Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock Is 1,300 Years Old and Has Been Resented and Revered in Equal Measure Ever Since

The building was completed in 691 to 692 CE under the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik, making it one of the oldest surviving examples of Islamic architecture and predating the earliest surviving mosques by centuries. The gold dome that defines Jerusalem’s skyline from every approach is not original – it has been replaced and regilded multiple times; the current version dates from a 1990s restoration funded by the late King Hussein of Jordan. The octagonal structure beneath has stood on the same rock since the late 7th century.

The Foundation Stone that the structure encloses is among the most theologically layered pieces of rock on earth. For Jews, it is the site where the Holy of Holies stood in both the First Temple (destroyed 586 BCE) and the Second Temple (destroyed 70 CE), and where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac. For Muslims, it is from this rock that the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven during the Night Journey. For this reason, the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif is the third holiest site in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.

Visiting

The exterior of the Dome is visible from dozens of vantage points across the Old City and from the Mount of Olives. The best view of the golden dome against the Old City skyline is from the Mount of Olives ridge, morning light coming from behind you.

The Temple Mount esplanade is accessible to non-Muslims through the Moroccan Gate near the Western Wall Plaza, during morning hours on non-Friday days, and when not restricted by Israeli authorities. Access is subject to change; political tensions, religious calendar events, and security situations all affect availability with little notice. Check conditions through the Jerusalem municipality website or the Western Wall visitor information before planning your visit.

Interior access to the Dome of the Rock itself is more restricted and intermittently suspended. Dress requirements are strictly enforced: covered shoulders, covered knees, no visible Jewish religious items (kippa, tallit) on the Mount, which is a matter of active political and religious dispute. Photography is technically permitted on the esplanade but social conventions around photographing worshippers in prayer should be followed.

Al-Aqsa Mosque at the southern end of the Haram dates from around 705 CE. Interior access for non-Muslims is generally not available.

The Old City Context

The Old City of Jerusalem is less than one square kilometre divided into four quarters: Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Armenian. Moving between them requires no documentation. The Damascus Gate in the north, the Jaffa Gate in the west, and the Dung Gate near the Western Wall are the main entry points. The markets running between the gates are among the oldest continuously operating commercial spaces in the world, selling fresh produce, religious artefacts, and tourist goods in a compressed space where multiple centuries seem to coexist in the same few metres.

Jerusalem is a contested city in ongoing conflict. Check current government advisories before planning. Visitor numbers in the tourist areas have been recovering since mid-2025 toward approximately 60 to 65 percent of pre-war levels.