Ommuring van de tempel van Jeruzalem 1854 - 1856

This photograph of the Temple Mount’s walls in Jerusalem was captured by Auguste Salzmann in the 19th century using the new medium of photography. The imposing walls stand as a testament to human construction, meant to both protect and define sacred space. Throughout history, walls have served as potent symbols, reflecting humanity's deep-seated need to create order and delineate boundaries. From the city walls of ancient Mesopotamia to the Great Wall of China, these structures embody a collective desire for security and identity. Yet, walls also evoke a sense of division. The Wailing Wall is itself a remnant of the Temple Mount. The gesture of placing written prayers within the cracks in the wall connects people today to the memory of a sacred place. This act taps into a deeper, almost primal impulse to reach out to the divine through tangible symbols, a link to the infinite that we, as humans, find so compelling. This yearning has manifested in countless forms throughout history, echoing through time in a continuous cycle of expression and reinvention.