Jerusalem's Temple Mount


​The Temple and the Temple Mount, the sacred precinct (Greek: Temenos) surrounding it, were constructed during the reign of Herod the Great around 20/19 BCE and were significant both religiously and architecturally.

The Jewish Roman historian Josephus notes that the construction was a massive expansion of the original temple precinct area, which roughly doubled the size of the Temple Mount from approximately 17 acres to 36 acres.

Unfortunately, the construction was barely completed before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Jesus would have been familiar with the Temple and the Temple Mount, although the work would still have been ongoing during his ministry. 

In the Gospel of John (John 2:20), it is noted by the Jews that “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,” which places this confrontation with Jesus around 26 or 27 AD at the beginning of his ministry. 

Exploring the Temple Mount

Travel to Jerusalem Temple Mount