13. The Underground Western Wall

Photo taken from the Western Wall Tunnel looking down into an excavated area. You can see how deep the wall is going down.

The upper two photos are from the Western wall Tunnels and the bottom two are from the men's prayer room inside the Wilson's Arch.The white structures are parts of the plastic chairs kept over the opening.

Photo: 3 July 2009 (Western Wall Tunnels) and 7 May 2010 (Wilson's Arch)

In its entirety Western Wall of Temple Mount has a length of 1600 feet, a height of 105 feet and built with 45 layers of stones from different periods. However, most of the original Western Wall is hidden behind residential structures built along its length. Today’s Western Wall or the ‘Ha Kotel Ha Ma’aravi’ is only 187 feet long, 62 feet tall and consisting of 28 courses of stones.  Not many are aware that a big share of Western Wall is hidden underground today. In fact, 43 feet of Western Wall made of 17 layers of stones from Herodian Period are concealed beneath the modern ground level. You can see this hidden segment of Western Wall from a few glassed openings inside men's prayer area behind Wilson's Arch and in the Western Wall Tunnels.

Location.

The Wilson’s Arch is on the left extreme end of the men’s section of the Western Wall, while visitor’s face the wall. In the prayer area inside Wilson’s Arch, look for the glass covered openings close to the Western Wall. You have to take the guided tour inside the Western Wall tunnels to see the other openings.