Ascending the worn steps of the Gate of the Moor, the visitor suddenly finds themselves on a light stone platform that opens towards the sky with an unexpected vastness. In the center, the golden dome of the Mosque of the Rock captures the morning light with an almost blinding glow. It is not a mirage: it is the Temple Mount, a rectangle of about 144,000 square meters suspended above the Old City of Jerusalem, contested and revered by three monotheistic religions for millennia.
This place is sacred to Jews as the site of the ancient Temples of Solomon and Herod, to Muslims as the third holy site of Islam after Mecca and Medina, and to Christians as part of biblical Jerusalem. The tension between these identities is not abstract: it is physically felt in every square meter of the esplanade, in the entrance checks, in the groups of worshippers praying separately, in the guards monitoring the movements of non-Muslim visitors.
The Dome of the Rock: geometry and faith
The Mosque of the Rock — often mistakenly called the Golden Mosque — is not a mosque but a sanctuary built to protect the sacred rock at the center of the structure. It was completed in 691 AD at the behest of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, making it one of the oldest Islamic buildings in the world still standing. The architect or group of architects who designed it remains uncertain, but the octagonal structure with an internal diameter of about 20 meters clearly reflects the influence of Byzantine architecture in the region.
The mosaics and tiles that cover the exterior have been partially replaced over the centuries, but the interior ones retain original decorations of extraordinary refinement. The golden aluminum dome that we see today was restored in the 1990s with Jordanian funding. Non-Muslims can observe the exterior of the building but cannot access the interior: this is one of the first things that the guards communicate to visitors.
Al-Aqsa: the mosque of collective prayer
At the southern end of the esplanade is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is an active place of prayer capable of hosting thousands of worshippers during Friday services. The current structure mainly dates back to the Fatimid period, with significant reconstructions after the earthquakes of the 8th and 11th centuries. The interior, accessible only to Muslims, is known for its decorated wooden ceilings and a carved wooden pulpit — the minbar of Saladin — commissioned in the 12th century.
During Friday prayers, the esplanade fills with tens of thousands of worshippers who pray outdoors when the mosque is not large enough to accommodate them all. At these times, access for non-Muslims is usually suspended. It is an important detail to check before planning a visit.
The Western Wall and the Stratification of History
The Temple Mount is accessible to non-Muslims through a limited number of entrances, primarily from the Mughrabi Gate near the Western Wall. The Western Wall itself — the Kotel — is the retaining wall of the Herodian complex of the Second Temple, built by Herod the Great around 20 B.C. and destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. Looking down from the plaza, one can see the crown of the Western Wall, which emerges from the underlying square like a line of enormous limestone blocks, some of which weigh hundreds of tons.
This physical stratification — the Roman-Herodian Wall below, the medieval Islamic plaza above — makes the site an architectural document of rare complexity. Archaeological excavations conducted at the edges of the plaza have uncovered elements from all periods, visible in the adjacent Jerusalem Archaeological Park.
Practical tips for the visit
Non-Muslims can access the Temple Mount through the Golden Gate, reachable from the Western Wall via an elevated walkway. Access times for non-Muslims are limited: generally early in the morning on weekdays, but the times frequently change based on religious holidays and political situations. It is essential to check the updated hours at the local tourist office or directly on-site the day before.
Clothing must be respectful: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, and it is preferable to bring a scarf. It is not allowed to bring non-Islamic religious items visibly, nor to pray according to non-Islamic rites within the compound: guards intervene regularly. The best time to visit is early in the morning when the light illuminates the golden dome and the compound is still relatively quiet. Allow at least 90 minutes to calmly visit the outdoor area of the main buildings.
