Knowra Temple Mount Temple Mount A walled hilltop compound in Jerusalem sacred to Judaism and Islam, traditionally identified as the site of the ancient Jewish temples. It is also known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif.
First Temple : The ancient Jerusalem temple traditionally built under King Solomon and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Tradition places this temple on the hill before the Babylonian conquest.
Al-Haram al-Sharif : The Arabic name commonly used for Jerusalem’s elevated sacred compound, meaning “the Noble Sanctuary.” This name foregrounds the compound’s Islamic identity and sacred status.
Herodian Temple Mount expansion : The late Second Temple enlargement that created a vast, engineered platform around Jerusalem’s temple precinct. Its retaining walls and filled substructures account for the compound’s scale and shape.
Temple Mount status quo : An evolving arrangement governing religious access and administration at Jerusalem’s sacred compound. It separates the Waqf’s religious administration from Israeli security control in practice.
Temple Mount archaeological controversy : Disputes over archaeological evidence, excavation, and construction affecting Jerusalem’s sacred compound. Religious sensitivities and limited excavation complicate claims about the site’s ancient history.
Second Temple : The Jerusalem temple rebuilt after the Babylonian exile and enlarged under Herod the Great, destroyed by Rome in 70 CE. Its sanctuary stood within the compound before Roman destruction.
Judaism : A monotheistic religion and peoplehood rooted in the covenant, scripture, law, and traditions of the Jewish people. The site is Judaism’s holiest location, associated with the ancient temples.
Temple Mount retaining walls : Masonry walls that hold up and define the elevated platform surrounding Jerusalem’s sacred compound. They physically bound the hilltop platform, including the Western Wall section.
1967 Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem : Israel’s capture and subsequent control of East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in June 1967. The change in control established the modern political setting for the compound.
Biblical archaeology : The study of archaeological evidence related to the historical settings and cultures described in the Bible. Findings from Jerusalem are used in debates about the ancient temples and their setting.
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