excavated soil is not in situ, he says that, even if one were to discount the scientific value of the artifacts by 80 percent, “we are left with 20 percent, which is a lot more than zero.”

Barkay identifies and dates the artifacts through “typology”: he compares his finds with similarly made objects in which a timeline has been firmly established. For instance, the opus sectile pieces Barkay found in the soil were precisely the same—in terms of material, shape and dimensions—as those that Herod used in palaces at Jericho, Masada and Herodium.

We arrive at Barkay’s salvaging operation, and he greets a handful of staffers. Then he leads the way to a worktable and shows me a sampling of a single day’s efforts. “Here’s a bowl fragment from the First Temple period,” he says. “A Byzantine coin here. A Crusader arrowhead made of iron. This is a Hasmonean coin, from the dynasty that ruled Judah in the second century B.C.” Barkay tells me that volunteers by the hundreds arrive each week to help with the sifting—even ultra-Orthodox Jews, who traditionally oppose archaeological excavations in the Holy Land. “They say all the evidence is in the [scriptural] sources, you don’t need physical proof. But they’re willing to make an exception, because it’s the Temple Mount.” Barkay pauses. “If I look at some of the volunteers, and I see the excitement in their eyes, that they with their own fingers can touch the history of Jerusalem, this is irreplaceable.” He admits the project has attracted “very few” Palestinians or Arab Israelis.

Leading me outside the plastic-covered building, Barkay squints into the sunlight. We can see the Temple Mount in the distance, the sunlight glinting off the golden-topped Dome of the Rock. “We’ve been working for six years, and we’ve gone through 20 percent of the material,” he says, pointing to huge heaps of earth that fill an olive grove below the tent. “We have another 15 to 20 years to go.”

Joshua Hammer wrote about the Bamiyan Buddhas in the November 2010 issue. Kate Brooks is an Istanbul-based photojournalist who has worked in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

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Joshua Hammer is a contributing writer to Smithsonian magazine and the author of several books, including The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts and The Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird .

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London police on Saturday hid a Holocaust memorial from view and stood guard to protect the monument in the city’s Hyde Park from anti-Israel vandals.

Built in 1983 as the U.K.’s first public memorial to the Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide, the two granite boulders featuring English and Hebrew inscriptions were covered with a blue tarp by Metropolitan Police officers. They then guarded the site as thousands of demonstrators descended on central London for a march in support of Hamas.

After officer warns campaigner for being 'openly Jewish'… Met Police are so cowed by the anti-semitic mob, they even cover up the Holocaust https://t.co/KKNZICNG8o pic.twitter.com/VkNQSYH093 — Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) April 27, 2024

Noemi Ebenstein, an 82-year-old Holocaust survivor, told the Daily Mail that the decision to cover the memorial was a disgrace.

“It is shameful. Seeing this, it feels like they are winning,” Ebenstein said. “Those who are Jew-haters, those who are Holocaust deniers, they are winning because we are afraid of them. I just wish the Western world would stand up to these people, instead of running away, covering up monuments and being apologetic.”

The British tabloid ran the story on its front page, writing that “the police are so frightened by the anti-Semitic crowd, that they even hide the memory of the Holocaust. A shameful insult to the six million people.”

After yet another "pro-Palestinian" march in London yesterday, Sunday's Mail mocks on its front page the Metropolitan Police for choosing to cover the Holocaust Memorial Garden in Hyde Park. pic.twitter.com/Ns5kQyncYL — Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) April 28, 2024

Stephen Pollard, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Chronicle newspaper, demanded that the police take tougher action.

“What is the line that needs to be crossed for people to think it’s not OK for these hate marches to continue?” he asked. “It shows the depravity of so much of what’s happening in London at the moment that they think it’s important that they cover up a Holocaust memorial.”

British political and diplomatic leaders also weighed in on the incident, with the U.K.’s special envoy for post-Holocaust issues, Tory peer Rt. Hon. Lord Pickles, asking, “Have we become so cowed and fearful in this country that instead of expecting pro-Palestinian protesters to obey the law, we hide away the memorial to save it from vandalism?”

The Metropolitan Police called the Daily Mail headline “inaccurate.”

“The decision to cover the memorial was taken by park authorities, not the police,” the police statement read. “As the paper’s own article makes clear, it is a precaution Royal Parks have taken for a number of different events.”

The incident comes amid increased scrutiny of the London police’s handling of the weekly anti-Israel marches and its approach to the Jewish community. The tensions were highlighted by a video that went viral showing a police officer on April 13 stopping a Jewish man from crossing the street, remarking that he was stopped for appearing “quite openly Jewish.”

Gideon Falter, who heads the U.K.-based Campaign Against Antisemitism, had been with a group returning from synagogue. He was wearing a yarmulke and carrying a bag decorated with Stars of David, in which he had his prayer shawl.

“This is a pro-Palestinian march. I am not accusing you of anything, but I am worried about the reaction to your presence,” the officer told him in a video Falter’s group posted to X on April 18.

“I don’t want to stay here. I want to leave,” Falter explained to the officer, who nevertheless blocked him when he attempted to get by.

Another officer told Falter he would be arrested if he remained in the vicinity “because your presence here is antagonizing them.”

“The march came towards us and after a few minutes the crowd got thicker, people stopping and shouting abuse at us: ‘Disgusting,’ ‘Lock them up,’ ‘Nazis,’ ‘Scum,’” Falter wrote in the Times of London on April 20. “There were people there who were expressing as loudly as they could how much they hated me for looking Jewish, and not a single person was saying: ‘You shouldn’t do that,’ or ‘I disapprove,’” he wrote.

“‘By the actions of the Metropolitan Police, it’s not just that central London is a ‘no-go zone’ for Jews, as has been said previously, but a police-enforced Jew-free zone,” Falter wrote.

Following the incident, the Campaign Against Semitism last week met with British Home Secretary James Cleverly, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire Chris Philp and others to discuss the handling of anti-Israel protests over the past six months in the U.K. capital that have often steered into antisemitism and hostility to Jews.

The NGO announced on Friday that its Walk Together initiative, with thousands in attendance expected to attend in a sign of solidarity to protect Jews freely walking throughout London, was canceled for Saturday.

“Thousands of people have been intending to join and then walk where they please—things we used to take for granted in London as Jewish people—but we do not have confidence that they would be safe,” the organization said in a statement.

There has been enormous interest in the Walk Together initiative for this Saturday, with thousands expected to attend. @MetPoliceUK has told us of its desire to protect Jews walking in the area, but we have to be sure that they can. Thousands of people have been intending to… pic.twitter.com/MQQymAP0oB — Campaign Against Antisemitism (@antisemitism) April 26, 2024

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

Photos: Jerusalem's sacred crossroads endures in a time of war

Ayman Oghanna

Christians hold a candlelight procession in Jerusalem outside the Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of Gethsemane, on March 28. This year, Easter, Purim and Ramadan overlapped for the first time in three decades. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Christians hold a candlelight procession in Jerusalem outside the Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of Gethsemane, on March 28. This year, Easter, Purim and Ramadan overlapped for the first time in three decades.

JERUSALEM — Jewish revelers in a Purim parade pass protesters holding placards marking the days since hostages from Israel have been held by Hamas. Outside the church of Gethsemane, Christians clutching candles march after Mass on Maundy Thursday. At Damascus Gate, tens of thousands of Muslims step down stone slopes, carefully watched by Israeli security forces.

It is in Jerusalem where the ancient Jewish Temples stood, and billions of faithful believe Jesus was resurrected and the Prophet Muhammad ascended into paradise.

Amid the war in Gaza and tensions over access to major holy sites, this complex, ancient and diverse city that's central to Judaism, Islam and Christianity has remained largely peaceful.

"The present-day city contains so many religions, ethnic groups, ideologies, national identities ... all rubbing up against each other, but all very separate," says Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, a former president of Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli organization. "Jerusalem holds out the promise of peace, of a shared space. I believe that God has called on all Jews, Christians and Muslims, Palestinians and Israelis ... to find a way to live together and share this holy city."

Over the centuries, Jerusalem has withstood invasions, sieges, attacks, division, reunification — and despite ongoing tensions, it endures as a city where people are able to practice and express their different and deeply held faiths, while adhering to strict rules and restrictions imposed on worship in this shared space.

Tension at Al-Aqsa Mosque is deepening with each day of the Israel-Hamas war

This spring, for the first time in three decades, Ramadan, Easter and Purim — holidays in Islam, Christianity and Judaism — all overlapped within a month-long period. With war raging in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, fresh restrictions on Palestinians' access to holy sites, and powerful challenges to longstanding rules about Jewish prayer at the Al-Aqsa compound, there were fears that tensions might flare uncontrollably and ignite violence in Jerusalem.

But the holidays passed with few incidents. Here are images showing the city during a holy month, and some of the people living, visiting and worshiping there.

Orthodox Jews pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on March 25. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Orthodox Jews pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on March 25.

Demonstrators hold signs urging the government to reach a deal for release of hostages taken from Israel by Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, as they and Israeli security forces watch a parade through Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday of Purim. Despite the war in Gaza, the city hosted an official Purim parade for the first time in more than 40 years, among muted crowds and protesters. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Demonstrators hold signs urging the government to reach a deal for release of hostages taken from Israel by Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, as they and Israeli security forces watch a parade through Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday of Purim. Despite the war in Gaza, the city hosted an official Purim parade for the first time in more than 40 years, among muted crowds and protesters.

A float in a Purim parade in Jerusalem, March 25. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

A float in a Purim parade in Jerusalem, March 25.

Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman stands outside his synagogue in West Jerusalem on March 6. "No one religious tradition has a monopoly on truth. Every religious tradition has, at its core, a vision of peace for all humanity," Weiman-Kelman says. "We need each other to find a way to live together. Sadly, since Oct. 7, this dream feels further away than ever." Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman stands outside his synagogue in West Jerusalem on March 6. "No one religious tradition has a monopoly on truth. Every religious tradition has, at its core, a vision of peace for all humanity," Weiman-Kelman says. "We need each other to find a way to live together. Sadly, since Oct. 7, this dream feels further away than ever."

Jerusalem as seen from the Mount of Olives. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Jerusalem as seen from the Mount of Olives.

The Dome of the Rock on the Al-Aqsa compound before Friday prayers during Ramadan in Jerusalem, March 22. It is a sacred site in Islam where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended into paradise. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

The Dome of the Rock on the Al-Aqsa compound before Friday prayers during Ramadan in Jerusalem, March 22. It is a sacred site in Islam where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended into paradise.

Israeli security forces in the Old City of Jerusalem before Friday prayers during Ramadan, March 22. Israel has long ensured Al-Aqsa Mosque remains a Muslim place of worship, with Jews allowed to pray at the Western Wall. But Israel's far-right national security minister urged religious Jews to enter the Al-Aqsa compound in the last 10 days of Ramadan, which many feared would lead to violence. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Israeli security forces in the Old City of Jerusalem before Friday prayers during Ramadan, March 22. Israel has long ensured Al-Aqsa Mosque remains a Muslim place of worship, with Jews allowed to pray at the Western Wall. But Israel's far-right national security minister urged religious Jews to enter the Al-Aqsa compound in the last 10 days of Ramadan, which many feared would lead to violence.

Men prepare for Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa compound during Ramadan in Jerusalem. It is a sacred site in Islam, where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended into paradise. Despite severe restrictions on Palestinians entering from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, more than 1.5 million worshipers visited the Al-Aqsa compound during the holy month of Ramadan, Jerusalem police said. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Men prepare for Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa compound during Ramadan in Jerusalem. It is a sacred site in Islam, where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended into paradise. Despite severe restrictions on Palestinians entering from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, more than 1.5 million worshipers visited the Al-Aqsa compound during the holy month of Ramadan, Jerusalem police said.

"Jesus was not born in Texas, he wasn't from Europe, he is not from Africa. He is from Palestine. Christianity started from Jerusalem," says Rafi Ghattas, a scout leader and coordinator for Palestinian Christian youth, in Jerusalem on March 28. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

"Jesus was not born in Texas, he wasn't from Europe, he is not from Africa. He is from Palestine. Christianity started from Jerusalem," says Rafi Ghattas, a scout leader and coordinator for Palestinian Christian youth, in Jerusalem on March 28.

A boy prepares palms while Christians hold a procession on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

A boy prepares palms while Christians hold a procession on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

A woman lights a candle in the Tomb of the Virgin in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, March 24. The war in Gaza deterred many visitors and pilgrims from visiting Jerusalem during Easter. Palestinian Christians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were among those affected by Israeli restrictions on Palestinian travel into Jerusalem. Men had to be age 55 and older, and women had to be 50 and over. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

A woman lights a candle in the Tomb of the Virgin in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, March 24. The war in Gaza deterred many visitors and pilgrims from visiting Jerusalem during Easter. Palestinian Christians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were among those affected by Israeli restrictions on Palestinian travel into Jerusalem. Men had to be age 55 and older, and women had to be 50 and over.

Christians hold a procession on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on March 24, commemorating the day that Christians believe Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted by followers waving palms. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

Christians hold a procession on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on March 24, commemorating the day that Christians believe Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted by followers waving palms.

A woman kisses the Stone of Anointing on March 24, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians believe the body of Jesus was prepared for burial. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

A woman kisses the Stone of Anointing on March 24, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians believe the body of Jesus was prepared for burial.

An Orthodox Jew prays at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on March 25. Above the Western Wall is the compound revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as the Temple Mount. Ayman Oghanna for NPR hide caption

An Orthodox Jew prays at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on March 25. Above the Western Wall is the compound revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and by Jews as the Temple Mount.

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We need an exodus from Zionism

This Passover, we don’t need or want the false idol of Zionism. We want freedom from the project that commits genocide in our name

I’ve been thinking about Moses, and his rage when he came down from the mount to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf.

The ecofeminist in me was always uneasy about this story: what kind of God is jealous of animals? What kind of God wants to hoard all the sacredness of the Earth for himself?

But there is a less literal way of understanding this story. It is about false idols. About the human tendency to worship the profane and shiny, to look to the small and material rather than the large and transcendent.

What I want to say to you tonight at this revolutionary and historic Seder in the Streets is that too many of our people are worshipping a false idol once again. They are enraptured by it. Drunk on it. Profaned by it.

That false idol is called Zionism.

It is a false idol that takes our most profound biblical stories of justice and emancipation from slavery – the story of Passover itself – and turns them into brutalist weapons of colonial land theft, roadmaps for ethnic cleansing and genocide.

It is a false idol that has taken the transcendent idea of the promised land – a metaphor for human liberation that has traveled across multiple faiths to every corner of this globe – and dared to turn it into a deed of sale for a militaristic ethnostate.

Political Zionism’s version of liberation is itself profane. From the start, it required the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and ancestral lands in the Nakba.

From the start it has been at war with dreams of liberation. At a Seder it is worth remembering that this includes the dreams of liberation and self-determination of the Egyptian people. This false idol of Zionism equates Israeli safety with Egyptian dictatorship and client states.

From the start it has produced an ugly kind of freedom that saw Palestinian children not as human beings but as demographic threats – much as the pharaoh in the Book of Exodus feared the growing population of Israelites, and thus ordered the death of their sons.

Zionism has brought us to our present moment of cataclysm and it is time that we said clearly: it has always been leading us here.

It is a false idol that has led far too many of our own people down a deeply immoral path that now has them justifying the shredding of core commandments: thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet.

It is a false idol that equates Jewish freedom with cluster bombs that kill and maim Palestinian children.

Zionism is a false idol that has betrayed every Jewish value, including the value we place on questioning – a practice embedded in the Seder with its four questions asked by the youngest child.

Including the love we have as a people for text and for education.

Today, this false idol justifies the bombing of every university in Gaza; the destruction of countless schools, of archives, of printing presses; the killing of hundreds of academics, of journalists, of poets – this is what Palestinians call scholasticide, the killing of the means of education.

Meanwhile, in this city, the universities call in the NYPD and barricade themselves against the grave threat posed by their own students daring to ask them basic questions, such as: how can you claim to believe in anything at all, least of all us, while you enable, invest in and collaborate with this genocide?

The false idol of Zionism has been allowed to grow unchecked for far too long.

So tonight we say: it ends here.

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Our Judaism cannot be contained by an ethnostate, for our Judaism is internationalist by nature.

Our Judaism cannot be protected by the rampaging military of that state, for all that military does is sow sorrow and reap hatred – including against us as Jews.

Our Judaism is not threatened by people raising their voices in solidarity with Palestine across lines of race, ethnicity, physical ability, gender identity and generations.

Our Judaism is one of those voices and knows that in that chorus lies both our safety and our collective liberation.

Our Judaism is the Judaism of the Passover Seder: the gathering in ceremony to share food and wine with loved ones and strangers alike, the ritual that is inherently portable, light enough to carry on our backs, in need of nothing but each other: no walls, no temple, no rabbi, a role for everyone, even – especially – the smallest child. The Seder is a diaspora technology if ever there was one, made for collective grieving, contemplation, questioning, remembering and reviving the revolutionary spirit.

So look around. This, here, is our Judaism. As waters rise and forests burn and nothing is certain, we pray at the altar of solidarity and mutual aid, no matter the cost.

We don’t need or want the false idol of Zionism. We want freedom from the project that commits genocide in our name. Freedom from an ideology that has no plan for peace other than deals with murderous theocratic petrostates next door, while selling the technologies of robo-assassinations to the world.

We seek to liberate Judaism from an ethnostate that wants Jews to be perennially afraid, that wants our children to be afraid, that wants us to believe the world is against us so that we go running to its fortress and beneath its iron dome, or at least keep the weapons and donations flowing.

That is the false idol.

And it’s not just Netanyahu, it’s the world he made and that made him – it’s Zionism.

What are we? We, in these streets for months and months, are the exodus. The exodus from Zionism.

And to the Chuck Schumers of this world, we do not say: “Let our people go.”

We say: “We have already gone. And your kids? They’re with us now.”

Naomi Klein is a Guardian US columnist and contributing writer. She is the professor of climate justice and co-director of the Centre for Climate Justice at the University of British Columbia. Her latest book, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, was published in September

This is a transcript of a speech delivered at the Emergency Seder in the Streets in New York City

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