The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall or Kotel, is one of the holiest sites in Judaism. The lower section of the wall was built by Herod the Great in the 1st century BCE as part of his grand expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. While the Temple Mount had already been the spiritual and cultural center of Jewish life since the time of King Solomon, who built the First Temple nearly 1,000 years earlier, Herod significantly enlarged and reinforced the structure, creating the vast platform that remains today.

The wall stretches approximately 488 meters (1,601 feet), though only a portion is visible above ground. It is revered as the closest accessible point to the Holy of Holies, the most sacred part of the ancient temple.

For centuries, Jewish worshippers have gathered at the wall to pray, mourn the destruction of the temple in 70 CE by the Romans, and place written prayers in its cracks. The prayer area is divided into separate sections for men and women, following Orthodox Jewish tradition.

Today, the Western Wall remains a major pilgrimage site and a focal point for religious and national ceremonies, including bar mitzvahs, Jewish holidays, and Israeli military inductions. While it is a sacred site for Jews, it is also visited by people of all faiths, symbolizing both religious devotion and historical continuity.