The Temple Mount

After lots of security, we were allowed to go on top of the Temple Mount.  Considered one of the holiest places to many religions. This is the place of the Holy Temple for Jesus. This has been destroyed and built back 18 times over.

Seen as the holiest site for Jewish believers, parts of the four walls surrounding the Temple Mount date back to the time of the Second Jewish Temple, in the first century BCE. The walls were built around the summit of Mount Moriah. Biblically, this is where Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice.

The Temple Mount is the third holiest site for Muslims after Mecca and Medina. Alongside the Abrahamic history of the site, in Muslim tradition, this is where the Prophet Mohammed made his “Night Journey” to the throne of God. In the seventh century, following the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem, they built the Dome of the Rock. It is the gold-topped Islamic shrine seen in many iconic photographs of the Old City, next to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Today, within the area of the Temple Mount, there are about 100 different structures to see spanning different time periods, including prayer locations, arches, and fountains. It is definitely worth the visit. As there are certain restrictions for visitors, it is important to understand the rules before you go.