Western Wall

Quick Facts: Who was Western Wall?

Subject:

Western Wall

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Ancient retaining wall of the Temple Mount, central to Jewish prayer and history.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Western Wall (Hebrew: הַכּוֹתֶל הַמַּעֲרָבִי, romanized: HaKotel HaMa'aravi lit. 'the western wall'; Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: HaKosel HaMa'arovi) is an ancient retaining wall of the built-up hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount of Jerusalem.

Career & Major Achievements

Its most famous section, known by the same name, often shortened by Jews to the Kotel or Kosel, is known in the West as the Wailing Wall, and in the Arab world and Islamic world as the Buraq Wall (Arabic: حَائِط ٱلْبُرَاق, romanized: Ḥā'iṭ al-Burāq; ['ħaːʔɪtˤ albʊ'raːq]). In a Jewish religious context, the term Western Wall and its variations is used in the narrow sense, for the section used for Jewish prayer; in its broader sense it refers to the entire 488-metre-long (1,601 ft) retaining wall on the western side of the Temple Mount.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

At the prayer section, just over half the wall's total height, including its 17 courses located below street level, dates from the end of the Second Temple period, and is believed to have been begun by Herod the Great.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Western Wall

True or False: “The Western Wall was built entirely by Herod the Great during the Second Temple period.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While Herod the Great built the lower, massive stone courses, the wall's construction and modifications spanned many eras, including the Umayyad period and subsequent rebuilding efforts.

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