Court of Women

View looking west down into the “Court of Women.”  This is called the “Court of Women” for generally females were not allowed further into the temple precincts.  It was about 1.25 acres in area and could accommodate about 6,000 people.

The gate leading into it (lower portion of the image) was called the “Beautiful Gate” — see Acts 3:2.  In the four corners of the court were rooms (upper left clockwise) for storing oil, for the purification of lepers, for wood storage, and for the Nazirites.

Note also the semi–circular staircase that leads up to the Nicanor Gate.