Temple of Solomon (Civ4)/Civilopedia

According to Jewish tradition, Solomon's Temple was the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and, as the "dwelling place of God," the single most important building in the Jewish religion. Construction was begun by King David and completed by his son, Solomon. The temple was built by Phoenician workers using the finest materials available - stones quarried from beneath the city, wood from Lebanon, and 3000 tons of gold and 30,000 tons of silver. The result was an astonishingly beautiful edifice standing some 30 yards long by 10 yards wide by 16 yards in height. It took seven years to complete the Temple.
The Temple consisted of three main rooms surrounded by smaller chambers. Upon climbing a set of stairs, the visitor would enter the vestibule, which was topped with two enormous pillars given the names of Jachin and Boaz. From there the visitor would proceed into the "Greater House" or "Holy Place," wherein important religious services were performed. Beyond the Greater House lay the "Holy of Holies," a square, cedar-lined room which held the "Ark of the Covenant." The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred container which held the stone tablets upon which were written the Ten Commandments, given by God to Moses. The building was surrounded by a courtyard in which the people worshipped.
The Temple was pillaged many times over the years, and it was finally looted and burned to the ground by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon some time around 580 BC, during the time of the "Babylonian Captivity." Years later, many of the Temple's treasures were returned to the Jews by King Cyrus of Persia, but the Ark was missing. Some believe that the Ark was removed and hidden before the Babylonian attack, while others believe that the Ark was captured by Babylon and then destroyed or lost. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess the Ark, it having been brought there by one of Solomon's sons. In any case, the destruction of the Temple was total, and there is much controversy and debate about where it originally stood.
The "Second Temple" was constructed in Jerusalem in approximately 500 BC. It in turn was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. All that remains of this building is the "Western Wall," also known as the "Wailing Wall."