Within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem is the Temple Mount, revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. It is the holiest site for Jews. According to tradition, it is the location where Abraham bound his son Isaac for a near sacrifice. It is also where the First Jewish Temple was built by King David's son, Solomon, in 957 BC (and then later destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC). The Second Jewish Temple was constructed on the same site in 516 BC and later renovated by King Herod. It was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Jews generally do not visit the Temple Mount. From what I read, it is to avoid accidentally standing in the area of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location of the Temple.
According to Muslims, the entire plaza is called the al-Aqsq mosque. It is considered the third holiest place in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. It is also believed in Islam to be the location where Muhammad ascended to heaven.
The Dome of the Rock is not a mosque; it is an Islamic shrine on the al-Aqsa complex. Built in the 7th century by Abd al-Malik, it is the world's oldest existing Islamic monument. The octagonal structure was influenced by Byzantine architecture. The bright blue tiles were placed on the exterior by the Ottomans. And in 1959 - 1961, and again in 1993, the gold-plated roof was added. King Hussein of Jordan sold his $8.2 million home in London to finance the purchase of 176 pounds of 24 karat gold for the project.
Beneath the Dome is a rock sacred to Jews and Muslims. Calling it a "rock" is an understatement. Supposedly, it looks like a moon rock and the pitted limestone is smaller than volleyball court. Like I said, it is not just a rock. Both groups believe it is where God created the world and made the first man. Jews also believe that it is where Isaac was nearly sacrificed, and Muslims believe it is where Noah landed his ark and Muhammad ascended to heaven.
Going even deeper, under the rock is the Well of Souls. It's a grotto part natural and part man-made. Jewish tradition holds that the stone covers the Abyss and the raging waters of the Flood. Muslim tradition claims it is a bottomless pit with waters flowing to Paradise and souls of the dead can be heard there as they await the Last Judgment. Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099 and made their own changes to the site. They enlarged the entrance to the cave and made staircases.
So very long ago, when I first visited the site, access was easy, but you had to pay to enter the Dome of the Rock. I, regrettably, passed on the opportunity. Entrance is no longer permitted. The Mount is controlled by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, authorized by the Kingdom of Jordan. The Israeli government controls access to the site. There are twelve gates that lead to the Temple Mount and only one of them allows non-Muslims to enter. I never successfully located the gate that I could enter. Approach any of the other gates and you will be stopped by a soldier, sometimes surly and sometimes cordial. I know this because in my wanderings, I stumbled upon two of the gates. But, my lingering question remains. HOW DID THEY KNOW I WASN'T A MUSLIM? Did my lily-white skin and fedora hat have anything to do with it?
The view from the entrance as well as from my "home" in the Old City
One of my new friends told me that during the holy month of Ramadan, it really wasn't the best time to visit the site. Tensions are usually high in Jerusalem and Ramadan only intensified things. I still wasn't convinced I wouldn't try it. But, all I wanted to do was step inside the entrance and snap a photo. There was no need to stroll the complex and possibly irritate anyone who didn't think I belonged there. When I accidentally discovered one of the eleven prohibited entrances, I asked a friendly guard if I could take a photo. It was no problem as long as I didn't enter the grounds. I'm very pleased with the picture. And, on top of that, the rooftop view from my "home" in the Old City offered a spectacular view as well.
The night-time view was equally spectacular.