Western Stone

The Western Stone, beginning at shoulder level of the guide

The Western Stone is a monolithic stone ashlar block forming part of the lower level of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This largest stone in the Western Wall is visible within the Western Wall Tunnel and ranks as one of the heaviest objects ever lifted by human beings without powered machinery. With an estimated weight of 517 tonnes (570 short tons),[1] it is one of the largest building blocks in the world. The stone, located in the wall section north of Wilson's Arch, is 13.6 meters (44.6 feet) long and 3 metres (9.8 feet) high and has an estimated width of 3.3 meters (10.8 feet). In June 2006, Harry M. Jol, from The University of Wisconsin–Eu Claire, performed GPR measurements to determine the depth of the stone. The conclusion of his team was that its depth ranges from approximately 1.8 to 2.5 metres (5.9 to 8.2 feet).[2]

References

  1. ↑ "The Story of the Kotel: Facts and Figures: The Western Wall Tunnels". Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
  2. ↑ Jol, H. M.; et al. (2006). "Publications, #79". Retrieved 13 August 2015. Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)

See also

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