Faith, culture, and history all come together at the Western Wall. This stone wall is the closest section remaining from where the original second Temple stood. Today it is a place of 24 hour prayer where Jewish people and others from around the world focus their faith and connection to historical biblical worship.

If you arrive from the Jewish quarter, there is an incredible view of the Western Wall as you descend. It is mesmerizing to watch the mix of people coming to pray and seek God in this Holy place.

In the area where prayers are held, the Wall is divided into two sections, one side for men and the other side for women.

For centuries it has remained a tradition to place written prayers and requests inside the stones of the wall. Many bring notes written by friends or family to place in the wall if they cannot come personally. In this already vibrant atmosphere, families and communities gather from all over the world for various ceremonies

According to the Bible, Solomon's Temple was built on the Temple Mount in the 10th century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was completed and dedicated in 516 BCE. Around 19 BCE Herod the Great began a massive expansion project on the Temple Mount. He expanded the area and created an enlarged platform. Today the Western Wall forms part of the retaining perimeter wall of this platform. The Second Temple, which is also referred to as Herod's Temple, was destroyed along with Jerusalem, by the Romans in 70 CE.

The men's prayer area continues to an inside area through a passageway on the north side where you will see an arch originally constructed by Herod. The arch was originally 75 feet high when the Central Valley was much deeper and today only measures 25 feet high.

An especially large course of stones is visible on the southern and western walls today. Located between the Western Wall and the Dung Gate is the modern Jerusalem Archeological Park featuring all the educational tools needed to understand the history of the area during the Second Temple era. Rich multimedia presentations, exhibitions, illustrations and a virtual reconstruction of the Second Temple add to the fun of learning about the history. After learning so much inside the center, you can go outside to see and touch the remains. Everything comes alive as you envision the masses outside the Temple where it once stood.