Wilson’s Arch

1st Century BCE–1st Century CE

An illustrated reconstruction of an ancient temple complex with high stone walls, arched gateways, and several large buildings, set against a hilly landscape with scattered trees. — Wilson’s Arch Reconstruction. Illustration by Dalit Weinblatt.

People gather and pray under large stone arches in a tunnel with textured walls. Ornate cabinets, white chairs, and a clock are visible. A solitary person stands apart on the left, while a group stands together on the right. — Wilson’s Arch. Anonymous, all rights reserved.

The remains of Wilson’s arch can be seen in the roofed area immediately to the northeast of the Western Wall. The arch supported the last part of a bridge built on a series of arches that traversed the Tyropoeon Valley, linking the wealthy residences on Jerusalem’s western hill directly with the Temple Mount. It also carried water, by aqueduct, from Solomon’s Pools to the Temple Mount. Standing under the arch, one can also see the Western Stone (not pictured), one of the largest monolithic building stones in the world and the largest stone in the Western Wall. Currently, the space under the arch is used as a synagogue. Wilson’s Arch—named after Charles William Wilson, who identified it during a survey in 1864—and Robinson’s Arch were among the biggest freestanding masonry arches in the world when they were built.