The Western Wall — Judaism's holiest site, and the wall people have returned to for two thousand years

I am the Western Wall. Of the whole great Temple, essentially one wall of mine is left — and for two thousand years people have come to it to weep and to ask.

I'm not even a wall of the Temple itself — I'm a retaining wall of the mount the Temple stood on. When the Romans levelled the Second Temple in the year 70, only this stretch of masonry survived. And so it happened that a fragment of foundation became the holiest place where Jews could come and stand up close.

It was outsiders who named me the "Wailing Wall", watching people weep at my stones. Jews simply call me the Kotel — "the Wall". People come to mourn the destroyed Temple and to ask for what is on their hearts; into the cracks between the ancient blocks they tuck folded notes of prayer — which are later gathered up with care and buried, as sacred things.

I am divided: men pray on the right, women on the left. On Shabbat you may not photograph me or take out a phone. And at dawn, before the tourists arrive, there's only whispering and the pigeons in the crevices where the caper bush grows.

That's really what I'm about: sometimes all that's left of a whole world is a single wall — and it's to that wall people return, to remember that the world once was.

🎙 Voice of Scoute

That was the voice of the Western Wall.

What it is. The Western Wall (the Kotel, or Wailing Wall) is the surviving western retaining wall of the Temple Mount — all that remains of the Second Temple complex after the Romans destroyed it in the year 70. It is the holiest place of prayer in Judaism: people come to pray and to mourn the Temple, and tuck written prayers into the cracks. The plaza is divided into men's and women's sections.

Where it is. The Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, at the foot of the Temple Mount.

Practical information

Address: The Western Wall (the Kotel), Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem.
Getting there: On foot through the Old City; the handiest entrance is via the Dung Gate, the closest to the Wall plaza. Signs for 'Western Wall / Kotel' point the way throughout the quarter.
Opening hours: Open and accessible around the clock, free, no booking. There's an airport-style security check at the entrance. On Shabbat (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday) and holidays you may not photograph, use a phone, or smoke.
When to go: Dawn is quiet and almost empty; Friday evening (the welcoming of Shabbat) is the most atmospheric time, full of song — but no photography. Men should cover their heads (kippot are handed out at the entrance); dress modestly.

Questions & answers

Is this a wall of the Temple itself?▼

No — it's the surviving western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, on which the Second Temple stood. The Temple itself was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70; this masonry remained and became a holy site.

What are the notes in the wall?▼

Pilgrims tuck folded prayers and requests into the cracks between the stones. From time to time these are gathered with care and buried rather than thrown away.

What are the rules for visiting?▼

Entry is free and around the clock, with a security check. The men's and women's sections are separate, and men should cover their heads (a kippah). On Shabbat and holidays, photography and phones are forbidden.

What's nearby?▼

Above the Wall is the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa (tourist access limited to set hours); nearby are the Jewish Quarter, the Cardo, and the rest of the Old City.