Western Wall (Kotel): History and Religious Significance
Learn how the Western Wall was built, why Jews pray there, and how access and the plaza changed from the Second Temple era to today.
Category pages
- How Herod Built the Temple Mount EnclosureHerod expanded the Temple Mount into a vast platform supported by retaining walls. The Western Wall is the surviving western retaining wall; excavations nearby reveal streets, drainage works and later building phases.
- Why Jews Pray at the Western WallThe Wall is sacred because it stands beside the Temple Mount, the site of the ancient Jewish Temples and the Holy of Holies. Jewish tradition associates the Divine Presence with the site, while the Wall itself is a retaining structure rather than a Temple chamber.
- Jewish Prayer at the Wall Through the CenturiesJewish prayer near the Temple Mount is documented in medieval records, while the exact location and permitted arrangements changed over time. Under Ottoman and British rule, authorities regulated the narrow prayer space and disputes over worship became increasingly political.
- The 1929 Western Wall RiotsDisputes over Jewish prayer arrangements at the Wall escalated amid nationalist tension and competing claims. Violence began in Jerusalem on August 23, 1929, and spread to other towns, killing 133 Jews and 116 Arabs, according to the British inquiry.
- Jordanian Rule, 1948–1967, and the Return to the WallJordanian forces controlled the Old City from 1948 to 1967, and Jews could not visit the Western Wall. Israeli forces captured the Old City in June 1967, reopening access; the adjacent Mughrabi Quarter was cleared to create the present plaza.
- The Western Wall Plaza TodayThe Western Wall plaza serves daily prayer, holiday gatherings and national ceremonies. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation manages the complex under government decisions and holy-place regulations; access and events follow site rules.
- The Wall, UNESCO, and Competing Historical ClaimsUNESCO’s 2016 decisions named Jerusalem’s holy sites in language that emphasized Islamic names and criticized Israeli actions. The wording drew criticism for omitting Jewish names and historical connections, while the same documents acknowledged the sites’ importance to the three monotheistic religions.