History of the Temple Mount

The Temple Mount, which towers over Jerusalem southeast of the Old City, is crowned by a rectangular square surrounded by an impregnable stone wall. A golden dome shines over the square. This is a mosque that can be seen from all the Jerusalem mountains. As the center of a holy city that unites three religions, the Temple Mount is sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians.

Wherever a Jew is reading a prayer, his face is turned in the direction in which the Temple Mount is located. This place owes its exceptional status to the construction of the Temple here. Wise Solomon built the First Temple, where the Ark of the Covenant - a symbol of the presence of God - was given a central place. The First Temple became the main and only religious house in the Land of Israel.

Destruction of the first temple

The destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar confirmed the prophecies that the Jewish people would be punished and captured for their failure to keep the commandments. After the 70-year captivity, the tribes of Israel began rebuilding the Temple, rebuilding it.

The First Jewish War was the reason that after this reconstruction, which was started by King Herod, the temple did not last long. The white stone shrine, decorated with silver and gold, was plundered and burned by the Romans. Today we see the last thing that has survived from it - the Western Wall or Western Wall - a symbol of Judaism and a traditional place from which prayers are offered.

There are prophecies in Judaism, as well as in Christianity, about the coming of the Messiah (Mashiach) - the Ideal king, the messenger of God and the savior of all nations, in the minds of Jews and Christians, will announce the beginning of the construction of the Third Temple of Jerusalem - the spiritual center for the people of Israel and all humanity .

Muslims, when explaining the holiness of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, refer to the fact that Temple Square contains the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which they exalt no less than Mecca or Medina. The Dome of the Rock building is the central structure.

According to legend, it stands on the unshakable cornerstone of the universe - this is exactly the place where the shrine of the Jewish Temple stood.

Temple Square concentrated many architectural monuments - buildings built during the time when this land was under the rule of the Mamluks and Ottoman Empire, as well as the remains of structures built by the Romans. The Islamic holy sites in the Temple Mount area are administered and supervised by the Waqf, an organization dating back to the British Mandate. Since 1993, this institution has been subordinate to the Palestinian Authority.

Ban on visiting the Mountain

In the territory of East Jerusalem occupied by Jordan in the years 49-67 of the last century, there was a ban on holding prayers and visiting the Temple Mount. In addition, most of the buildings in the Jewish quarter, with its ancient synagogues and biblical and Talmudic tombs, suffered devastating damage.

In June 1967, the main Jewish shrine and messianic hope, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, was liberated by airborne troops commanded by Israeli Army General Uzi Narkis.

In 1967, the Israeli authorities allowed everyone to visit the holy place, but the unsettled situation and the negative position of the Waqf in relation to Israeli services led to restrictions on visits. A special schedule was established, which is still in effect today. According to legend, anyone who comes here will not be affected by the Lord's punishment.

Secrets of the Temple Mount

Among the many mysteries and secrets related to the Temple Mount is the question of the true location of the Temple, about which there are many guesses and disagreements that relate to climbing the mountain and the ban on desecration of this holy place.

The question also arises of the location of those riches and sacred relics for which this majestic Temple was famous. The temple was subjected to repeated looting, as a result of which the valuables were not discovered. Jewish relics of the First Temple, such as the Ark of the Covenant and the golden Menorah, disappeared without a trace.

The solid forged menorah, as indicated in the Tanakh, was decorated with gold decor, and its weight was at least 30 kg. From the First Temple, the Babylonians took not only the Menorah of Moses, but also the golden lamps. The Babylonians also removed another Golden Menorah that adorned the Second Temple. It is known that many other menorahs of the Temple underwent reconstruction and restoration.

One such golden seven-branched candlestick was captured by Roman soldiers, which is attested in the chronicles. But legend claims that the Menorah, which was hidden by the Jewish priests, disappeared in the turmoil of events. Today, this ancient symbol of the Jewish religion adorns the coat of arms of Israel.

Only the high priest had access to the inner part of the Temple, the so-called Holy of Holies. It is believed that the Holy of Holies was the site of the Lord's appearance, and the Ark of the Covenant itself was the repository of the Tablets presented by God to the people of Israel.

The mysterious disappearance of the ark also dates back to the First Temple period. However, it was never mentioned that the ark was a trophy. But he was not found in the Second Temple either. According to some versions, the ark was hidden under a block of the cornerstone of the universe. The efforts of many famous modern archaeologists are aimed at searching for the Ark and the answer to these questions.

Traces left by events of the distant past testify to the presence on the Land of Israel of messengers of ancient highly developed civilizations, who, according to the definition of our ancestors, were “divine beings.” This is proven by legends and traditions, as well as by the architecture of monuments and some Jewish religious rituals.

According to research scientists, artifacts can be found in Israel that owe their features to the high technologies inherent in this ancient “divine” civilization.

Temple Mount today

Biblical historians are mainly concerned with the study of the Temple Mount temples themselves. But the wall surrounding the temples is also a storehouse of secrets. With its architecture, it stands out against the backdrop of imperfect buildings, and modern researchers find similarities with it in dozens of mysterious and perfect structures in different parts of the world.

This proves that the structure of the wall surrounding the Temple Mount was designed long before the historically recorded date, and its creation may have been due to an extraterrestrial "divine" civilization.

Excursions to the Temple Mount leave from almost all cities in Israel: Tel Aviv, Haifa, Hadera, Netanya and many others. When vacationing in or on the Dead Sea, be sure to choose one day and visit this holy place.

Which is located in Jerusalem, visible from all the Jerusalem mountains, since a golden dome shines in its very center.

The famous and sacred was first mentioned since the Last Supper.

The greatest one is one of the seven wonders of the world, and its construction began in the 10th century BC.

What is it called Muslim shrine on the Temple Mount? Why does this place attract so many tourists today? What secrets does it hide? You will learn about all this by reading this article.

The Temple Mount, located in the southeastern part of the Old City in Jerusalem, is otherwise called Haram al-Sharif. This place is unique. It is sacred to Muslims, Christians and Jews. The shape of the Temple Mount resembles a rectangular hill. It is traditionally identified with Mount Moriah - the very place where Abraham wanted to sacrifice his son to God.

Temple of Solomon

Jerusalem is the very heart of Israel. This city was conquered 3000 years ago by King David, who intended to build the first station temple here, intended to offer prayers to the one god. However, this structure was destined to be erected not by David, but by Solomon, his son, who built an impressive building on Mount Moriah. Today this mountain is known as the Temple Mount. The most sacred place inside the erected building was reserved for the Ark of the Covenant. In the courtyard there was an altar intended for the burning of victims. During the prosperity of this temple, the blood of sacrificial animals flowed like a river to the glory of God.

Destruction of the temple and its restoration

Until 586 BC Solomon's temple stood. It was at this time that the Babylonian invaders arrived here and destroyed it to the ground. And after Babylon was conquered by the Persians, in 538 BC, King Cyrus issued a decree according to which it was planned to restore the Jerusalem Temple. It was rebuilt by David's descendant, Zerubbabel.

At the turn of our era, during the reign of Herod the Great, the temple was enlarged after reconstruction. However, it stood for no more than a century, after which it was destroyed in 70 during the suppression of the Jewish uprising by the Romans.

Al Aqsa and Dome of the Rock

At the top of the Temple Mount today you can see 2 of the most significant structures. The first is the Al Aqsa Mosque (pictured below), famous for being the headquarters of the Knights Templar during the Crusades.

However, the main structure is located north of Al-Aqsa. It is a mosque topped with a golden dome, which has a strange name - the Dome of the Rock. The Temple of Solomon was previously located here (sometimes it is mistakenly believed that it was located on the site of Al-Aqsa).

Why did David decide that the most suitable place to build a temple was the Temple Mount? At the same time, he even specially bought the threshing floor from one Jebusite, whose name was Aravna (Orna). Why was it necessary to build the altar here? The answers to these questions are connected with one interesting feature of the Dome of the Rock - the mosque, largely thanks to which the Temple Mount is known throughout the world today. A photo of the Dome of the Rock is shown below.

This mosque was built around a small protrusion in the rock, rising approximately 1.2-2 m. Its length is about 18 meters and its width is 13.5. According to legend, the rocky ledge is associated with a biblical text. It is believed that Abraham prepared his sacrificial fire here in order to sacrifice his son to God. However, an angel who appeared took Abraham's hand away and told him that God agreed to accept a lamb as a sacrifice instead of the boy.

Already one such legend, at first glance, would be enough to choose this particular place for the construction of a temple in which sacrifices were to be carried out to God. The place where God's messenger appeared could well be considered sacred by the Jews. However, you can ask yourself another question: why did Abraham choose this particular ledge in the rock to perform the sacrifice?

Foundation Stone

The rock crowning the Temple Mount is called the Foundation Stone in Tahana (the supposed part of this stone is shown in the photo below). It is considered the place from which the Lord began to create the world. A natural question arises: how should we treat this phrase? Which Lord are we talking about? After all, before the religion of Yahweh arose, completely different deities were worshiped here...

According to one version that exists today, the name “Jerusalem” contains the meaning “founded by God.” David, meanwhile, did not build this city, but conquered it. That is, it existed even before the arrival of the Jews. What god founded it then? It was clearly not Yahweh.

Was there a structure on the mountain before Solomon's temple was built?

All of the above suggests that there was some kind of structure on Mount Moriah even before David conquered Jerusalem. This is the building of the gods of Canaan - the ancient gods.

Excavations of the Temple Mount are a sealed secret. Today this place has not yet been studied enough, or the results simply do not want to be advertised. Therefore we cannot say what is under the Temple Mount.

Historians say that Jerusalem was lower in David's time, and there were no structures on Mount Moriah. However, it appears that this statement is based only on the texts of the Old Testament, which only mention the threshing floor. We must not forget that, firstly, this text itself is a highly ideological source, and secondly, the Jews received the task of completely destroying all the sanctuaries of the gods of Canaan. And they could well have destroyed the ancient structure, later on the site of which a temple for Yahweh was built.

The tradition of building temples on the site of ancient sanctuaries

The tradition of erecting temples on the sites of ancient sanctuaries is very widespread throughout the world. Perhaps they are built much less often in a new place than in a previously revered one. Therefore, it is likely that the Muslim mosque we see today was built exactly where the Jewish temple was located on the Temple Mount.

There is one more consideration in favor of this assumption. In the Old World of the ancient world, no analogues of the construction of temples around a ledge in the rock - structures that seemed to enclose this ledge - have been discovered today. Such a place for construction completely falls outside of all the traditions of ancient cultures.

However, we find the idea of ​​​​building a structure around a rock (made, by the way, from megalithic blocks) on the opposite part of our planet - on the territory of Peru, a state in South America. In a similar way, for example, the Temple of the Sun located in the famous Machu Picchu was built.

Historians believe that Machu Picchu was built by the Incas. But in this complex there are many examples of outstanding skill in stone processing, so there is virtually no doubt that the construction was carried out by a civilization that was much more highly developed - the civilization of the ancient gods. At the base of the Sun Temple one can see one of the most striking examples of the use of the highest technologies stone processing and construction. With the developed technologies of our time, it is extremely difficult to do something similar today.

There is another similar Peruvian structure in Pisac. The famous masonry here surrounds the rock outcrop. It is already processed and is called “intihuatana”. This word is usually translated as "hitting post of the Sun." The fact is that, according to local legends, the Sun God tied his horse to it. It is clear that this translation was suitable for the conquistadors from Spain - the conquerors of the Inca Empire. However, for a highly developed civilization of gods, a translation similar in meaning would sound different, much more familiar - “parking place for a vehicle belonging to the Sun God.”

Evidence that there was a temple to the gods of Canaan on the Temple Mount

What happens? Two cultures in the New and Old Worlds, separated by a huge space, erect architectural structures built on the same principle. It is quite possible to assume that there was once a structure on the Temple Mount that was related to the gods of Canaan. And it is also logical to assume that here, in such an important place, there was a temple of the main god - Baal.

The mystery of the Temple Mount has not yet been solved. It is curious that even the texts of the Old Testament indirectly confirm the presence of ancient building, built long before the Jews came here. Thus, in the Third Book of Kings, in a passage describing the construction of Solomon’s temple, it is said that during its construction, hewn stones were used for the structure. It is also noted that neither an adze, nor a hammer, nor any other iron tool was heard during its construction. Then where could the hewn stones come from? They were probably already here on the Temple Mount. The Jews only used the old building or the surviving blocks from its ruins to build a new temple.

Dome of the Rock Mosque today

You already know the name of the Muslim shrine on the Temple Mount. Let's describe it in more detail. This mosque today is rightfully considered business card city ​​of Jerusalem. The golden dome with a diameter of 20 meters is visible from almost any part of the Old City. The mosque is not operational. Today it is an architectural monument that protects the sacred rock.

The building was built in 687-691 BC. Subsequently, it suffered from earthquakes and destruction, and was often rebuilt. After each restoration, the mosque became even more beautiful and majestic. The building was under the rule of both Muslims and Christians (when the Crusaders captured Jerusalem), but since 1250 it has belonged undividedly to Muslims. Infidels are prohibited from entering here.

Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad

The history of the Temple Mount is rich in events and legends. It is believed, for example, that it was from here that the Prophet Muhammad ascended into the sky. One night the Archangel Gabriel (Jabrail) appeared to him. He invited Muhammad to mount a winged horse in order to be transported from Mecca to holy Jerusalem. Here the prophet was allowed to ascend to heaven and meet other prophets. He appeared before Allah himself, who entrusted Muhammad with the precepts of the Muslim faith. Today in the Dome there is a footprint of this great prophet, as well as 3 hairs from his beard.

Features of the architecture of the mosque

The mosque is located on the terrace. Gentle steps lead up to it on each side. Its 4 doors are oriented to the 4 cardinal directions. The walls are decorated with tiles and mosaics in the green, blue, white and gold colors characteristic of Islam. Many internal columns can be seen from anywhere in the building.

At the heart of the Dome of the Rock is a sacred rock formation. It rises 2 meters above the marble floor. This area is surrounded by a wooden balustrade, constructed in such a way that it gives the impression of a rock floating in the air.

During the ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, according to legend, this rock was supposed to follow him. She “took off” from the ground and is now “hanging” in the air. A small cave formed near it, almost square in shape. It was here that King David built the altar. It is unknown what other treasures are hidden in the dungeons of the Temple Mount...

What else is on the Temple Mount today?

Each wall of this mountain has a gate (there are only 10 of them). Some are walled up, some were breached when the Arabs conquered the city. The Muslim shrine on the Temple Mount is not the only interesting structure of this place. Today there are about a hundred buildings here that date back to different periods. The Mamluk and Ottoman periods account for most of them. You can see among these buildings greatest monuments Muslim architecture, many picturesque fountains, arches and gazebos. Details such as capitals and columns were widely used in their buildings.

For a long time, Jews were prohibited from accessing the Temple Mount. But during the 6-day Israeli war, they were able to regain control over it, and access to historical sites was restored. In 1998, the third mosque was built on the Temple Mount.

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Story

Wall

First Temple period

After this, the city was in ruins for a long time. To this day, along the western and southern walls you can see huge stones left there after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans. Archaeologists also discovered stone railings from the balcony from which trumpets were blown, announcing the onset of Saturdays and holidays. On the railing there is still part of the inscription “to the place of blowing...”

Roman rule

His attitude towards Judaism and his intention to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple is explained by the fact that he tried to deprive the church of its Jewish foundation. The resumption of sacrifices in the Temple could publicly demonstrate the falsity of Jesus' prophecy that “not one stone will be left upon another” from the Temple and the incorrectness of the statement that Judaism had lost its status as God's chosen one, which was now transferred to Christianity.

The emperor immediately began to implement his plan. The required funds were allocated from the state treasury, and Alypius of Antioch, one of Julian's most devoted assistants and a former governor of Britain, was appointed head of the project. The preparation of materials and tools, their delivery to Jerusalem and installation on site, as well as the recruitment of craftsmen and workers continued for a long time. Planning the work required considerable effort on the part of the architects. The first stage of the work was the removal of the ruins located at the construction site. Only after this, apparently on May 19, did the builders directly begin the construction of the Temple.

The meaning of the Temple Mount in Judaism

Names of the Temple Mount

• Mount of the Temple (הר הבית, har ha-Bayt, literally “mountain of the house”) - this name is mentioned in the book of the prophet: “At the end of days the mountain of the house of God will be established above the mountains, and will rise above the hills, and all nations will rush to it.”
• Mount Moriah (הר המוריה, har ha-Moria) - mentioned, in particular, in the book: “And Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah.”

• Mount Zion (הר ציון, har Tziyon). Currently, Zion is the name given to another hill, also located in Jerusalem.

Events that according to Jewish tradition took place on the Temple Mount

• The creation of the first man Adam.
• Adam made a sacrifice to God.
• Cain and Abel built an altar and offered sacrifices here.
• Noah made a sacrifice after leaving the ark.
• Abraham prepares his son Isaac to be sacrificed to God.
• Forefather Jacob sees a dream here.
• King Solomon built the First Temple, which stood for 410 years.
• 70 years after the destruction of the First Temple, the Second Temple was erected here, which stood for 420 years.

The Jerusalem Temple served as the only permitted place of sacrifice to the One God, and was also the center of the religious life of the Jewish people and an object of pilgrimage for all Jews three times a year (on Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot).

The Temple Mount is the holiest place for Jews: religious Jews around the world face Israel during prayer, Jews in Israel face Jerusalem, and Jews in Jerusalem face the Temple Mount.

According to the promises of the Jewish prophets, after the coming of the Messiah, the last, Third Temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount, which will become the spiritual center for the Jewish people and all humanity. Also associated with the Temple Mount is the expectation of the Last Judgment.

During the Temple period, there were differences in holiness between different parts of the Temple Mount. Entry into the Holy of Holies of the Temple was permitted only to the High Priest, and only on Yom Kippur. Non-Jews, as well as those who were ritually unclean due to a crime associated with a dead body, were prohibited from entering the fenced area surrounding the Temple building and its adjacent courtyards. Those who were not cleansed of the ritual impurity associated with discharge from the genitals were forbidden to enter the Temple Mount. It was also forbidden to climb the Temple Mount for purposes other than religious or in an indecent manner.

According to most halachic authorities, notably Maimonides, the sanctity of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount remains in force even after the destruction of the Temple. Since all Jews are believed to be ritually unclean due to the impurity associated with the dead body, and it is currently impossible to carry out the appropriate purification procedure, no one can enter the area surrounding the Temple. Entry to the rest of the Temple Mount may only be permitted to non-Jews and Jews who have purified themselves of ritual impurity associated with genital discharge.

The problem is that biblical sources do not allow us to accurately identify the boundaries of the zones. However, it is known that the area surrounding the Temple Mount was not the area surrounding the Temple. A walk around the perimeter of the Temple Mount, in accordance with halakhah, is organized by a number of public organizations, in particular, the Meeting Place organization.

Temple Location

Others believe that the Altar of Burnt Offering was located on this stone in the Temple courtyard. In this case, the Temple was located to the west of this stone. This view is more likely since it matches the spatial relationships of Temple Square and allows for a fairly level area large sizes. .

There are other options for localizing the Temple. Almost two decades ago, Israeli physicist Asher Kaufman suggested that both the First and Second Temples were located 110 meters north of the Rock Mosque. According to his calculations, the Holy of Holies and the Foundation Stone are located under the current "Dome of the Spirits" - a small Muslim medieval building.

The opposite, “southern” (in relation to the Dome of the Rock) localization of the Temple has been developed over the past five years by the famous Israeli architect Tuvia Sagiv. He places it on the site of the modern Al-Qas fountain.

The meaning of the Temple Mount in Christianity

The Temple Mount is mentioned many times in the Pentateuch, which is the basis of the Old Testament, so this place is sacred to both Jews and Christians.

In addition, according to Christian tradition, the Mother of God was led into the Holy of Holies along the steps from the southern part of the Temple (which have survived to this day). The event of the Entry into the Temple is not mentioned in the canonical Gospels and is known from later texts (Protoevangelium of James (chap. 7.2-3), second half of the 2nd century), which reflect oral tradition, but are supplemented with details from biblical books that have educational significance (1 Par. 15 and Ps. 44), as well as from the gospel story of the Presentation (Luke 2. 22-38).

The parents of the Virgin Mary, righteous Joachim and Anna, when their Daughter reached the age of 3, decided to fulfill the vow they had previously made and dedicate Her to God. Near the entrance to the Jerusalem Temple stood young virgins called by Joachim with lighted lamps. The Blessed Virgin climbed the steps of the Temple, where she was met by the High Priest Zechariah. Having received the revelation, Zechariah led the Mother of God into the Holy of Holies, where the high priest himself could only enter once a year (see: Ex. 30. 10; Heb. 9. 7). Maria lived and was raised at the Temple until she was 12 years old.

The meaning of the Temple Mount in Islam

Muslims view the Temple Mount as one of the earliest and most remarkable places of worship of God. On early stages Islam Muhammad taught his followers to face the mountain during prayer [ ] .

In the 13th century, Ibn Taymiyyah stated: "Al-Masjid al-Aqsa is the name for the entire place of worship built by Solomon..." which, according to Western tradition, represents "... a place of worship" and is known as the Temple of Solomon (in Muslim traditions called the Temple of Suleiman, considered a prophet in Islam). Ibn Taymiyyah also opposed giving any unjustified religious honors to any mosques (even the one in Jerusalem), without allowing them to come close to or compete in any way with the Islamic shrines - the two holiest mosques - Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca) and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (in Medina).

Muslim interpreters of the Koran agree that the mountain is the site of the Temple, which was subsequently destroyed.

Qubbat al-Sakhra is built in the very center of the Temple Mount, and inside it there is a stone protruding from the ground - this is the top of the mountain, the only part of it that rises above the flat plateau. According to the Koran, this stone is the rock from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into the sky on a winged horse.

Political significance of the Temple Mount

During the periods of Mamluk, Ottoman and British rule of Palestine, Jews were not allowed on the Temple Mount. The British Mandate administration introduced a special body for guardianship of the holy places of Islam on the Temple Mount - WAQF, the so-called Islamic Council, which received de facto authority over the entire territory of the Temple Mount.

Israeli police prohibit Jews from bringing religious objects, such as prayer books, tefillin, tallit and religious literature, onto the Temple Mount. In addition, on the Temple Mount, Jews are prohibited from praying and bowing towards the Holy of Holies. The police justify this ban by fear of disturbances from Muslims.

The unresolved situation around the Temple Mount between Jews and Palestinians leads to constant conflicts.

In September, after many years of excavations and reconstruction, the so-called “Hasmonean tunnel” was opened to the public - a section of an ancient water conduit and street of the Hasmonean-Herodian period, running from the Western Wall square to Via Dolorosa, 300 m west of the Temple Mount and parallel to its western retaining wall. The head of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority (PA), Yasser Arafat, then said that the Israelis were allegedly planning to undermine the foundation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and thus destroy it, making way for their Temple. Serious unrest and armed clashes occurred in Jerusalem and in some areas of the territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority, during which the PA police used weapons against Israeli security forces for the first time. Arabs repeatedly threw stones at Jews praying at the Western Wall. During the riots, 15 Israelis and 52 Arabs were killed.

In the city, WAKF opened a new, third mosque on the Temple Mount, in the so-called Solomon's stables. Large-scale construction work in the dungeons of the Temple Mount led to disruption of the ancient drainage system and other deformations, as a result of which the southern wall of the Temple Mount was in danger of collapse. In 1999-2002 Jordanian engineering services carried out restoration work here, since the Waqf does not want to cooperate with the relevant Israeli services and prohibits any supervision of their work on their part.

From the beginning of the so-called “Second Intifada” (“Al-Aqsa Intifada”) in September, at the direction of the Israeli government, entry to the Temple Mount for non-Muslims was stopped until the middle of the year, when the situation somewhat returned to normal. During these years, the Israeli police periodically restricted Muslim access to the Temple Mount, both for residents of the autonomy and for other citizens based on age requirements.

In the winter of 2004, heavy snowfalls and a small earthquake caused the destruction of part of the old Mugrabi Bridge, which simultaneously served as a fencing wall for the southern part of the women's half of the Western Wall. A Hamas spokesman made a statement that the bridge collapsed because of the Israeli desire to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and promised revenge. In turn, the Israeli side suggested that the cause of the accident was underground work carried out by Waqf on the Temple Mount. The 2004 collapse raised concerns that this was just the beginning of collapses on the Temple Mount. One of the latest conflicts was caused by the decision of the Israeli authorities to build a new pedestrian bridge in the Maghreb Gate area leading to the Temple Mount complex. Construction of the bridge, which began in February 2007, was suspended due to widespread protests by Muslims who feared that the construction of the bridge could cause damage to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Thus, at present, only the religious shrines of Islam are located on the Temple Mount, which is a constant point of contention between Muslims and Jews, and one of the reasons

Temple Mount, Ar Ha-Bayit, Mount Moriah. Here Abraham, at the behest of the Almighty, was going to sacrifice his son Isaac, but at the last moment Isaac was replaced by a lamb.Here King Solomon built the First Temple for worship. And here, those who returned from Babylonian captivity rebuilt the Second Temple on the ruins of the first. Here Herod the Great, having previously significantly increased the surface of the mountain, rebuilt the most magnificent structure of that period. So magnificent that its brilliance and glory do not fade even now.Here Jesus of Nazareth preached his sermons. Here Mohammed from Mecca ascended to heaven to receive the commandments.

There is no other place on earth where, over many millennia, traditions and religions, history and politics have been so intertwined into one tangle.The tangle is so tangled that only the Messiah, who is sure to come soon, can unravel it. So we're waiting, sir.

Now let’s just go up the Temple Mount and walk along it.

The very first impression is surprise at the ease of hitting. The usual procedure is to go through a metal detector and have bags scanned. Apart from weapons, no religious literature can be brought onto the Temple Mount to avoid prayer. Prayer on the Temple Mount is equated to opening fire, and the Tanakh or Bible is equated to a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

If you have a kippah on your head, and you don’t want unnecessary attention to your modest person, then you can wear a regular cap over the kippah. However, this is desirable, but not required. On the mountain itself, near the Gate of Mercy, I saw two Orthodox Jews in full dress.

Apparently these were secret spies on a special assignment from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It was not for nothing that they hung around the gate walled up by Salah A-Din. It is through these gates that Moshiach must go to Jerusalem.The Jews were accompanied at some distance by an Israeli policeman in full special forces uniform. And from the side, hiding behind the oil plantings, an Arab in civilian clothes was watching.According to Muslim tradition, the Muslim messiah, Madi, must also pass through these gates. The task of the Arab Moshiach is also not easy, because... he has yet to build a bridge across the Kidron Gorge (Wadi Juz) from the Mount of Olives directly to the gates of the city.

Let's abstract from numerous mystical traditions and note that these gates are still not ordinary. And their strangeness is not even that they are walled up. The point is that any normal gate should make it difficult for the enemy to penetrate, and therefore they were always built with various tricks and bells and whistles, such as sharp turns. An entire Roman legion could quickly enter through these same gates!

It was precisely because of the difficulties of guarding that the gates were walled up by Salah-Adin. It is interesting that such an unconventional architecture for ordinary gates is very traditional for triumphal arches. And it is quite possible that these Byzantine gates were built as a symbol of Jesus' victory on his way of the cross. Through this gate, Caesar Heraclius returned the stolen true cross, and through this gate there was a tradition of a procession of the cross (until the cross was again taken away by the infidel Saracens).

Today, in addition to the closed Gate of Mercy, nine more gates lead to the Temple Mount. And through any of these nine gates you can exit the Temple Mount. But an ordinary Israeli resident, as well as a guest of the capital, can only enter through the Maarabim gate on the right above the Western Wall.

The Temple Mount is open every day except Friday and Saturday from 7.30 to 11.00 am (an hour shorter in winter).

Free entry through all other gates and at any time of the day only for Muslim Arabs. I wonder how police guards accurately determine who is allowed in and who is not? After all, there is no need to present any documents about the Muslim religion, just “face control”.

The Temple Mount itself is very clean. Even the stone paving stones sparkle with cleanliness like polished parquet. And it’s not surprising - a holy place must first of all be clean.

At one time, after Byzantium came to power, in order to humiliate the Jews and insult holiness, the mountain was specially covered with garbage and turned into a landfill.

When, after the first Arab conquest of Jerusalem, the old man Hottabych Omar Ibn Hotab came here, the garbage from the Temple Mount fell right through the steps of the gate into the street. It was not by chance that Omar Ibn Hotab came to the landfill; he was looking for the Daoud Mosque - the place of prayer of King David. (In sura 38 of the Koran it is written about David, who asked the Almighty in prayer for forgiveness for his sins).

The Patriarch of Jerusalem first brought Omar to the Temple of the Sepulchre, but Omar did not like it there. But at the garbage dump, Omar immediately realized that this was exactly what he needed!

According to another Arab historian (11th century), Omar came to the Temple Mount and, following a tip from his advisor, who was a Jew who converted to Islam, found the holy rock under stinking garbage. The same Jew advised Omar Hottabych to build a prayer house just north of the cliff. But Omar did not succumb to Israeli provocation and built a prayer house south of the rock so that he could pray not to the Jewish shrine, but to Mecca and the Kaaba.

Now, in the modern Arab world, a fashionable statement has appeared that there has never been any Jewish temple on the mountain. Because there is no archaeological evidence. In principle, they are right: there really is no archaeological evidence of the existence of the temple, because no archaeological excavations have ever been carried out here. And we will even leave on the Arab conscience the numerous references to the Temple in their own Koran. Now, if we found, for example, a gilded column that is written about in the Talmud...

However, take a closer look at these capitals:

What is that sparkling there? Is it really gold?!

The exhibition of columns and capitals is located on the Temple Mount on the west side of the Al Aqsa Mosque.

The Al Aqsa Mosque itself, the main Muslim shrine, as I already wrote, was built on the southern part of the temple mount. According to the topography of the mountain, there was a gentle slope, which Herod the Great completed with the help of a whole system of arched ceilings. To strengthen the structure, earth and construction waste were poured into the arched cavities.

When, 5 years ago, the Arabs, without any permission, began to dig up and export this land in truckloads, they first of all annoyed themselves. Because the strength of the floors decreased and during the first small earthquake, something cracked in Al Aqsa...

Currently, all power over the Temple Mount belongs to the Soviets of Israel. Therefore, not a single stone, including this garbage, will move without special permission from the Israeli government ( The Temple Mount is under the patronage of the Muslim organization BAKH. In 2007, during the work of laying an electric cable, a huge amount of so-called “construction waste” was removed. Work was even organized to sift it, as a result of which artifacts of the First Temple were found. Details such as and -) :

Not that this garbage is of any scientific interest ( Quite imagines -). It’s just that in Jerusalem, and even more so on the Temple Mount, everything is politics.And this policy shows who is boss. Personally, I immediately had an association with a rented apartment. Formally, rented apartment belongs to those who live there. But legally, the apartment is only in the possession of the owner, who may not renew the lease...

However, let's return to Al Aqsa.

There is no mention of Jerusalem in the Koran. It is only written that Muhammad, with his faithful horse Burak, flew at night from Mecca to “El-Aktsa”, which translates as “on the edge” in the sense of very far. Those who know Hebrew can immediately find the familiar root k.ts. - katze.The fact that the “edge” is located precisely in Jerusalem is already written in the commentaries to the Koran. To be fair, I note that the Torah also does not mention Jerusalem - only Mount Moriah and “the place that G-d will show you.”

And if the two previous religions - Judaism and Christianity - consider Jerusalem their holy city, then why should Islam remain on the sidelines?So he didn’t stay.

In addition to the herd mentality, two other compelling reasons played a role in the construction of monumental Islamic structures in the holy city.The first reason was the political replacement of Mecca and Medina, which at that time was not in the hands of Caliph Mu'awiyah. And he really wanted to rule, so he built a dome over the holy rock - an alternative to the stone in Mecca.

The second reason is competition with Christian Byzantium.No one took Judaism into account in the 7th century, but Byzantium still had quite a strong position. And therefore, two main Islamic buildings - the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque were built in the image and likeness of the Byzantine Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Dome over the Rock is the Rotunda around the holy place.Al-Aqsa Mosque is a basilica, a hall of prayer.And between them there is a courtyard.The Christian Church of the Sepulcher also had a courtyard, which was covered with a roof by the crusaders. And here the courtyard remains as it was.

The dome over the Rock also remained as it was, almost unchanged. After all, what will happen to the rock? She's strong.

But the unfortunate Al-Aqsa Mosque, built over the arched ceilings of King Herod, suffers from earthquakes every time. And in a strong earthquake of the 8th century it was destroyed to the ground.In the modern building, the oldest parts date back to no earlier than the 12th century. And the building itself strongly resembles many Catholic churches in Europe.If you are in Ravenna, take a look at the Church of St. Vitali (San Vitale) - the exact twin of our Al-Aqsa.

If you look closely, you can even see sculptures of pelicans on the columns - an indispensable symbolism of Christ during the Crusader period.

Remains of Crusader buildings can be seen elsewhere on the Temple Mount. For example, the Chapel of the Ascension is a baptistery (place of baptism of new Christians) at the crusader church Templum Dominus. The Crusaders believed that this was Solomon's palace.

Muslims believe that it was in this place that Muhammad prayed on the eve of his flight to heaven.

The ascension itself took place over the Stone of the Universe. Moreover, the initial speed to overcome gravity was so great that Muhammad first fell into the ground, and then broke a rock with his head and flew to heaven straight to Allah. As a result of this process, called “mirage” in Arabic, a cave was formed in the rock. You can visit this holy cave by going inside the Dome.

All the walls inside the Dome are painted with quotes from the Koran. The most common ones are:“God is one, not two or three. God is not born, he has no son...”, etc.The only strange thing is that there is not a single quote on the topic of Muhammad’s ascension to heaven for the commandments. It is possible that the tradition linking this ascension to the site on the Temple Mount arose after the construction of the Dome.

After the last intifada, Israelis and guests of the capital are not allowed into the Dome.

So let’s take a closer look at the Dome only from the outside. Moreover, there is also a lot of interesting things here. For example, these marble slabs in wall cladding:

Take a closer look at the design in the stone. Do you see the portrait of Muhammad?

If you don’t see it, then you are not a devout Muslim.

Next to the Dome of the Rock, on its eastern side, there is a smaller copy of it - Kipat Shalshelet (Dome of the Chain). According to one version, Caliph Abd-El-Malik, before the construction of the main Dome, ordered the construction of a smaller model of it.But this version does not stand up to criticism, because the small dome is not a copy of the large one. Made in the shape of a gazebo, the small dome never had walls.

But the fact is that these two structures - the large and small dome - are the most ancient buildings on the Temple Mount.And the dome of Shalshelet has a very interesting feature.When you stand exactly in the middle of this gazebo, you can speak very quietly - you can still hear it well. If you speak loudly, it will be heard throughout the mountain. Because this ancient sound amplifier is located exactly in the middle of the mountain!

And my personal observation is that the wind was blowing all the time in the center of the domed gazebo. As soon as I stepped to the side, the wind died down.

Where the Temple Mount borders the Arab quarter, there are many well-preserved buildings from the Mamluk period.

The Mamluks generally distinguished themselves here by building religious schools for the study of Islam - midras.

Traditional Mamluk architecture is very beautiful. The combination of different colors alone gives the building an unusual elegance.

At the northernmost tip of the Temple Mount, Herod did not need to complete the construction, but rather had to cut off the excess hill in order to level the territory.This cut is clearly visible at the base of the Arabic school of Omariya. And in the Herodian period there stood the tower of Anthony: