Southwest Corner of the Temple Mount

The Temple Mount (Hebrew: הַר הַבַּיִת, Har haBáyit). Known as Al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) to Arabs and Muslims, or as Har ha-Bayit (the Temple Mount) to Jews and some Christians. It is a religious site in the Old City of Jerusalem.

It was the site of the first (c.10th Century BCE, destroyed c. 587 BCE) and second (c.515 BCE, destroyed in 70 CE) Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and according to Judaism is to be the site of the third and final Temple to be rebuilt with the coming of the Messiah. It is also the site of two major Muslim religious shrines, the Dome of the Rock (c. 690) and Al-Aqsa Mosque (c. 710). It is the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest site in Islam. It is thus one of the most contested religious sites in the world. Under Jordanian rule of Eastern Jerusalem between 1948 and 1967, Israelis were forbidden from entering the Old City. Currently, as territory of Israel, the government of Israel has granted a Muslim Council full administration of the site. Jews and Christians are barred from conducting services there.


Taken from Wikipedia.org