One of our final stops in Jerusalem was to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. It is a retaining wall and forms the foundation of the Temple Mount Plateau, with its large stones -- with no cement or mortar between them to hold them in place -- from King Herod’s time (20 A.D.). More than half of the wall is below the present day ground level, and it is all that remains of the Second Temple.
Biblical Jerusalem was built on two hills with a valley between them. That valley has since been filled in by debris of the destroyed Temple, and was where the present day plaza in front of the Western Wall is located. Ever since the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., Jews have gathered here in pilgrimage and prayer -- except between 1948 and 1967 when Jerusalem was controlled by the Jordanians and access to the Wall was forbidden. When praying for oneself, one is supposed to touch the wall; while praying for others, one is supposed to write the prayer and leave it in a crevice in the wall. Access to the wall is divided into two sections -- for men and for women. The men’s side is easily five times larger than the women’s side.
When leaving the wall, you’re not supposed to face away from it, but instead should walk slowly backwards. It was very moving to pray at the wall. Unfortunately, we didn’t have an opportunity to tour the Western Wall tunnels, including ancient Herodian streets 50 feel below ground level and running along the length of the wall. If I ever make it back to Jerusalem, I want to tour through there to see the stairs from the time of the Second Temple, the remains of Wilson’s Arch where a road to the Temple passed, a Hasmonean water tunnel, a pool and an ancient quarry.
Just around the corner from the Wailing Wall is the archaeological park with excavations. The dark-domed structure above the excavations here is the El Aqsa Mosque. The Mount of Olives is in the background, and the City of David is further to the right (not visible here, but was easily overlooked from this vantage point).
The excavation sites have revealed much from the time of King Herod, including baths where Jews would purify themselves.
It’s amazing to realize that all of these landmarks were covered and built upon by succeeding generations -- many times over!
Labels: Israel, Travel
One of our final stops in Jerusalem was to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. It is a retaining wall and forms the foundation of the Temple Mount Plateau, with its large stones -- with no cement or mortar between them to hold them in place -- from King Herod’s time (20 A.D.). More than half of the wall is below the present day ground level, and it is all that remains of the Second Temple.
Biblical Jerusalem was built on two hills with a valley between them. That valley has since been filled in by debris of the destroyed Temple, and was where the present day plaza in front of the Western Wall is located. Ever since the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., Jews have gathered here in pilgrimage and prayer -- except between 1948 and 1967 when Jerusalem was controlled by the Jordanians and access to the Wall was forbidden. When praying for oneself, one is supposed to touch the wall; while praying for others, one is supposed to write the prayer and leave it in a crevice in the wall. Access to the wall is divided into two sections -- for men and for women. The men’s side is easily five times larger than the women’s side.
When leaving the wall, you’re not supposed to face away from it, but instead should walk slowly backwards. It was very moving to pray at the wall. Unfortunately, we didn’t have an opportunity to tour the Western Wall tunnels, including ancient Herodian streets 50 feel below ground level and running along the length of the wall. If I ever make it back to Jerusalem, I want to tour through there to see the stairs from the time of the Second Temple, the remains of Wilson’s Arch where a road to the Temple passed, a Hasmonean water tunnel, a pool and an ancient quarry.
Just around the corner from the Wailing Wall is the archaeological park with excavations. The dark-domed structure above the excavations here is the El Aqsa Mosque. The Mount of Olives is in the background, and the City of David is further to the right (not visible here, but was easily overlooked from this vantage point).
The excavation sites have revealed much from the time of King Herod, including baths where Jews would purify themselves.
It’s amazing to realize that all of these landmarks were covered and built upon by succeeding generations -- many times over!
