Israel Day Four: Dome of the Rock

Day four was our first foray into the Old City of Jerusalem. This is what I had been waiting for! I was dying to experience this place, to photograph it. My shutter count took a sharp leap on this day.


After passing through security similar to an airport, we briefly stepped into the Jewish Quarter for our very first glimpse of the Western Wall. This would be our first of four encounters with the Wall, and as you'll see by comparing later Wall visits the Wall experience varies greatly depending on when you visit.




The view of the worship happening below was mesmerizing.












Moors' Gate is one of two gates that non-Muslims may use to enture the Haram esh-Sharif (the "Noble Sanctuary") that is the Temple Mount.




Circles of men reading out of the Koran were scattered throughout the Haram.




Strict codes of conduct and dress are enforced up on the Haram and men and women may not come in contact.


Glen demonstrates how this rule does not apply here :)


Coming face to face with the Dome of the Rock I feel many emotions. It is beautiful. One of those structures that is so beautiful you can't keep your eyes off of it, like the Eiffel Tour, Brussels' Grand Place or the Lincoln Memorial. This iconic structure dominates the Jerusalem cityscape and has become a symbol of the city. It is stunning, and resulted in quite the shutter-fest as you'll soon see. But if I'm being honest I feel a bit conflicted by it. As the site of Solomon's Temple and the Second Temple then destroyed by the Romans to later be left in ruins, it doesn't feel completely right to me that the site is now an Islamic shrine. I'm sure this is a point easily well-argued from both sides, but I could not help but feel uncomfortable about it especially knowing there are Jewish worshipers praying at the Wall below.






Non-Muslims are not permitted inside.
































View of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives from the Haram








After our visit to the Haram we caught our first glimpse of the rest of the Muslim quarter.












We ended up back in the Jewish quarter.


Another look at the Western Wall


We spent the afternoon visiting the vast Israel Museum. It is a magnificent museum with an extensive collection of artifacts from all over Israel. It also has an impressive miniature city depicting Jerusalem 2000 years ago.








Views over the Old City, a great way to end the day!


Rachel and Glen