 The Western Wall , Wailing Wall or Kotel ( Hebrew : <unk> <unk> , translit . : HaKotel <unk> <unk> ; Ashkenazic pronunciation : <unk> ; Arabic : <unk> <unk> , translit . : <unk> <unk> al @-@ <unk> , <unk> . : the Buraq Wall , or al @-@ <unk> : the Place of Weeping ) is an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem . It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall , known also in its entirety as the " Western Wall " . The wall was originally erected as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple by Herod the Great , which resulted in the encasement of the natural , steep hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount , in a large rectangular structure topped by a huge flat platform , thus creating more space for the Temple itself and its auxiliary buildings . 
