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The Wailing Wall

The Western Wall, sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall or simply the Kotel and as al-Buraaq Wall by Muslims, is an important Jewish religious site located in the Old City of Jerusalem. Just over half the wall dates from the end of the Second Temple period, being constructed around 19 BCE by Herod the Great. The remaining layers were added from the 7th century onwards. The Wall has a full length of 488 meters and consists of 45 stone courses, 28 of them above ground and 17 underground. The first seven visible layers are from the Herodian period.

According to the Aish.com website (http://international.aish.com/seminars/tunneltours/overview.asp) the Wall can be divided into 4 sections:

1) The Southern Wall area: Remains of Robinson's Arch approximately 80 meters long.

2) The Kotel Plaza: 80 meters, where people come to pray.

3) The Western Wall Tunnel: 320 meters, originally explored by two British archaeologists: Charles Wilson, in 1864, and Charles Warren, in 1867-1870. Robinson's Arch is the remains of a huge stairway-bridge used to enter the Second Temple. The two archaeologists found that the Wall continued approximately 320 meters and that some structures still existed from the Temple period.

4) An aqueduct: Found near the northern part of the Wall, the aqueduct was used during the time of the Maccabbees, about 150 BCE.

ISO: 100

In WS is a general view of the Wailing Wall and plaza.

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Additional Photos by Antonio Ribeiro (ribeiroantonio) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4930 W: 473 N: 6602] (22618)
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