The Western Arches

They are located in the middle of the western side of the Dome of the Rock, which is right in the middle of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Their current structure was built in 951 (340 A.H.). they were renovated during the time of the Fatimid Anoshtikin Al-Ghouri. Also they were renovated in the Ottoman era. They are right across the Rock’s western gate. They reach the middle of the Rock’s nave, near Al-Mutaharah Gate. Hey are considered easy to climb. They consist of entrances. They date back to the Umayyad era. They were mentioned by Ibn al-Faqih and Nasser Khasrow. They were covered with concrete and some drawing were painted on them. We can still notice the concrete in their southern side. During the early Islamic time, Al-Khader site was near the middle west arch. In the Ayyubid or Mamluk era, it was moved near the northwestern arch. They were renovated during the time of the Fatimid Anoshtikin Al-Ghouri, and then once again in the Ottoman era.