Solomon's Temple was the holy temple in ancient Jerusalem before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II during the 587 BC fall of Jerusalem. It was built by Solomon, king of the United Kingdom of Israel, in around 950 BC, and it was dedicated to God and said to house the Ark of the Covenant. Because of the religious sensitivities involved, only limited archaeological surveys of the Temple Mount have been conducted, and no archaeological excavations have been allowed on Temple Mount during modern times.