The golden dome of Al-Aqsa sits on top of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, one of the most sacred locations on the planet and revered by Muslims, Christians and Jews alike.
The compound is the third holiest site in Islam. Built in the seventh century, it marks the spot where Islam believes the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven.
Its importance is underlined every year during the Night of Power, the holiest time of the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims believe the Quran was revealed to Muhammad. It was also Islam's first qibla, the direction towards which Muslims pray, before it was replaced by Mecca in the year 623 CE.
Hundreds of millions of followers spend the day devoted to studying and reciting the Quran. And for hundreds of thousands of worshippers, there is no more sacred occasion than spending the night at Al-Aqsa.
