For Jews, the Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism — the place where the First and Second Temples once stood before the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.
For Muslims, this sacred place is associated with the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem, although the city itself is not directly mentioned in the Qur’an.
So which name is correct: the Temple Mount or Al-Haram al-Sharif (“The Noble Sanctuary” in Arabic)? From the middle of the 7th century until the end of the 20th century, Muslim rulers themselves had little doubt that this was the site of Solomon’s Temple.
Today, it is perhaps the most emotionally and politically charged place on Earth. And despite everything, it continues to attract people from all over the world like a magnet — not to enter the holy sanctuaries themselves, as access is restricted, but simply to walk through this sacred space.
Yet it is difficult to truly understand the history of the Mount, its magnificent past, and its fragile present while moving quickly in a large tourist group. Even the best guides, however professional they may be, usually have limited time on the Temple Mount, as it is only one stop within a packed daily itinerary.
This excursion offers instead a leisurely three-hour historical and cultural walk.
Due to time limitations, most group tours focus only on the two principal Islamic monuments. However, the Temple Mount complex offers far more to thoughtful travelers interested in history: not only the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, but also remarkable architectural ensembles from many historical periods that most tours simply pass by.
Many of these lesser-known structures rival the famous shrines in beauty, historical significance, and legend.
Together, we will have time to understand why the first caliphs chose this particular place for the construction of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and to explore the historical period during which Jerusalem became a holy city of Islam.
Where once the Temple and the Royal Stoa dominated the skyline, today two great domes define the sanctuary — the golden dome and the lead-covered dome. Yet countless mysteries remain hidden beneath them.
In addition to the two architectural jewels of the Mount, we will walk around the entire perimeter of the sanctuary and closely examine structures from the Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, Crusader, Ayyubid, and especially Mamluk periods, discussing the history of each era in detail.
We will also visit burial sites of important Arab political figures of the 20th century — locations almost always overlooked during group excursions, despite the controversial and fascinating personalities buried there.
After our historical walk and immersion into the atmosphere of the Old City, we conclude the excursion at the historic Mamluk Cotton Merchants’ Market, where we can enjoy excellent traditional Arabic coffee.
