Western Wall Tunnel
The Western Wall Tunnel is a historical tunnel that extends from the place where the traditional open-air worship area finishes to the north edge of the Wailing Wall. It was built as an answer to archeologists who were concerned that humidity, precipitation, and seeping groundwater would gradually cause it to buckle, collapse and erode.
Most of the Western Wall tunnel is an extension of the open-air Wailing Wall and is located beneath structures in Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter. The Wailing Wall is visited by Jews to pray, and is also the holiest Jewish religious site outside of the Temple Mount. It has been part of a long-standing debate that it should be allowed to be visited by tourists, but until now it has been closed off due to safety concerns.
The tunnel provides access to the remnants of the wall that were built as a defensive measure against the onslaught of enemies from the north. It is a part of Jerusalem’s Old City Walls and Zion Gate that were built to protect against attacks by invaders.
In 19 BCE, Herod the Great began a project to increase the size of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount by building a retaining wall to absorb part of a hill to the north. This was done in order to create more space for religious practices.
Building the walls of the Temple Mount was a difficult task, so to make the construction easier, four supporting walls were built underneath. To reinforce these walls, the Temple Mount was enlarged on top of them. After the Romans demolished the Temple around 70 CE, these external walls and the temple itself remained standing.
Much of the territory adjacent to the walls has since been excavated and constructed upon, and a portion of the Western Wall has remained revealed since the Temple’s demolition.
The Western Wall has been a part of Jewish tradition for millennia, because it is the nearest accessible point to the Holy of Holies in the Temple. It became a center for Jewish prayer and observance.
From the tunnel, it can be seen that there is 300 meters of the total 445 meters of the wall. The construction procedures and various events in the Temple Mount area are also visible.
Many archaeological discoveries were uncovered along the process, including findings from the Herodian period. There are also elements of an Umayyad period renovation of the Western Wall found during the excavation.
Aside from the tunnel itself, there are also other attractions that tourists might want to visit and explore like the Warren’s Gate. The arched gate can be found at the exact midpoint of the ancient tunnel, which is located roughly 46 meters inside. The entryway is closed off and has been so for a very long time, protecting a small synagogue that medieval Muslims allowed Jews to use near to the old Temple site.
Furthermore, the Western Stone, known as the largest stone in the Western Wall, is uncovered within the tunnel. The stone is prominent for being one of the heaviest stones ever raised by humans without the use of motorized technology. The stone is 13.6 meters long and 3 meters tall.
