 In Judaism , the Western Wall is venerated as the sole remnant of the Holy Temple . It has become a place of pilgrimage for Jews , as it is the closest permitted accessible site to the holiest spot in Judaism , namely the Even ha @-@ shetiya or Foundation Stone , which lies on the Temple Mount . According to one rabbinic opinion , Jews may not set foot upon the Temple Mount and doing so is a sin punishable by Kareth . While almost all historians and archaeologists and some rabbinical authorities believe that the rocky outcrop in the Dome of the Rock is the Foundation Stone , some rabbis say it is located directly opposite the exposed section of the Western Wall , near the El @-@ kas fountain . This spot was the site of the Holy of Holies when the Temple stood . 
