Located in Jerusalem's Old City, the foot of the Temple Mount's western side is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism. It has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. People write prayers and place them in the wall's crevices. More than a million notes are left in the Western Wall each year; every six months, the notes are collected and buried in the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives.
The Most Influential Places in History
They are buildings, cities and natural wonders. They house the heights of cultural achievement and offer backdrops for our best ideas. Asked to name the most influential place in history, previous and present TIME 100 honorees reflect on locations that have seen and in some cases helped bring about some of the most transformative moments in human experience.