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This one of the most disputed and contested places in the world. As a sacred place to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, it's probably the holiest spot on Earth.
You can call it the Temple Mount, or Al Haram Al-Sharif, which means "The Noble Sanctuary".
Temple Mount is the Holiest site of Judaism, as Solomon's Temple and The Second Temple stood here. Some believe that the Third Temple should stand here too... |
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Al Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, after Ka'bah in Mecca and The Prophet's Mosque in Medina.
Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad was transported here during his Night Journey from Mecca to the "farthest mosque". Althought the location of this far away place is not explicit the Quran, they believe that it was Jerusalem's Temple Mount. |
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Because of the political situation time is limeted for non muslims visitors.
Jewish people can't access the Temple Mount due to its sacredness, and they hold that it should be off-limits for non-Jewish too, being unable to perform the purification rituals before entering.
Although some Rabbis believe that Jews can enter certain parts of the Mount, this is mainly regarded as a provocation. |
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Al Aqsa Mosque is one of the oldest Mosques in the world. Since its construction in 705 it has been destroyed a few times by earthquakes. The present structure dates from the 11th Century. |
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This is the Dome of the Chain and it was built on the 7th Century by Ummayad Caliph Abd al-Malik. It stands next to the Dome of the Rock. You can see a picture of both domes here.
The Dome of the Chain is supported by 17 columns, but it used to have 20. It’s thought that it was modified by Baybars, a Mamluk Sultan from the 13th century.
It is a beautiful structure without any doubt, but it’s not clear why the Dome of the Chain was built.
Some say that it was the model for the Dome of the Rock.
Others say that it served as a treasury.
Finally others say that it just marks the center or the navel of the Haram Al-Sharif, also considered to be the navel of the world.
The name Dome of the chain comes from a Legend that you can read of the following page. |
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Al Aqsa Mosque has four minarets: Bab Al-Asbat, Al Fakhira, Al Ghawanmeh and Bab Al Silsilah.
The Hashemenites, Jordan's Royal Family, are the custodians of the Holy Islamic places in Jerusalem, including of course the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome Of The Rock.
The have unlocked a found of 5 Million Jordanian Dinars for restoration and preservation of the site.
The site is in good condition, but some mosaics weren’t restored since the 17th Century.
King Abdullah of Jordan launched in 2006 an architectural competition to design a fifth minaret for Al Aqsa. |
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The minaret of Bab al-Asbat is in the northern wall of Haram al-Sharif.
It dates back from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, but the upper part was damaged by the 1927 earthquake and reconstructed afterwards.
It is considered by some to be the most beautiful of Haram Al-Sharif four Minarets. |
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This is the Bab Al-Silsilah Minaret, built in square Syrian style. According to an inscription on its base, it was built by Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir in the 13th Century. The Ottoman style top dates from the 19th Century. |
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The 7th Century Golden Gate is the oldest and the holiest of Jerusalem's Gates. It has two doors: The Door Of Mercy and the Door Of Repentance.
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Jewish tradition, the Messiah would enter Jerusalem through this gate, so Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent sealed the Golden Gate in 1541 to prevent him to get in.
To Jewish, Christian and Muslims faiths, Judgement Day will start here. That's why there are Jewish, Christian and Muslim cemetaries in the Mount of Olives and on Temple Mount close to the Gate: It is believed that the people buried here will be the first to be raised. It's said that it costs more than 50 000$ to be buried here.
This Jewish cemetery is the oldest in continuous use in the world. |
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Israel: East Jerusalem - Temple Mount / Haram Al-Sharif