Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and captured Jerusalem. His son, Solomon, built the First Temple right here. It was later
burned by invaders, and the Second Temple was built. Then came the catastrophic year
for the Jews—
A.D.
70, when the Romans destroyed their temple, ushering in the Diaspora.
Only a bit of the western foundation of the wall surrounding this ancient temple complex
survived. Over the centuries, throughout the Diaspora, Jews returning to Jerusalem came
here to the Western Wall—the closest they could get to that holy rock—to pray and to
mourn their temple's destruction. That's why it's often called “the Wailing Wall.”
For nearly 2,000 years, Jews have prayed at the Western Wall, all that survives of their
destroyed temple complex on Temple Mount.
Today, Jews still gather at the Western Wall, not only to recall a horrible past but also
to pray for a better future. The square operates as an open-air synagogue, divided into a
men's section and a women's section. The faithful believe prayers left in cracks between
the stones of the Western Wall will be answered. It's a lively scene, with intense yet private
worship mixing with the joyous commotion of Jewish families from around the world cel-
ebrating bar mitzvahs—a ritual coming of age.
Christians know Jerusalem as the place where Jesus was crucified, buried, and re-
surrected 2,000 years ago. Just a few minutes' walk from Temple Mount is the Via Do-
