Temple Mount

The Temple Mount

Holiest site in Judaism, third holiest in Islam

The Temple Mount is a walled plateau in the Old City, the holiest site in Judaism, where the First Temple, built by Solomon, and the Second Temple, expanded by Herod, once stood. It is also the third holiest site in Islam, known as al-Haram al-Sharif, and is crowned by the Dome of the Rock, completed in 691, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israel has controlled the area since 1967, while a Muslim religious trust, the Waqf, manages the compound. Jews may visit but not pray there, and its status is among the most disputed questions in the region.

Glossary: The Temple Mount