Suleiman the Magnificent Rebuilds the Temple Mount
Though never setting foot in the Land, Suleiman the Magnificent greatly improved the living conditions in Jerusalem and its surroundings. His first project was the renovation of the Temple Mount, which played a pivotal role in shaping its current appearance. It is visible in the contrasting stonework of Herod the Great (19 BCE), who used massive, finely carved stones with distinctive framed margins, as opposed to that of Suleiman, who built with smaller, simpler stones.
Other projects included the walls of the Old City, an allocated place for Jewish prayer in an alley at the bottom of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, a water reservoir, also known as the Pools of Solomon, that guaranteed water supply to Jerusalem, and the repair of Jerusalem’s cisterns and sewers.
Overview
Suleiman ordered the construction of:
1. The walls of the Temple Mount
2. A place for Jewish prayer in an alley at the bottom of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount
3. The Walls of the Old City of Jerusalem
4. Water reservoir (the Pools of Solomon) guaranteeing a water supply to Jerusalem
5. Repair of Jerusalem’s cisterns and sewers.
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