The entrance to the Western Wall in Jerusalem is made from the southern entrance. The entrance, like the wall, is segregated by gender. Men and women enter through a segregated checkpoint but are able to meet back up on the other side. There is a large plaza beyond the security zone. The women's portion of the wall is first (furthest from the Temple Mount), followed by the men's section, which extends into a covered area. There is another women's section in the Rabbinical Tunnels, which technically places them closest to the Temple.
The City of David, ancient Jerusalem, sat to the south of what is now the south wall of Jerusalem. I took the above photo at the Shrine of the Book. It is an enormous model of Jerusalem as it would have looked in 66 AD. There is a valley to the south (visible in the right side of the photo) of the Temple where the ancient city stood. To enter the city from the south is called Aliyah which is an important religious concept that extends beyond just entering the city. Aliyah means "the act of going up" or "ascending." Because the Western Wall is located on the southern wall, we ascended toward the wall.
*Robinson's Arch"
As you enter the plaza toward the southwest corner of the wall, you can see unique structures in the wall that appear to have been something else previously. There are also stones at the base of the wall in this area that indicate something was once here. This was an entrance that was built by Herod during the first century BC. It was discovered in 1938 by a biblical scholar named Edward Robinson, who it is now named after. It was likely destroyed by the Romans when they sacked the city in 70 AD. Coins found nearby were dated 17 AD, suggesting that parts of the arch were still under construction while Jesus was a teenager. This massive entrance was likely in use during Jesus time. Below is a representation of the entrance courtesy of Wikipedia:
As you walk past Robinson's Arch, you approach the women's entrance to the wall. My wife peeled off here to visit the women's section while I moved on to the men's entrance. I did not take any photos after entering the men's section out of reverence. I believe my wife did the same, but managed to snap a distance shot (cropped down) of a female soldier at the wall, fully armed. She was moved by it. There is a subtle message here, unintended, but endearing.
The photo below shows the ramp heading down to the women's section. In the distance, you can see the dark gate that separates the two sections. I believe the segregated sections are a recent change. It is a highly charged issue that I don't fully understand, so I won't comment on it further. But I do know that the issue was still alive and well during our visit last year.
When I arrived at the men's section of the wall, I did not have any head covering. There is a large box filled with plain white kippah that visitors may use. Your head must be covered to enter the area. I proceeded down to the wall and said a quick prayer. I did notice that every crack and crevice of the wall was stuffed with paper. Visitors often write down prayers and stick them in the cracks of the wall. If you look again at the photo of the soldier praying, you can see that the cracks and crevices are packed with paper.
After saying a prayer, I headed north to toward Wilson's Arch which was discovered in the mid nineteenth century. It was re-discovered in 1964 by a Duke professor. From the end of the six day war until the 1980s, this area was excavated and expanded. There was once a road overhead leading in to the city. This road would have been in use during Jesus' time. The area inside the arch serves as another prayer area, but is also filled with scholars, books, scrolls, etc. It gives the appearance of a religious library. A place for study more than just prayer. This area was far more congested than the wall area when I visited. Although I was wearing my kippah, I believe my non-Jewishness was evident and I did not feel welcome inside the arch. I was glared at a few times. So I saw what was there and made a hasty departure.
The Western Wall is iconic. It is the first thing I think of when I think of Jerusalem. It is the closest place to the Temple Mount where Jews can come to pray, study or reflect. As a Christian, I was also moved by the ominous sense of reverence at this place. While there is not much to "see" in the broader sense, it is just being present that makes this place special. It was a moving experience. If you are going to visit Jerusalem, it would not make sense not to visit the wall.
Please be sure to check out my other experiences in Israel!
A Christian Guide to Israel
Hotels
Cinema Hotel Tel Aviv, Israel
Ron Beach Hotel, Tiberias, Israel
Prima Park Hotel Jerusalem, Israel
Attractions
Caesarea National Park Caesarea, Israel
Mount Precipice Mount Kedimum, Israel
Sea of Galilee Boat Ride Tiberias, Israel
Yigal Alon Museum (Jesus Boat) Ginosar, Israel
Capernaum, Israel
St. Peter’s Restaurant Kinneret, Israel
Caesarea Phillipi Banias, Israel
Gadot Lookout and Memorial Golan Heights, Israel
Jordan River Baptismal Site Yardenit, Israel
Beit She’an National Park Beit She’an, Israel
Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel
Garden Tomb Jerusalem, Israel
Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
Western Wall Tunnels, Jerusalem, Israel
Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel
Bethlehem New Store Gift Shop
Pool of Bethesda, Jerusalem, Israel
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel
House of Caiaphas the High Priest, Jerusalem, Israel
The Upper Room, Jerusalem, Israel
Tomb of King David, Jerusalem, Israel
Masada National Park, Masada, Israel
The Dead Sea, Masada, Israel
Churches
Discalced Carmelite Monastery Muhraqa, Israel
Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth, Israel
St. Peter’s Church Capernaum, Israel
Church of the Multiplication Tabgha, Israel
Church of the Beatitudes Tabgha, Israel
Church of All Nations Jerusalem, Israel
Church of Saint Anne, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank
Unless otherwise indicated, these photos are my own. They may be used with permission.