The Western Wall is one of the holiest sites for those of Jewish faith. Pilgrims come from all over the world to pray at the Wall, which is a remnant of the ancient temple built by King Herod in 19 BC. The Holy Presence is said to always be here at this site, so you are asked to dress modestly and be respectful of those who have come to pray.
The Wall is separated into male and female sections for prayer...which seems unfortunate in this day and age.
The breathtaking Dome of the Rock is the holiest site in the Muslim faith and also has great significance for the Jewish faith. Only those of Muslim faith are allowed inside the temple, which houses the rock where Muhammad is said to have ascended from the earth to join Allah. Those of Jewish faith believe this is the place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a testament of his faith.
According to Muslim tradition, the arches surrounding the Dome is where the souls of the earth will be weighed on judgement day.
The dome itself is made of solid gold.
The exterior walls are covered in intricate tile mosaics.
The Temple Mount is the greater area surrounding the Dome. This area feels so peaceful and you can see everything from groups of tourists to children playing soccer to people of faith washing their hands and removing shoes in order to enter the temple to worship.
This was such an amazing experience and you can really feel the weight of this place just being on the grounds. There is clearly a lot of significance surrounding this site, and it is really an honor to be here.
I absolutely love the architecture on the Dome of the Rock, the tiling is so beautiful.
ReplyDelete- mckenzie
Love the images and your thoughts that go with them.
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