Al-Aqsa Mosque

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Introduction The Al-Aqsa Mosque means the "mosque in the farthest place," facing the Dome of the Rock. It was built to commemorate the Prophet’s miraculous Night Journey from Mecca and Medina to this site, and has become another holy place in the Islamic world. The mosque was constructed in 709 AD during the reign of Caliph Al-Walid and was renamed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the late 13th century during the Mamluk period. It later suffered earthquake damage and was rebuilt with marble columns donated by Benito Mussolini and a ceiling gifted by King Farouk of Egypt. Two major events have occurred at the mosque: on July 20, 1951, Jordanian King Abdullah I was assassinated at its entrance, while the current King Hussein miraculously survived wearing a bulletproof vest and medals—the bullet marks are still visible on the columns. Another incident happened in 1969 when an Australian fanatic set fire to the mosque, and the resulting damage is still being repaired today.

Jerusalem, State of Palestine