Solomon's Porch

Solomon's Porch, Portico or Colonnade (στοα του Σολομωντος; John 10:23; Acts 3:11; 5:12), was a colonnade or cloister, located on the eastern side of the Temple's Outer Court (Women's Court) in Jerusalem, named after Solomon, King of Israel, and not to be confused with the Royal Stoa, which was on the southern side of Herod's Temple.

Titus Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived in Jerusalem during the 1st century AD and was present at its destruction by the Romans in 70 AD, speaks of the wall and of the cloister or porch that King Solomon built east of the Temple House: As witnessed by Josephus, the exact dimensions of Herod's Temple formed a perfect square - a furlong (c.185 meters) by a furlong on all four sides.

Josephus was clear that Herod refused to let his builders make any changes in the ancient works of the east wall because of the great expense.

Herod allowed the construction of new courts on the north, west and south sides of the Temple but the east wall remained intact and undisturbed.

The historical evidence does not support the idea of the whole Temple Mount as being Herod's extended courts to the North, West and South, as per the Dome of the Rock platform theories suggest.

In an effort to identify the location of the first and second Temple site, these scientists relied heavily on the Jewish Mishna and the historical writings of Josephus.

They also conducted and documented their own extensive research which included detailed topographical maps of both Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

The discovery of the Trumpeting Place confirms that the existing SW corner of the mount was part of Herod's 606 x 606 ft temple complex, as described by Josephus.

Solomon's Porch belonged to, or was joined to, the Woman's Court and contained the East Gate to the Temple complex.

According to the evidence, Triple Gate is situated on the east wall of Herod's Temple, exactly where Solomon's Porch would have been located.

If the piers were placed there by Solomon, then this would have been the same location of the “banks” a retaining wall used to raise up the ground level, as a foundation for the porch.

Evidence suggests that the magnificent halls of Triple Gate might have been the triple-aisled, open-aired, portico that Solomon, King of Israel, added along the east wall of the Temple's Outer Court in 950 B.C.

If this is true, the Triple Gate connection gives us a powerful key in unlocking the mystery of the location of Solomon's Porch and the Holy House.

This makes Triple Gate a possible candidate for actually being Solomon's Porch, and unlocking the ultimate mystery of the Temple locations.