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Tuesday, December 6, 2022
There are 12 gates into the Temple Mount. 11 of them are exclusively for Muslims. All others need to go through a security checkpoint near The Western Wall. Past the checkpoint you walk up through a wooden bridge that ascends over The Western Wall which lands on to the Temple Mount. It’s a large plateau that is dominated by two large mosques and other Muslim edifices.
The Dome of the Rock, with its huge golden dome, dominates the highest point. It was built in 690 AD and sits on the site of the second Jewish Temple. It is the oldest surviving work of Islamic Architecture. In the center of the building you can find the “Foundation Stone”. It is reputed to be the place where God created the world, where he created the first man (Adam), and where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son Isaac. The Stone is said to be the site from which Muhammad ascended to heaven. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Traditionally all visitors were welcome in the Mosque but since 2000 that is no longer the case. According to one shop owner I spoke to this was a purely political decision. It allows the Muslim population to assert their control over the area. It’s really a shame.
Just to the East of the Mosque is a small structure known as the The Dome of the Chain. Like the Dome of the Rock it is octagonal and covered in Mosaic tiles. Unlike the mosque, the sides are open and anyone can enter into it. Scholars are not sure exactly what its purpose was but it appears to be a small prayer chapel. It was built just one year after the Mosque.
Just down the hill you will find The Purification Fountain. It’s a circular structure pool with chairs situated on its perimeter. Muslims would have used this facility to wash their feet and purify themselves before entering the mosque.
Further along you will find another large building called The Al-Aqsa Mosque. Built in the 7-8th Centuries AD it is much larger and can accommodate up to 5,000 worshipers. We were not able to enter this mosque either.
The Temple Mount is the highest point in Jerusalem. The vantage point affords great views of the surrounding countryside including the Mount of Olives. We walked the entire perimeter. There are several groves of ancient olive trees on the East side. Almost the entire North side is used to house schools for Muslim children. At 10:30 am we were ushered out of the area because prayers would soon be starting. Non-Muslims are permitted access to the Temple Mount from 7:30-10:30 am and again from 1:30-2:30 pm only. We exited through the Lion’s Gate and made our way to our next destination: The Church of Saint Anne.
Near the entrance to the complex is a small ticket booth. It was unmanned. No one was charged admission. You pass a small garden before reaching the church. The small Gothic style church was erected in the early part of the 12th Century near the site of some ancient ruins. While we were there several different tour groups decided to sing hymns in multi-part harmony. The sound echoed throughout the nave. It was magnificent. The church itself was mostly bare stone walls with very little decoration. There is a crypt downstairs that leads to a grotto which is believed to be the birthplace of the Virgin Mary. There is an altar there that is dedicated to her.
On the other side of the church there are ruins. During the Roman period there was a shrine to the healing cults. A Byzantine basilica was built over the shrine in the 5th Century AD. Several pools were located there. According to John: 5 this is reportedly the site where Jesus miraculously cured a man who had been crippled for 38 years.
On our way back to the Damascus Gate we stopped by a place called Jarfar’s Confections. They have been selling knafeh, baklava, and such for over 60 years. We’ve always seen knafeh made in small, individual rounds. They made them in a huge pan. When you order one they cut a piece and cover it in syrup before serving it up. Unfortunately, it was rather plain. It lacked any cinnamon, nutmeg, or any other spices.
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
In the morning we visited The Garden Tomb. It’s near the Damascus Gate just outside of the Old City walls. There is a ticket booth when you get there. When they saw that it was just the two of us they handed us an informational pamphlet, allowed us to enter for free, and told us that if we could find an English language tour we should feel free to join in. We did exactly that.
Previously we visited The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is considered by many to be the place where Jesus was buried and from where he was resurrected. Others believe that those events actually occurred in The Garden Tomb. Our guide did his best to make the case that it was actually the latter. His rationale went something like this…
- The burial site was supposed to be outside the city walls. The Garden Tomb certainly is. At the time in question The Church of the Holy Sepulchre would have been outside the walls.
- The site was supposed to be in a garden. Excavations found an ancient wine press from the period in question indicating the presence of a vineyard at least.
- Romans normally crucified people along major roads. The road from Jerusalem to Damascus runs alongside the garden.
- The chamber Jesus was laid in was said to be on the right side of the tomb. The tomb has several chambers on the right side.
Afterwards we returned to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our friend Jennifer needed some pictures of the lower levels for her website. I took detailed pictures of everything I could find.