 The two adjacentDouble Gates in 2008 | |
 Interactive map of Double Gate | |
| Location | Southern side of the wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque |
|---|---|
| Type | two adjacent gates |
| Length | 82m |
| Width | 13m |
The Double Gate (Hebrew:השער הכפול,Arabic:الباب المزدوج), also known as theProphet's Gate (Hebrew:שער הנביא, Arabic:باب النبي), is a pair of adjacentgates, located on the southern side of the wall of theAl-Aqsa Mosque just under the pulpit of theImam. The gates lead to thecourtyards of themosque through a double door, a corridor 82 m long and about 13 m wide, called the "Old Al-Aqsa". It ends with thestaircase of its exit in front of the tribalchapel, 80 meters from the triple door. The door may trace to theByzantines. The Double Gate and the Triple Gate are both part of theHuldah Gate in theSouthern Wall of theTemple Mount.[1][2]
The decorations of the magnificent top of the door resemble the decorations of theDoor of Mercy (Umayyad construction). The presence of stones inscribed inLatin does not indicateRoman stonemasonry, but since the discovery that the stones were arranged upside down, indicating either ignorance or disrespect to theGreco-Roman culture and civilization. (The inscription is found on the front of the door from the outside).[citation needed]
The door was used as an entrance from theUmayyad palaces that were located south of the blessedAl-Aqsa Mosque to the mosque's courtyards through a long corridor known today as the Old Al-Aqsa.[3] It served as the mosque'sal-Khataniyya Library that was established in the remains ofthe Fatimid-era fortification tower, today entered through the western portal of the twin gate.[4][better source needed]
One of its names is the "Door of the Prophet", where it is believed that the ProphetMuhammad entered on the journey ofIsra' and Mi'raj, andOmar entered the courtyards of the mosque while he was destroyed.[clarification needed][5]
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