Temple of Solomon

The Temple of Jerusalem, also known as Solomon's Temple, was a central place of worship and national identity for ancient Israel. King David chose Mount Moriah in Jerusalem as the site for the future temple, and his son, Solomon, constructed the First Temple, completing it in 957 BCE.12

The First Temple was designed to house the Ark of the Covenant and serve as a place of assembly. It consisted of three rooms: the porch, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies, where the Ark was kept. This innermost sanctuary was considered the dwelling place of the Divine Presence and was accessible only to the high priest on the Day of Atonement. The Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587/586 BCE. A Second Temple was later rebuilt, and then significantly expanded by Herod the Great, before its final destruction by the Romans in 70 CE. Today, the Western Wall is the only remaining part of the retaining wall surrounding the Herodian Temple Mount.1