Israeli archeologists are inspecting each exposed stone of the Western Wall as part of conservation efforts to preserve the nearly 2,000-year-old retaining wall of the Temple Mount, by the holiest site of the Jewish People. On Sunday, workers suspended on a hydraulic platform cleaned stones along the top of the 62 feet (19 meters) high wall. Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) archeologist Jon Seligman said that the repairs are intended to ensure that none of the heavy stones would crash upon worshippers praying below.
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Jerusalem Western Wall Heritage Foundation has submitted a plan to preserve the site by treating the wall’s stones and improving their stability, one of the most complex projects of its kind ever undertaken in Israel. The plan was generated after a survey one year ago of the wall’s state revealed deterioration.
At that time, the IAA responded by conducting an urgent physical and engineering study of the wall’s condition. The conservation plan is the product of the two surveys and will be overseen by the IAA Conservation Department.
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Western Wall and the monuments around it are among the most important cultural heritage sites in the world. Every year, millions of people come to Jerusalem to see them. In order to ensure a safe and comfortable experience, the site needs constant upkeep and additional services are provided for the benefit of the visitors.
Israel Antiquities Authority
The work focuses on the conservation treatment of the stones in the Western Wall and their stability, in accordance with their degree of preservation and the level of risk they present to the visiting public.
Israel Antiquities Authority
The task of preserving Judaism’s holy site requires knowledge and professionalism in a wide range of fields. The project is being directed by the Israel Antiquities Authority Conservation Department, which is staffed with architects, engineers, and conservators that specialize in different areas. “In touching the stones of the Western Wall, the conservators of the Israel Antiquities Authority are touching what has been the very heart of Jewish heritage for generations,” the IAA said in a statement.
Israel Antiquities Authority
The Western Wall, also called the Kotel ("wall" in Hebrew) or Wailing Wall, is the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site. The actual mount is occupied by two Muslim structures and Jewish worship there is severely restricted. The Western Wall is highly symbolic as it has been the focal point of Jewish worship in the most recent return to Zion. It was approachable via a small alleyway prior to the War of Independence, was off-limits to Jews under Jordanian rule following the 1949 armistice, and was liberated in the 1967 Six Day War. Among the most famous photos in Israel's history is that of IDF paratroopers looking up at the wall with awe following their participation in the battle for the Old City. Shortly after the victory, Israel bulldozed the area around the wall, creating a huge prayer plaza. The prayer section is 62 feet (19 meters) high and 197 feet (60 meters) wide. Below the surface of the prayer plaza are another 17 rows of stones, dating to the Herodian Period.
Israel Antiquities Authority
Muslims have recently been staking a claim not only to the Temple Mount, but to the Western Wall, as well. They call it Al-Burak and say the religion's founder, Mohammad, tied his horse there during a midnight journey that took him to "the farthest mosque" - which they say is a reference to the Jerusalem mosque later given that name.
Israel Antiquities Authority