The Structure of the Kosel HaMaravi

Rav Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky zt”l (Ir Hakodesh V’HaMikdash, vol. 4, ch. 2) documents that the “Kosel HaMaravi” that is visible to our eyes was built across five distinct historical periods:

1. Bottom five rows — These stones which have split edges, are from the era of Dovid and Shlomah; each one of these stones is approximately 1.25 meters high, totaling roughly 6 meters.
2. Next four rows — Then there are four rows of smooth uncut stones from the time of the Second Beis HaMikdash, approximately 5.80 meters high.
3. Next four rows — On top of the first nine rows, there is another four rows from a later time period, attributed by some to the period of Hadrian; each approximately half a meter, totaling 2.20 meters.
4. Next eleven rows — Another eleven rows of smaller stones were added later, perhaps in the times of Sultan Suleiman. Each row is roughly 37 centimeters high, totaling approximately 4 meters.
5. Three additional rows — At an even later point in time, at the beginning of 5684 Arabs added another three rows, reaching close to a meter high.

It is reported that Sir Moses Montefiore added the upper rows of smaller stones to prevent Arabs on the other side from throwing stones into the plaza and disturbing peoples davening.