How many times was the Temple in Jerusalem destroyed? The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed twice.
The First Temple, traditionally associated with King Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BCE. Centuries later, the Second Temple was destroyed by Roman forces under Titus in 70 CE during the Jewish revolt against Rome.
These two destructions changed Jewish history profoundly and are still remembered in Jewish prayer, fasting and tradition today.
| Temple | Destroyed | Destroyed By | Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Temple | 586 BCE | Babylonian Empire | Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem |
| Second Temple | 70 CE | Roman Empire | Great Jewish Revolt against Rome |
How Many Times Was the Temple in Jerusalem Destroyed?
The Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed two times.
There were two principal historical Temples:
- The First Temple
- The Second Temple
Each was destroyed during a military conquest of Jerusalem.
The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonian Empire in the sixth century BCE.
The Second Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE.
Although the Temple was rebuilt after the first destruction, it was not rebuilt after the Roman destruction of the Second Temple.
Who Destroyed the First Temple?
The Babylonians, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, destroyed the First Temple in Jerusalem.
The destruction is generally dated to 586 BCE, although scholarly chronologies sometimes differ by about a year.
Babylon had become the dominant power in the region, and the Kingdom of Judah came under Babylonian control.
After political rebellion against Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar’s army returned, besieged Jerusalem and eventually captured the city.
The Temple was burned, Jerusalem was devastated and much of the population was exiled to Babylon.
Why Did the Babylonians Destroy the First Temple?
Historically, the destruction occurred within a larger struggle for political control of the ancient Near East.
Judah had become subject to Babylonian power but later rebelled.
King Zedekiah of Judah resisted Babylonian rule, and Nebuchadnezzar responded by laying siege to Jerusalem.
After the city fell, Babylonian forces destroyed major buildings, including the Temple.
From a historical perspective, the destruction was therefore part of Babylon’s suppression of a rebellious kingdom and the elimination of Jerusalem as a center of resistance.
Why Was the First Temple Destroyed According to Jewish Tradition?
Jewish religious tradition also interprets the First Temple’s destruction spiritually rather than only politically.
Biblical prophets repeatedly warned that injustice, idolatry and abandonment of the covenant would bring disaster upon Judah.
Later rabbinic tradition particularly associated the First Temple’s destruction with grave sins including idolatry, bloodshed and sexual immorality.
These religious explanations and the geopolitical explanation are not necessarily competing accounts.
One describes the military events that occurred. The other explains how Jewish religious tradition understood their deeper meaning.
Was Solomon’s Temple the First Temple?
Yes. The term Solomon’s Temple commonly refers to the First Temple.
According to the Hebrew Bible, King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem after his father, King David, had established Jerusalem as the capital of his kingdom.
The Temple became the central sanctuary of ancient Israelite worship.
Because of Solomon’s association with its construction, the First Temple is often called:
- Solomon’s Temple
- The First Temple
- The First Beit HaMikdash
What Happened When the First Temple Was Destroyed?
The destruction of the First Temple was part of a much larger catastrophe for the Kingdom of Judah.
Jerusalem was conquered, royal authority collapsed and many Judeans were deported to Babylon.
This period became known as the Babylonian Exile.
The loss of Jerusalem and the Temple created one of the most important crises in ancient Jewish history.
Without the Temple, Jewish religious life had to adapt to a radically different reality.
Was Jerusalem Completely Abandoned After the Babylonian Destruction?
No.
The Babylonian conquest caused enormous destruction and population displacement, but it would be misleading to say that every person disappeared from Judah or that the region remained completely empty.
Some inhabitants remained, while others lived in exile in Babylonia and elsewhere.
The period that followed fundamentally changed the political and religious structure of Jewish life.
When Was the First Temple Rebuilt?
The First Temple itself was not rebuilt as the same structure.
Instead, a new sanctuary known as the Second Temple was constructed after the Persian Empire conquered Babylon.
Persian ruler Cyrus the Great permitted exiled peoples, including Judeans, to return and restore religious institutions.
The Second Temple was completed around 516 BCE.
This marked the beginning of the Second Temple period.
Was the Second Temple the Same Building as Solomon’s Temple?
No.
The Second Temple occupied the sacred Temple site in Jerusalem, but it was a new structure built after the destruction of Solomon’s Temple.
The Second Temple stood for centuries.
During the reign of Herod the Great, the Temple complex was dramatically renovated and enlarged.
This expanded Temple became one of the most monumental architectural complexes of the ancient world.
Did Herod Build a Third Temple?
No.
Herod’s enormous reconstruction project did not create a separate Third Temple.
It remained the Second Temple.
Herod greatly enlarged and beautified the Temple complex, but Jewish and historical terminology still considers it part of the Second Temple period.
This distinction is important because people sometimes mistakenly refer to Herod’s Temple as a separate Temple.
Who Destroyed the Second Temple?
The Roman Empire destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE.
Roman forces were led by Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian and later himself Roman emperor.
The destruction occurred during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in the Great Jewish Revolt, also known as the First Jewish-Roman War.
Roman troops captured Jerusalem after an extremely destructive siege.
During the fighting, the Temple was burned and destroyed.
Why Did the Romans Destroy the Second Temple?
The destruction of the Second Temple took place within a major war between Judean rebels and the Roman Empire.
The revolt began in 66 CE after years of political, economic and religious tension under Roman rule.
Jewish rebel forces initially achieved significant successes.
Rome responded with a massive military campaign designed to restore imperial control.
Jerusalem became the central stronghold of the rebellion.
By 70 CE, Roman forces under Titus had surrounded and besieged the city.
After breaking through Jerusalem’s defenses, Roman troops captured the Temple Mount and destroyed the Temple during the fighting.
Did Titus Personally Order the Temple to Be Destroyed?
The exact circumstances surrounding the burning of the Temple are debated.
The ancient historian Josephus describes Titus as wanting to preserve the Temple but states that it was set on fire during the fighting.
Modern historians treat Josephus carefully because he wrote under Roman patronage and his description may reflect political considerations.
What is certain is that Roman forces under Titus captured Jerusalem and the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE as part of the Roman suppression of the revolt.
Did the Romans Destroy All of Jerusalem?
The Roman conquest caused enormous destruction throughout Jerusalem.
Large parts of the city were demolished during and after the siege.
The Temple complex was destroyed, and the political and religious structure of Jewish Jerusalem was fundamentally altered.
However, saying every single structure disappeared would oversimplify the archaeological and historical evidence.
Some monumental remains survived, particularly sections of the massive retaining walls surrounding the Temple Mount platform.
Was the Western Wall Part of the Temple?
The Western Wall, or Kotel, is not a surviving wall of the Temple sanctuary itself.
It is part of the retaining wall system supporting the expanded Temple Mount platform associated with Herod’s building program.
The Temple stood above on the platform.
This distinction is important because the Western Wall is often incorrectly described simply as “the last wall of the Temple.”
Learn more in our complete guide to the Kotel and Western Wall.
Why Is the Western Wall So Important After the Temple’s Destruction?
After the Temple’s destruction, the area surrounding the Temple Mount remained deeply sacred in Jewish memory and prayer.
Over time, the Western Wall became the best-known accessible Jewish prayer site associated with the ancient Temple complex.
Its enormous stones provide a physical connection with Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.
For this reason, it became one of the most recognizable symbols of Jewish attachment to Jerusalem.
How Many Jewish Temples Were There in Jerusalem?
Jewish history traditionally recognizes two historical Temples in Jerusalem:
1. The First Temple – associated with King Solomon and destroyed by Babylon.
2. The Second Temple – built after the Babylonian Exile, later massively expanded under Herod, and destroyed by Rome.
A future Third Temple plays an important role in some Jewish religious traditions and expectations, but it has not existed as a completed historical Temple.
So Was the Jerusalem Temple Destroyed Twice or Three Times?
Twice.
This is one of the most important points to clarify.
The two historical Temple destructions were:
- First Temple – destroyed by Babylon.
- Second Temple – destroyed by Rome.
Herod’s rebuilding and expansion of the Second Temple did not create a third historical Temple.
Therefore, when someone asks how many times the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, the standard answer is two times.
How Many Times Was the Temple Rebuilt?
After the First Temple was destroyed, a Second Temple was constructed following the return from Babylonian exile.
After the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, the Temple was not rebuilt.
So historically, the destroyed Temple was rebuilt once in the sense that the First Temple era was followed by construction of the Second Temple.
When Was the Second Temple Destroyed?
The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.
The Roman siege of Jerusalem occurred during the Great Jewish Revolt that began in 66 CE.
By 70 CE, Titus and the Roman army had surrounded Jerusalem.
After months of siege and fighting, Roman forces broke through the city’s defenses and captured the Temple complex.
How Long Did the Second Temple Stand?
The Second Temple was completed around 516 BCE and destroyed in 70 CE.
It therefore stood for nearly six centuries, although the building and surrounding complex changed considerably over that long period.
Herod the Great began a massive reconstruction and expansion centuries after the Second Temple was originally built.
What Happened to Judaism After the Second Temple Was Destroyed?
The destruction of the Second Temple represented a profound transformation in Jewish religious life.
The Temple had been the center of sacrificial worship.
Without it, Jewish religious practice increasingly centered on prayer, Torah study, commandments observed in daily life and synagogue communities.
Rabbinic Judaism developed structures that allowed Jewish communal and religious life to continue without a functioning Temple.
This transformation became fundamental to Jewish life throughout the diaspora.
Did Judaism End When the Temple Was Destroyed?
No.
The destruction changed Judaism profoundly, but Jewish religious and communal life continued.
Jewish communities developed institutions and practices that did not depend on Temple sacrifice.
Torah study, prayer, synagogue worship, Jewish law, family observance and communal institutions became increasingly central.
The memory of the Temple nevertheless remained embedded within those practices.
Why Is the Temple Still Remembered in Jewish Prayer?
More than nineteen centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple, references to Jerusalem and the Temple remain present throughout Jewish liturgy.
The Temple is remembered during daily prayers, holidays, weddings and other religious occasions.
For many Jews, the Temple represents not simply an ancient building but an important element of Jewish history, religious memory and hopes connected with Jerusalem.
What Is Tisha B’Av?
Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, is the principal Jewish day of mourning associated with the destruction of both Temples.
Jewish tradition connects both the First and Second Temple destructions with this date.
The day is observed with fasting and mourning practices.
The Book of Lamentations is traditionally read, recalling the destruction of Jerusalem.
Were Both Temples Really Destroyed on the Same Date?
Jewish tradition commemorates the destruction of both Temples on Tisha B’Av.
Ancient historical sources differ regarding the exact calendar dates on which the final destruction occurred.
Rabbinic tradition established the ninth of Av as the communal date for mourning both catastrophes.
This is why the two events, although separated by more than six centuries, are remembered together.
Why Did Jewish Tradition Connect the Two Destructions?
Remembering both Temples on one day creates a direct connection between two separate national catastrophes.
The destruction of the First Temple led to Babylonian exile.
The destruction of the Second Temple occurred during Roman conquest and was followed by enormous changes in Jewish national and religious life.
Tisha B’Av places both events within a larger tradition of Jewish mourning and historical memory.
What Does Jewish Tradition Say Caused the Second Temple’s Destruction?
Historically, Rome destroyed the Temple while suppressing the Jewish revolt.
Rabbinic tradition also asks why such a catastrophe was allowed to happen.
One famous rabbinic explanation emphasizes sinat chinam, usually translated as baseless or unwarranted hatred among Jews.
Jewish sources describe internal division and conflict as contributing spiritually to the catastrophe.
This religious interpretation became an enduring Jewish lesson about communal division.
Was There Fighting Among Jews During the Roman Siege?
Yes.
Jewish resistance to Rome was not politically unified.
Different factions competed for authority within Jerusalem and sometimes fought one another even while Roman forces were approaching or surrounding the city.
Ancient accounts describe severe internal conflict.
This history later gave particular force to rabbinic teachings connecting the Second Temple’s destruction with division and hatred.
What Happened to the Temple Menorah?
The fate of the Temple’s seven-branched menorah after the Roman conquest has fascinated people for centuries.
The famous Arch of Titus in Rome depicts Roman soldiers carrying the menorah and other Temple objects as spoils.
The relief is among the best-known visual records associated with the destruction of the Second Temple.
What ultimately happened to the menorah after antiquity is uncertain.
What Is the Arch of Titus?
The Arch of Titus is an ancient Roman triumphal monument in Rome.
Its relief sculptures commemorate the Roman victory in the Jewish war.
One famous panel depicts Roman soldiers carrying objects identified with the Jerusalem Temple, most visibly the seven-branched menorah.
The image became one of the most recognizable visual representations of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem.
Was the Temple Destroyed When Jesus Died?
No.
The Second Temple was still standing at the time associated with the life of Jesus.
The Temple was destroyed by Roman forces in 70 CE, several decades later.
This chronology is important because searches sometimes incorrectly connect the destruction directly with the crucifixion.
Who Destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE?
Roman forces under the command of Titus destroyed the Second Temple during their conquest of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Titus was the son of Emperor Vespasian and later became Roman emperor himself.
The campaign was part of Rome’s effort to suppress the Jewish revolt that had begun four years earlier.
Who Destroyed Solomon’s Temple?
Solomon’s Temple, also called the First Temple, was destroyed by forces of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar II.
The destruction is conventionally dated to 586 BCE.
Jerusalem was conquered and many Judeans were taken into Babylonian exile.
Who Destroyed the Two Jewish Temples?
The answer can be summarized very simply:
| First Temple | Second Temple | |
|---|---|---|
| Destroyed by | Babylonians | Romans |
| Leader associated with conquest | Nebuchadnezzar II | Titus |
| Date | 586 BCE | 70 CE |
| What followed | Babylonian Exile and eventual Second Temple | Development of Jewish life without the Temple |
The Destruction of the Temple in Jewish Art
The destruction of Jerusalem and its Temples has inspired artists for centuries.
Some artists portray the Temple engulfed in flames.
Others concentrate on fleeing inhabitants, Roman soldiers or the ruined city.
These paintings attempt to make an event known through ancient texts visually immediate.
Because no photograph or contemporary realistic painting survives of either destruction, every later depiction involves artistic reconstruction.
Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple by Alex Levin
Israeli artist Alex Levin has created paintings exploring the destruction and memory of the Jerusalem Temple.
His Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple presents the catastrophe through a contemporary artistic reconstruction.
Works such as this are not intended to function as exact archaeological records.
Instead, they use historical research, architecture and artistic imagination to help viewers visualize the scale and emotional impact of the event.
Why Artists Reconstruct the Jerusalem Temple
The Temple no longer exists as a complete structure, yet it remains one of the most important subjects in Jewish historical art.
Artists rely on:
- Biblical descriptions
- Rabbinic sources
- Ancient historians
- Archaeological research
- Models and architectural studies
- Artistic interpretation
This makes Temple art a combination of history and reconstruction.
Explore Jerusalem Temple Paintings
Alex Levin’s larger Jerusalem Temple Paintings collection includes artistic interpretations of the First Temple, Second Temple and visions associated with the future Third Temple.
For the complete historical background, read Story of the First and Second Jerusalem Temples.
That article explains the broader history of the Temples, while this page focuses specifically on their destruction.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
How many times was the Temple in Jerusalem destroyed?
The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed twice. The First Temple was destroyed by Babylon in 586 BCE, and the Second Temple was destroyed by Rome in 70 CE.
Who destroyed the First Temple?
The Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the First Temple after conquering Jerusalem.
Who destroyed Solomon’s Temple?
Solomon’s Temple is another name for the First Temple. It was destroyed by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II.
Why was the First Temple destroyed?
Historically, Babylon destroyed Jerusalem after Judah rebelled against Babylonian rule. Jewish religious tradition also interprets the destruction as a consequence of grave spiritual and moral failures.
Who destroyed the Second Temple?
Roman forces under Titus destroyed the Second Temple during the siege and conquest of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Why did the Romans destroy the Second Temple?
The destruction occurred during Rome’s military suppression of the Great Jewish Revolt. Jerusalem was the major rebel stronghold, and the Temple was destroyed during the Roman conquest of the city.
When was the First Temple destroyed?
The First Temple is conventionally dated as having been destroyed in 586 BCE, although some chronologies differ slightly.
When was the Second Temple destroyed?
The Second Temple was destroyed by Roman forces in 70 CE.
Was the Temple destroyed when Jesus died?
No. The Second Temple remained standing for several decades afterward and was destroyed by Rome in 70 CE.
How many Temples have existed in Jerusalem?
Jewish history recognizes two completed historical Temples: the First Temple and Second Temple. A future Third Temple is part of Jewish religious tradition but has not existed as a completed historical structure.
Was Herod’s Temple a third Temple?
No. Herod dramatically rebuilt and expanded the existing Second Temple complex. It is still considered the Second Temple.
Was the Western Wall part of the actual Temple?
The Western Wall is part of the retaining wall surrounding the expanded Temple Mount platform, not a surviving wall of the Temple sanctuary itself.
What Jewish holiday remembers the destruction of the Temples?
Tisha B’Av is the principal Jewish fast day commemorating the destruction of both the First and Second Temples.
Were both Temples destroyed on Tisha B’Av?
Jewish tradition commemorates both destructions on the ninth of Av. Historical sources differ somewhat on the precise days of the final destruction, but rabbinic tradition established Tisha B’Av as the day for mourning both Temples.
Was the Second Temple ever rebuilt after 70 CE?
No. The Second Temple was not rebuilt after the Roman destruction of 70 CE.
Where can I see paintings of the Jerusalem Temple?
ArtLevin.com features an extensive collection of Jerusalem Temple paintings by Israeli artist Alex Levin, including historical and symbolic interpretations of the First, Second and future Third Temple.
Explore Jerusalem Temple Paintings
