Temple Mount Hill

The Temple Mount, also known by its Arabic name Haram al-Sharif, is an elevated rectangular plaza in the Old City of Jerusalem that holds major religious buildings and ruins. It is one of the most significant religious sites in the city for Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

The platform contains prominent structures including the Dome of the Rock, completed in 691 CE, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, whose earliest construction phases date to the early 8th century with later restorations and alterations. The plaza area is an extensive man-made platform, commonly cited as covering about 144,000 square metres.

Historically the site is identified in Jewish tradition as the location of the First Temple built by Solomon in the 10th century BCE and the Second Temple rebuilt in the late 6th century BCE and expanded by Herod in the late 1st century BCE; the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. Islamic constructions from the late 7th and early 8th centuries established the major surviving buildings visible on the platform today.

The Temple Mount sits within Jerusalem’s Old City near the Western Wall on the western flank of the plaza. It occupies a central position in the city and is adjacent to major Old City quarters, with access points from surrounding streets and gates.

• Platform area: The Temple Mount plateau covers approximately 144,000 square metres and is one of the largest ancient man-made platforms in the region.
• Visiting note: Non-worshipping visitors may access the site during limited visiting hours, while religious use and access arrangements vary by community and administrative control.

What to See#

• Dome of the Rock: The **Dome of the Rock**, completed in 691 CE, is a freestanding shrine with a gilded dome over the platform’s sacred rock.
• Al-Aqsa Mosque: The **Al-Aqsa Mosque**, occupying the southern edge of the plaza, is an early Islamic congregational mosque whose building fabric dates to the early medieval period with later restorations.

The Temple Mount is in Jerusalem’s Old City; access is by foot through the Old City gates. The nearest general transport points include the Jaffa Gate and Damascus Gate areas; expect security checks and specified entrance gates for different visitor groups.

• Temple Mount access rules vary daily depending on security and religious holidays; check local authority announcements before visiting.
• Non-Muslims are generally admitted only during restricted visiting hours and must enter through specific gates (e.g., the Moors' Gate area); modest dress is required.
• Avoid political demonstrations and follow instructions from Israeli police and site staff - this is a sensitive and heavily policed area.