The Al-Aqsa Mosque, also called the Qibli Mosque, stands on the Haram al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Scholars disagree on whether Abd al-Malik or his son al-Walid I built the first congregational mosque here. Earthquakes in 713 and 714, in 746 and in 1033 forced rebuilding. Al-Mansur rebuilt it in 758, al-Mahdi expanded it in 780, and al-Zahir reconstructed it between 1034 and 1036.
The mosque is 272 feet (83 m) long and 184 feet (56 m) wide, with seven aisles and 45 columns. It holds up to 5,000 worshippers. The central dome is concrete covered with lead. An arson fire on August 21, 1969, destroyed the eastern section and the dome, and a replica minbar was installed in 2007.
Muslims are normally allowed to enter and pray. Israeli authorities sometimes restrict entry by age and origin, citing security. Non-Muslims could enter with a ticket until 2000.
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