Western Wall Tunnels, Jerusalem

Underground Tunnels in the Old City of Jerusalem

Who Discovered the Western Wall Tunnels

In 1967, the ministry of religious affairs began the project of cleaning the area of the Western Wall. Over the course of the excavation process, workers undertook a monumental task. They removed tons of dirt and waste, painstakingly clearing the path to expose the wall and ultimately make it accessible to people. They discovered the extraordinary underground tunnels, which revealed the entirety of the wall: 488 meters.

What is the significance of the Western Wall tunnels

Standing tall as a testament to Jerusalem’s past, the Western Wall is a remnant from the days of the Second Temple, destroyed approximately 2,000 years ago. In its former glory, the Western Wall stretched for an impressive half a kilometer, showcasing its grand scale in Second Temple times. Centuries have weathered its form, yet today only a portion is visible to visitors at the Western Wall Plaza. This section measures a mere 70 meters. This site ranks as one of the holiest in the world. An Intricate Labyrinth of Tunnels Beneath Jerusalem’s Western Wall Reveals Clues to Ancient Biblical Life in Jerusalem. The tunnels offers visitors a glimpse into the history of Jerusalem, from the time of the Second Temple to the present day.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

What is the Western Wall Tunnels

The Western Wall Tunnels are a network of tunnels located beneath the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The tunnels grant access to a hidden section of the Western Wall, a significant portion unseen from the Western Wall Plaza. The tunnels are an archaeological site that offers visitors a glimpse into the history of Jerusalem, from the time of the Second Temple to the present day. King Herod the Great constructed the Western Wall during the Second Temple period to retain the Temple Mount platform. Visitors to the Western Wall Tunnels can walk through a series of chambers and passageways, where they can see archaeological finds, such as stone vaults, arches, cisterns, and an ancient water aqueduct that ends at the Strouthion Pool, and more.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

Is the Western Wall Tunnels: A Journey Back in Time

The Entrance

The entrance to the tunnels is on the northern side of the Western Wall plaza, a few meters away from the Western Wall. Upon entering, visitors walk through a series of rooms moving eastward until they reach the Western Wall. The rooms encountered along the passageway are the remains of a Medieval church, a bridge, luxury rooms from the Second Temple era, residential homes, ancient cisterns, a quarry, a Hasmonean-era aqueduct,  and many more archeological discoveries.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

The Route of the tunnels till Temple Mount

The Western Wall Tunnels run along  length of the Wall and offer a glimpse of the incredible engineering challenges faced by Herod the Great as he embarked on his undertaking to expand the Temple Mount.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

Why were the tunnels created

The Tunnels are, in fact, an underground system or world that tells us the story from the Hasmoneans until today. They were created with a large number of arches, which were built side by side and supported by staircases that connects the city with the Temple Mount. In ancient times, the Tyropoeon Valley was created and ran along the western side of the Temple Mount, separating the Herodian Quarter and the Temple. The need for a bridge above the valley led to the building of the arches. Today, these passageways support the streets, and the tunnels pass directly beneath the Muslim Quarter.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

When were the tunnels first discovered

The tunnels were first discovered during a dig by British archeologists in the nineteenth century.  None the less, the actual excavations took place after the Six-Day War under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Religion. Since the tunnels run along the Western side of the Temple Mount, the site of the Holy of Holies, they reach a point very close to the location of the drinking stone. There is a small synagogue at the site where religious Jews pray and read the Psalms.

How to visit the Western Wall Tunnels

A visit to these tunnels and the Western Wall is fascinating and will be an unforgettable experience.

Noah tours offers an incredible journey to the Western Wall Tunnels. During the tour, our travellers will reach the segments of the Wall hidden from view. The guide will tell the fascinating stories of ancient Jerusalem and the history and experiences of the Jewish people. Join us and let the tunnels and Ancient stones tell their story.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

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Don’t miss the underground world in City of David:
Press here to continue reading our blog post on the City of David, Jerusalem and uncover even more of Jerusalem’s hidden story. Join us on other exciting tours through the Tunnels of the City of David. Click here for more information.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

What are the Western Wall tunnels?

The tunnels are underground structures that once served as rooms, public halls, passageways, and water pools, among other things. As mentioned above, they are supported by a series of archways, which also provide support to the streets and homes above. Originally built by King Herod in roughly 19 BCE, the walls/tunnels were created to protect the Temple from the Romans.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

Why are the tunnels important?

The above ground, open air portion of the wall only measures about 60 meters long. With the discovery of the tunnels, we also discovered an additional 420 meters of the Western Wall. The tunnels allow access to this hidden underground portion of the wall. Not to mention the sheer historical significance of exploring ancient underground cities and structures.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

Is it open to the public?

Today the tunnels are accessible to the public. Now, after thousands of years virtually untouched, the tunnels were only recently discovered. This makes for an extremely special experience for all who visit this portion of ancient Jerusalem. We highly recommend!

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

Delving Deeper: Must-See Sites Within the Western Wall Tunnels

The Great Bridge Route

The new route – The Great Bridge Route – takes travellers one more level under the Old City to see the Great Bridge that led to the Temple Mount. The route passes ancient sites from the Second Temple period and includes a look at a new exposure of the Western Wall. The Great Bridge during the Second Temple period helped people walking between the Upper City (the Jewish Quarter) to the Temple Mount . It also held water coming from Solomon’s Pools near to Bethlehem to the Temple Mount. Recently, the bridge’s arches have been excavated, uncovering so much history and other treasured sites.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

The Great Stone tour

The Great Stone tour (the orginal route) is a tour along the length of the Western Wall, a visit to the site closest to the Holy of Holies, and a visit to the Western Wall’s huge stone.

Photo courtesy of: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

The Ritual-Bath Complex and the Hasmonean Hall

In recent years, archaeological excavations have uncovered magnificent ritual baths from the Second Temple period. This is part of the Western Wall Tunnels.
At the same site, apparently the Hasmonean Hall is the place where members of the Sanhedrin gathered outside the Temple Mount. The Hall of Eras archeological findings dating back to the First Temple and up to modern times.

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