Wailing Wall, Israel

One of the greatest shrines of Judaism, located outside the territory of the Temple Mount, is the Wailing Wall. It is a part of the preserved ancient wall that thousands of years ago has surrounded the Temple Mount. The length of the surviving fragment is 57 meters. The rest of the wall was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. For more than a thousand years, the Wailing Wall has been a symbol of hope and faith for people who practice Judaism.

Pilgrims come here from all over the world to pray and leave a note with names of loved ones who need help of the divine powers in one of the crevices of the ancient wall. The exact date of the beginning and the end of construction of the wall is unknown. According to some reports, it was begun during the reign of Herod the Great in 19 BC. After the destruction of the temple, the surviving wall was the main place of prayer for believers. For hundreds of years, it has witnessed many important historical events. In the period from 1948 to 1967, the shrine was under the control of Jordan and it was not allowed to come in.

The Wailing Wall is one of the holy places, to which adherents of other religions are admitted. The only thing that pilgrims have to remember is that they need to wear long-sleeve clothes and a hat. Men approach the wall to the left, and the women go right. That’s also an old tradition. Those who are not prepared to visit shrines in advance, don’t have to worry. Next to the wall, there are special rental shops, where you can get all necessary clothing and hats. A huge area, located in front of the Wailing Wall, has long been a venue for the most important national and religious events. Next - Tel Beer Sheva