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What Was In the Holy Temple (Beit Hamikdash)?
A room-by-room overview of the Temple Mount complex
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The focal point of the Temple Mount was a central courtyard containing the structure of the Bet Hamikdash. The rest of the area contained various rooms and buildings...
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This courtyard contained a balcony reserved for women. Chambers were built in the four corners of this courtyard for various temple needs.
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The Nikanor Gates led from the Ezrat Nashim to the Azarah. Fifteen semi-circular steps lead to this gate. On occasion, the Levites sang as they stood on these steps.
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The second largest was the Hearth. This dome-covered structure was the sleeping quarters for the priests who performed the services.
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This building complex consisted of three chambers.
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North of the Altar was the Butchering Place. It included eight columns, eight tables and twenty-four hoops.
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This roofed building contained three chambers: the Chamber of Hewed Stone, the Chamber of the Well and the Chamber of the High Priest (Kohen Gadol).
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This Altar served a variety of uses. The top was used to burn the various sacrifices. The walls were used for the sprinkling the blood of certain sacrifices.
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The Water Gate, the Mikvah, the Avtinus Chamber, the Gate of the Firstborn, the Firewood Gate and the Upper Gate.
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The doors were made of olive wood overlaid with gold. Carved in the gold were angels, palm trees, and flowers...
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Along the northern, western, and southern outside walls of the Kodesh (Inner Sanctuary) and Holy of Holies were a series of small offices.
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The rabbis viewed the Heichal as the "light source" of the world, so the windows were constructed thus to spread the light outward.
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The Holy of Holies, as its name implies, was the most sacred part of the entire Temple. Entry was forbidden except on Yom Kippur, when the high priest entered.
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