 Islamic reverence for the site is derived from the belief that the prophet Mohammed tied his miraculous steed Buraq nearby during his night journey to Jerusalem . Various places have been suggested for the exact spot where Buraq was tethered , but for several centuries the preferred location has been the al @-@ Buraq mosque , which is just inside the wall at the south end of the present Western Wall plaza . The mosque is located above an ancient passageway , which once came out through the long @-@ sealed Barclay 's Gate whose huge lintel is still visible directly below the Maghrebi gate . 
