The Broad Wall is a 2,700-year-old defensive fortification in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter, built by King Hezekiah around 701 BCE to protect the city from Assyrian invasion. The massive wall, measuring 7 meters thick and spanning 65 meters in visible length, was constructed to encompass newly expanded neighborhoods as Jerusalem's population grew following the Northern Kingdom's fall.
Originally published: July 2023 | Last updated: June 2025
The Broad Wall Jerusalem, known in Hebrew as Ha’Choma Ha’Rechava, is an ancient defensive fortification in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. Dating back nearly three millennia to the 8th century BCE, this remarkable archaeological site provides tangible evidence of ancient Jerusalem’s expansion beyond the City of David onto the Western Hill. The wall’s extraordinary thickness of 7-8 meters gives it its distinctive name and represents one of the most substantial Iron Age fortifications ever discovered in the region.
Location
The Broad Wall Jerusalem is situated in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, approximately 200 meters southwest of the Western Wall Plaza. The excavated portion runs parallel to Plugat HaKotel Street, near the intersection with Jewish Quarter Street. The wall’s unbroken length uncovered by archaeologist Nahman Avigad in the 1970s stretches 65 meters, making it one of the most accessible and well-preserved Iron Age structures in modern Jerusalem.
A glimpse into the Broad Wall's history
For many years, the construction of the Broad Wall was widely attributed to the reign of King Hezekiah in the late 8th century BCE. This dating was supported by biblical accounts and the historical context of the impending Assyrian threat posed by King Sennacherib. Under this interpretation, Hezekiah’s motivation was clear: to fortify Jerusalem against invasion and protect its burgeoning population, which included refugees from the northern kingdom of Israel who had fled south after the Assyrian invasion in 721 BCE and settled outside the existing city walls to the west.
In response to this impending threat, King Hezekiah, guided by the prophet Isaiah, began preparing his capital city for the anticipated onslaught. In the lower city, known as the City of David, the Israelites undertook a significant engineering project documented by archaeological discoveries, cutting a long water tunnel through solid rock to divert water from the Gihon Spring to a new inner-city reservoir. This strategic move was aimed at depriving the invading Assyrians of an abundant water source, as mentioned in Chronicles: “Why should the Assyrians come and find water in abundance?”.
Simultaneously, in the upper city (today’s Jewish Quarter), Hezekiah initiated a massive construction project. The wall’s construction required the demolition of numerous private houses, an act that would have been both politically and economically costly. Archaeological evidence reveals house foundations beneath sections of the wall, confirming the biblical account of this controversial but necessary defensive measure. The Bible records that:
Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
However, recent carbon-dating in 2024 has introduced a new perspective, attributing the wall’s construction to an earlier monarch, King Uzziah, who reigned several decades prior in the early to mid-8th century BCE. This groundbreaking research suggests the Broad Wall Jerusalem may have been built in response to the devastating earthquake mentioned in biblical sources during Uzziah’s reign, rather than as preparation for the Assyrian threat. If this dating proves conclusive, Uzziah’s motivation for building such a massive structure shifts to the rebuilding of the city after seismic damage. The earthquake, recorded in both biblical texts and geological evidence, would have required extensive reconstruction efforts, making the construction of new fortifications a logical response. This new research highlights the ongoing dynamic nature of archaeological interpretation and demonstrates how advanced dating techniques continue to refine our understanding of ancient Jerusalem’s development.
Archeological Insights
The Broad Wall Jerusalem lives up to its name with impressive dimensions that reflect the engineering capabilities of ancient Israel. It boasts a remarkable thickness varying between seven meters (approximately 23 feet) and eight meters (26 feet), a characteristic that distinctly sets it apart and gives it its name. The unbroken length uncovered by Avigad’s initial dig stretched 65 meters (71.1 yards), with the exposed remains visible today measuring 213 feet long. While currently preserved in places to a height of 3.3 meters (3.6 yards), scholars estimate its original height may have exceeded 25 feet, possibly reaching 8 meters. Strategically built, the wall traverses the Central Valley and ascends onto the Western Hill, providing a formidable barrier.
The construction technique reveals sophisticated ancient engineering knowledge. The wall employs a casemate design with two parallel walls connected by cross walls, creating internal chambers that could store supplies or house soldiers. The builders used large, roughly hewn limestone blocks quarried locally, some weighing several tons. The wall’s foundation was carefully laid on bedrock where possible, ensuring maximum stability. Analysis of the mortar and construction techniques by archaeological teams has provided insights into 8th century BCE building practices and the sophisticated understanding of defensive architecture possessed by Jerusalem’s ancient builders.
What Can Be Seen Today
Visitors to the Broad Wall Jerusalem site can observe several well-preserved features that bring ancient history to life. The exposed stone foundations reveal the wall’s massive construction, with original limestone blocks still positioned exactly as ancient builders placed them nearly three millennia ago. Interpretive signs in multiple languages explain the archaeological significance and construction techniques.
A section of the Israelite Tower, discovered during the same excavations, stands adjacent to the wall remains. This defensive structure, connected to the wall system, demonstrates how the fortifications formed an integrated defensive complex rather than a simple barrier. The tower’s preserved masonry shows the same construction techniques as the main wall.
Modern viewing platforms and walkways allow visitors to safely explore the site while protecting the ancient remains. Information panels detail the excavation process led by Nahman Avigad and explain how archaeologists determined the wall’s dating and purpose through analysis of pottery sherds, construction techniques, and stratigraphic evidence.
Practical Information
The Broad Wall is on public display in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, next to the Cardo. The official address is the Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem.
In 2025 a new Visitors Center was opened at the site. It includes a 10-minute audio-visual show about the wall and its discovery, and a small exhibition of First Temple artifacts found in the excavations of the Broad Wall and the adjacent Israelite Tower and Herodian Quarter.
Additional Information
Circa 8th Century BCE (Early to Mid)
- Pre-Assyrian Invasion: The city of Jerusalem, traditionally confined to the City of David, expanded to include the hill west of the Temple Mount. Jewish refugees from the northern kingdom of Israel, overrun by Assyrians in 721 BCE, migrated to Judah and Jerusalem for protection, settling on the Western Hill outside the city walls.
Late 8th Century BCE
- Reign of King Hezekiah: The Broad Wall was historically believed to have been built by King Hezekiah as part of an ambitious plan to bolster Jerusalem’s defenses in anticipation of the Assyrian invasion.
- Defensive Measures: Hezekiah undertook major defensive engineering works, including building the Broad Wall and Hezekiah’s Tunnel (to divert the Siloam spring inside the city walls).
- Controversy and Destruction of Houses: The construction of the Broad Wall involved tearing down residential structures, as evidenced by foundations of houses found beneath the wall.
- 721 BCE: The Assyrians overrun the northern kingdom of Israel, leading to an influx of refugees into Judah and Jerusalem.
- Circa 701 BCE: Sennacherib’s campaign in Judah. Jerusalem, fortified by the Broad Wall and with secure water access, withstood the Assyrian siege. Accounts differ on the reasons for the Assyrian withdrawal.
- Religious Reform: Following Jerusalem’s survival against the Assyrian assault, King Hezekiah completed a religious reform that led to monotheism. Prophet Isaiah proclaimed the concept of the Messiah for the first time.
6th Century BCE
- 586 BCE: The Babylonian siege of Jerusalem results in the destruction of the city, including sections of its Iron Age fortifications like the Broad Wall.
20th Century CE
- 1970s: Nahman Avigad’s archaeological expedition unearths the foundations of the Broad Wall in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. This discovery provided definitive archaeological evidence that Jerusalem had expanded to include the western hill by the mid-First Temple Period, contrary to previous scholarly opinion. Avigad’s dig also uncovered the Israelite Tower.
21st Century CE
- 2021 (July): The Israel Antiquities Authority announces the discovery of the eastern section of Jerusalem’s Iron Age wall in the City of David Archaeological Park, which connects previously found sections, confirming Jerusalem’s heavy fortification during the Iron Age.
- 2024: New carbon-dating techniques lead to the re-attribution of the Broad Wall’s construction from King Hezekiah to King Uzziah.
Where exactly is the Broad Wall located in Jerusalem?
The Broad Wall Jerusalem is located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, approximately 200 meters southwest of the Western Wall Plaza. It runs parallel to Plugat HaKotel Street, near the intersection with Jewish Quarter Street, and is easily accessible on foot from other major Jewish Quarter attractions.
How thick is the Broad Wall and why is it called “broad”?
The Broad Wall measures between 7-8 meters (23-26 feet) thick, which gives it its distinctive name. This extraordinary thickness made it one of the most substantial defensive walls in the ancient world and demonstrates the importance Jerusalem’s rulers placed on protecting the expanded city.
Who built the Broad Wall Jerusalem and when?
Recent carbon-dating from 2024 suggests the wall was built during King Uzziah’s reign in the early to mid-8th century BCE, possibly in response to earthquake damage. Previously, scholars attributed its construction to King Hezekiah (late 8th century BCE) as preparation against the Assyrian threat.
Is the Broad Wall mentioned in the Bible?
While not specifically named, the wall is likely referenced in Chronicles 32:5, which describes King Hezekiah building up “all the wall that was broken” and raising “another wall without.” The biblical account aligns with archaeological evidence of the wall’s construction and the demolished houses found beneath it.
What makes the Broad Wall archaeologically significant?
The Broad Wall Jerusalem provides the first definitive archaeological proof that Jerusalem expanded beyond the City of David onto the Western Hill during the Iron Age. Its discovery by Nahman Avigad in the 1970s revolutionized understanding of ancient Jerusalem’s size and defensive capabilities during the First Temple period.
Nearby Sites
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- Zion Gate: Also known as David’s Gate, Zion Gate is one of the seven open gates in Jerusalem’s Old City Walls. Just outside of it you can find Kind David’s Tomb, the Room of the Last Supper, and the Dormition Abbey.
- Jewish Quarter: This is one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is home to several significant sites, including the Broad Wall, the Western Wall, the Hurva Synagogue, and numerous yeshivas and synagogues.
- Hurva Synagogue: The Hurva Synagogue, also known as “The Ruin Synagogue,” is a historic site that has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries.
- The Roman Cardo: The Roman Cardo in Jerusalem was an ancient north-south thoroughfare, lined with columns and shops, serving as a major commercial hub in the city.
