Temple Mount

Haram Al-Sharif, also known as Temple Mount or al-Aqsa Mosque, is a holy hill in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is considered the most sacred site in Judaism and consists of The Dome of the Rock, al-Aqsa Mosque, seven sealed gates, 4 minarets and other ancient buildings. Non-Muslims cannot access the Dome of the Rock.

The walls surrounding the compound reach their highest point, 65m, at the southeast corner. On the western and northern borders are 4 minarets constructed at different periods starting from 1278. It is an octagonal structure with a high dome and houses the Holy Rock and the Well of Souls, a cave beneath the rock where the souls of the dead are believed to come to pray. The platform has a circular domed building on the upper platform called the Dome of the Chain, where Solomon supposedly hung a chain that rose to heaven. The lower platform features the famous Al-Aqsa Mosque, which has a seven-aisled interior and an intricately designed mihrab. There are also beautiful gardens on the eastern and northern ends of the lower platform, an Islamic school and an ablution fountain. Entry to non-Muslims is allowed only through the Bab al-Magharibeh gate.