The Western Wall is an ancient limestone retaining wall in the Old City of Jerusalem and the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray. It is a surviving part of the wall that supported the Temple Mount compound, which Herod the Great enlarged in a major building project beginning around 19 BCE. The Second Temple that stood above it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. The wall became a place of prayer and mourning for Jews over the centuries, and was known as the Wailing Wall. It lies below the platform holding the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which are holy to Muslims. Israel took control of the area in 1967, and the site remains at the center of the conflict over Jerusalem.
Before and after
- from January 27 BCE to January 395 CERoman Empire
- 27 BCEOrigins of Pula Arena
- from 27 BCE to 180 CEPax Romana
- c. 20 BCEVirgil's Aeneid is published
- 19 BCEConstruction of Western Wall
- 21 September 19 BCEDeath of Virgil
- from 18 BCE to 660 CEThree Kingdoms of Korea
- from 18 BCE to 660 CEBaekje
- 12 BCEOrigins of Pyramid of Cestius
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- c. 2,560 BCEConstruction of Great Pyramid of Giza
- c. 1,200 BCEIron Age
- 600 BCEFounding of Milan
- 6th century BCEConstruction of Parthenon
- 81 CEConstruction of Colosseum
- 11 May 330 CEConstantine dedicates Constantinople
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 1st century BCE.