Wilson's Arch is the modern name for the ancient stone arch whose top is still visible today, where it is supported against the Northeast corner of Jerusalem's Western Wall. It once spanned 42 feet, supporting a road that continued for 75 feet and allowed access to a gate that was level with the surface of the Temple Mount during the time of Jesus.
Let's see how it once looked.
You can see things have been built up on top of the arch. I kind of think the arches to the left of it may be part of the structure that held up the road to the temple mount.
From Wikipedia: The arch was identified in 1864 by 19th-century explorer and surveyor Charles William Wilson, for whom it is now named. Wilson had joined the Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem in 1864, continuing to participate in the city surveying project that was established to improve the city's water system.
It was one of the largest free-standing masonry arches in the world during the time it was constructed and utilized. The "majestic size and the enormous stones testify to Herod's magnificent aspirations.
The Western Stone, located in the north section of the Arch, is a monolithic stone block forming part of the lower level of the Western Wall. Weighing 628 tons it is one of the largest building blocks in the world. The stone is 44.6 ft.long, 15 ft. wide and has an estimated height of 11.5 ft. It is considered to be one of the heaviest objects ever lifted by human beings without powered machines. It is the largest building stone found in Israel and second in the world. It is only partially intact, the rest was destroyed in 70 CE during the Roman siege of Jerusalem.
So my question is, "Why did it need to be discovered?" It looks pretty obvious. Here is what I found. Apparently, this area, like the Ophel Garden was completely covered for centuries!
From Wikipedia: In 1968, only a few months after the Six Day War, Israel began excavations to uncover the portion of the Western Wall that was not exposed. As the excavations continued, the opening to the arch was uncovered, and rubble began to be removed. It would take 17 years, until 1985, until the entire length of the wall would be cleared.
Israeli workers renovated and restored the area for three years, strengthening the arch in preparation for access for visitors and use for prayer. Scaffolding remained in place for over a year to allow workers to remove cement that had been applied as patches over the stone.
Wilson's Arch is now used as an entry into a tunnel used for prayer for Jewish men and women, who have their separate sections. I do not understand when the tunnel was made, because it seems like it was not the original intention of the arch. But now, when one enters it, here is what is found.
On July 25, 2010, a Ner Tamid, an oil-burning "eternal light," was installed within the prayer hall within Wilson's Arch, the first eternal light installed in the area of the Western Wall. According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, requests have been made for many years that "an olive oil lamp be placed in the prayer hall of the Western Wall Plaza, as is the custom in Jewish synagogues, to represent the menorah of the Temple in Jerusalem as well as the continuously burning fire on the altar of burnt offerings in front of the Temple, especially in the closest place to where they used to stand.
One last thing that confuses me. I get mixed up between Wilson's Arch and Robinson's Arch, which I wrote about a couple of posts ago. This diagram helps me see the their relationship as far as location, and purpose.
