If you have ever seen a photo of people pressing their hands and foreheads against enormous, sun-warmed stones, or watched someone fold a tiny piece of paper into a crack between them, you have seen the Western Wall. For many Jews around the world, it is the first place they think of when they think of Jerusalem, and for many who have never been, it is a place they pray toward every single day. Whether you are planning a visit or simply want to understand why this wall matters so much, this guide walks you through its story and how to pray there.
What is the Western Wall? The Western Wall, called the Kotel in Hebrew, is a section of the ancient retaining wall that King Herod built around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago. It is the closest place to the site of the Holy Temple where Jews can pray today, which makes it the holiest site of Jewish prayer.
What Is the Western Wall?
The Western Wall is part of the massive stone wall that once held up the platform of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. When you stand in the plaza today, you are looking at the western side of that platform, built from limestone blocks so large that some weigh many tons. The Temple itself stood on top of the platform, above and behind the wall in front of you.
Kotel, Western Wall, or Wailing Wall?
You will hear three names. Kotel is simply Hebrew for wall, and HaKotel HaMa'aravi means the Western Wall. Many people, especially in older English writing, call it the Wailing Wall, a name that came from travelers who saw Jews mourning the destruction of the Temple there. Most Jews today prefer Kotel or Western Wall, because the place is about prayer and connection, not only grief.
How Big Is the Western Wall?
The full western retaining wall runs for about 488 meters (around 1,600 feet), but most of it is hidden behind buildings or underground. The part you see in the open-air prayer plaza is about 57 meters (around 190 feet) long. Its visible height above the plaza is roughly 19 meters (about 60 feet), and more courses of ancient stone continue below the ground. Much of the hidden section can be seen in the Western Wall Tunnels, which run north beneath the Old City.
The History of the Western Wall
The wall you see today has outlasted empires. Knowing its story helps you understand why people travel from every corner of the world to touch it.
From Herod's Temple Mount to the Destruction in 70 CE
Around 20 BCE, King Herod began a huge expansion of the Temple Mount. To create a wider platform around the Second Temple, his builders raised four great retaining walls and filled the space inside. The Western Wall is one of those four.
In 70 CE, the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and burned the Temple. The building on top of the platform was lost, but much of the retaining wall below it survived. Over the following centuries, that surviving wall became the place where Jews came to mourn, to remember, and to pray.
Centuries of Prayer and Longing
Through long periods of foreign rule, access to the wall rose and fell. At times Jews could pray there freely, and at other times only with difficulty or not at all. Yet the wall never left the heart of Jewish prayer. Jews everywhere continued to face Jerusalem three times a day, and the Kotel became the physical symbol of that longing.
1967 and the Plaza Today
From 1948 to 1967, Jews were unable to reach the Western Wall at all. In June 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israeli paratroopers reached the wall, and the moment became one of the most famous scenes in modern Jewish history. The large prayer plaza you see today was created after that, and the site is now cared for by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. It is open every day and night of the year, and millions of people visit annually.
Why Is the Western Wall Holy?
The holiness of the Kotel comes from what stood above it. The Temple Mount is the site of the First and Second Temples, and the western side of the Temple was closest to the Holy of Holies, the innermost and holiest chamber. The Western Wall is the nearest point to that place where Jews pray today.
There is also a teaching in the Midrash. In Shemot Rabbah 2:2, Rabbi Acha says that the Divine Presence never departs from the western wall. Scholars note that this teaching may originally refer to the western wall of the Temple itself, but over the generations it became closely tied to the Kotel. For the full explanation, including why most Jews pray at the wall rather than on the Temple Mount above it, see our guide to why the Western Wall is holy.
How to Pray at the Western Wall
You do not need to be an expert to pray at the Kotel. People of every background come here, and you will see a quiet mix of formal prayer, open tears, and simple silence. A few basics will help you feel at ease.
Before You Go: Dress Code and Sections
The prayer area is divided into a larger men's section on the left and a women's section on the right, separated by a partition called a mechitzah. Modest dress is expected: shoulders and knees covered, and men cover their heads. Free head coverings and shawls are usually available at the entrance. An area near the southern end of the wall, by Robinson's Arch, is set aside for mixed and egalitarian prayer.
What to Say When You Get There
Many people begin with a Psalm. Psalm 121, "I lift my eyes to the mountains," and Psalm 122, "I rejoiced when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord," are traditional favorites. You can also simply speak to God in your own words, in any language. Jewish tradition treats heartfelt personal prayer as real prayer, and King Solomon's dedication of the Temple in 1 Kings 8 asks God to hear the prayers of anyone, even a foreigner from a distant land, who prays toward this place.
If you want ideas for what to pray about, from health to work to family, our guide to what to pray at the Western Wall gathers the traditional prayers for each.
Placing a Note Between the Stones
The best-known custom at the Kotel is writing a short prayer on a slip of paper and placing it in a crack between the stones. People write the names of those they love, a request, or a few words of thanks. To learn how to write and place one, and how to have a note placed if you cannot travel, read how to put a note in the Western Wall.
Leaving the Wall
When you finish, it is customary to step back a few paces while still facing the wall, rather than turning your back on it right away. It is a small sign of respect, the same way you would step back from a teacher or a king. Many people also give a coin to one of the tzedakah collectors near the plaza on their way out.
The Western Wall Notes and Where They Go
So many notes are placed in the wall that the cracks would fill up completely if they were never cleared. Twice a year, before Passover and before Rosh Hashanah, the staff of the Western Wall gather the notes and carry them away for burial, as is done with sacred writings. Nobody reads them. If you have ever wondered what happens to your note after you leave, our guide to what happens to the notes in the Western Wall tells the full story.
Praying Toward the Kotel From Anywhere
You do not have to stand in Jerusalem for the Kotel to be part of your prayer. The Talmud, in Berakhot 30a, teaches that someone praying outside the Land of Israel should turn toward Israel, someone in Israel toward Jerusalem, and someone in Jerusalem toward the Temple. That is why synagogues around the world face Jerusalem, and why, wherever you live, you are already praying toward this wall.
Some people also follow the Western Wall Heritage Foundation's live cameras to watch the plaza from home, especially during holidays, or ask friends who are traveling to place a note for them.
Bringing Your Prayers to the Wall Through Giving
For generations, Jews who could not travel to Jerusalem found ways to stay connected: through prayer, through friends who made the journey, and through tzedakah, giving to people in need. Those three have always belonged together. If you want to understand why giving is treated as justice rather than an optional kindness, start with our guide to what tzedakah really means.
At 18.fund, offered in collaboration with the Shabata Demalkata Foundation, donations help provide Shabbat meals and holiday essentials for families in need across the US. With an 18.fund Giving Package, starting at $180, your intention is printed and placed at the Western Wall within 7 days, with video confirmation sent to you by email, and prayers are read at the Wall on Monday and Thursday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Western Wall?
The Western Wall, or Kotel, is part of the retaining wall King Herod built around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago. It is the closest place to the site of the Holy Temple where Jews pray today.
Why is it called the Wailing Wall?
Travelers in past centuries saw Jews weeping there over the destruction of the Temple and called it the Wailing Wall. Most Jews today prefer the names Western Wall or Kotel, because the site is about prayer and connection, not only mourning.
How old is the Western Wall?
The visible lower courses date to King Herod's expansion of the Temple Mount, which began around 20 BCE. That makes the oldest stones roughly 2,000 years old. Some upper courses were added in later centuries.
Is the Western Wall part of the Temple?
No. It is part of the retaining wall that supported the platform the Second Temple stood on. The Temple itself was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, and the wall survived below it.
Who can pray at the Western Wall?
Anyone. The Kotel is open to people of every faith and background, every day of the year. King Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 8 asks God to hear the prayers of anyone who prays toward this place.
What should I wear to the Western Wall?
Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. Men cover their heads. Free head coverings and shawls are usually available at the entrance to the plaza.
Is the Western Wall open at night?
Yes. The prayer plaza is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Many people find the wall especially peaceful late at night or very early in the morning.
Can I put a note in the Western Wall?
Yes. Write a short prayer on a small piece of paper, fold it, and gently place it in a crack between the stones. If you cannot travel, there are ways to have a note placed for you.
What happens to the notes in the Western Wall?
Twice a year, before Passover and before Rosh Hashanah, the notes are collected without being read and buried, in the same respectful way sacred writings are buried.
Can I pray toward the Western Wall from home?
Yes. The Talmud teaches that Jews everywhere turn toward Jerusalem and the Temple when they pray. Wherever you are, facing Jerusalem in prayer connects you to the Kotel.