Al-Haram ash-Sharif

sacred site, Jerusalem

Also known as: Temple Compound

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July 14, 2026

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Al-Haram ash-Sharif, also known as the Temple Mount, is a sacred site in Jerusalem that holds immense religious significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It was the location of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.123

Today, it is home to two significant Islamic holy sites: the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. For Muslims, it is believed to be the spot from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. For Jews, it is where the Temple once stood, and the Foundation Stone, believed to be where the world was created, is located there. The site has been a focal point of conflict, particularly since Israel gained control of East Jerusalem in 1967.1243

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Israel
The war of 1948
…last remnant of the ancient Temple destroyed by the Romans and held holy by Jews, was occupied by the Jordanians, and Jerusalem’s lifeline to the coast was jeopardized. The Egyptians held Gaza, and the Syrians entrenched themselves in the Golan Heights overlooking Galilee. The 1948 war was Israel’s costliest: more…
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…last remnant of the ancient Temple destroyed by the Romans and held holy by Jews, was occupied by the Jordanians, and Jerusalem’s lifeline to the coast was jeopardized. The Egyptians held Gaza, and the Syrians entrenched themselves in the Golan Heights overlooking Galilee. The 1948 war was Israel’s costliest: more…
Read More

Jerusalem
City layout
…and known to Islam as Al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (“The Noble Sanctuary”), a Muslim holy place containing the Dome of the Rock, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and other structures. The rest of the area within the walls is a typical Middle Eastern city, with its mosques and madrasahs (Muslim religious colleges); its churches, convents,…
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…and known to Islam as Al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (“The Noble Sanctuary”), a Muslim holy place containing the Dome of the Rock, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and other structures. The rest of the area within the walls is a typical Middle Eastern city, with its mosques and madrasahs (Muslim religious colleges); its churches, convents,…
Read More

Islamic arts
Mamluk art
… almost everything visible on the Ḥaram al-Sharīf, with the exception of the Dome of the Rock, is Mamluk. Museum collections of Islamic art generally abound with Mamluk metalwork and glass. Some of the oldest remaining carpets are Mamluk. This creativity required, of course, more than wealth. It also required a…
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… almost everything visible on the Ḥaram al-Sharīf, with the exception of the Dome of the Rock, is Mamluk. Museum collections of Islamic art generally abound with Mamluk metalwork and glass. Some of the oldest remaining carpets are Mamluk. This creativity required, of course, more than wealth. It also required a…
Read More