Masjid Al-Aqsa Mosque

Address: Al‑Aqsa Mosque / Haram al‑Sharif, Old City, Jerusalem

Hours: Open daily; access rules differ for Muslim worshippers and non‑Muslim visitors - non‑Muslim visiting hours are restricted and subject to change

Admission: Free entry

Masjid Al-Aqsa is the congregational mosque complex located on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem and is regarded as the third-holiest site in Islam. The wider platform includes multiple religious structures and open courtyards.

The compound contains the Dome of the Rock, a landmark Umayyad shrine completed in 691 CE, together with the Al-Aqsa mosque building at the platform’s southern end and numerous courtyards, minarets and ancillary prayer spaces. The site is a focal point for worship, pilgrimage and tours when access is permitted.

Inside the Al-Aqsa building visitors see a large hypostyle prayer hall with arches and historic finishes that reflect multiple periods of construction and restoration. The surrounding courtyards and colonnades provide different vantage points for observing the architecture and the city skyline.

The platform and its principal structures date to the early Islamic period, with major Umayyad, Abbasid, Crusader, Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman repairs and reconstructions over more than a millennium. The existing fabric of the mosque and nearby monuments reflects that long sequence of restorations and additions.

Located on the southeastern hill of the Old City of Jerusalem, the compound sits above the western esplanade and is surrounded by the city’s Muslim, Christian and Jewish quarters; approaches are via the Old City gates and adjacent streets.

• Access restrictions: Access and visiting hours are subject to religious and civil authorities and may vary by nationality, security conditions and religious holidays; non-Muslim entry to the compound is limited to specific times.

What to See#

• Dome of the Rock: A gold-domed octagonal shrine completed in 691 CE that stands on the central platform of the Haram al-Sharif and commemorates the Islamic tradition of Muhammad’s Night Journey; it is one of the earliest surviving Islamic monuments.
• Al-Aqsa (Qibli) Mosque: The congregational mosque often referred to as the Qibli or Al-Aqsa building occupies the southern end of the Haram al-Sharif platform and has been rebuilt and repaired several times since the early Islamic period.
• Marwani Prayer Hall (Solomon’s Stables): A large vaulted subterranean hall on the eastern side of the compound historically known as Solomon’s Stables and used in modern times as an extended prayer hall and service area for the compound.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is on the Haram al-Sharif / Temple Mount inside Jerusalem’s Old City. The site is reached on foot from Old City gates (notably Damascus Gate or Lion’s Gate); the walk from Damascus Gate across the Old City is roughly 10-15 minutes. It is also accessible by local buses and taxis to the Old City area, followed by a short walk to the compound entrances.

• If you're a non‑Muslim visitor, aim for the permitted visiting hours (typically morning) and enter the Temple Mount/Al‑Haram al‑Sharif area via the Mughrabi/Western Wall approach used for tourist access; check current entry rules beforehand because hours and access change frequently.
• Avoid Fridays and major Muslim holidays for tourist visits since worship takes precedence and access for non‑worshipping visitors is often restricted; always respect the site's rules (modest dress, no prayer by non‑Muslims) and the security checkpoints.