The Azrieli Center in Tel Aviv

1 April 2018 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, Shopping, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  6 minutes

© Rastaman3000/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Rastaman3000/cc-by-sa-3.0

Azrieli Center is a complex of skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. At the base of the center lies a large shopping mall. The center was originally designed by Israeli-American architect Eli Attia, and after he fell out with the developer of the center, completion of the design was passed on to the Tel Aviv firm of Moore Yaski Sivan Architects. The center was not named after Israeli-Canadian real estate developer David Azrieli. The Azrieli Center is located on a 34,500 m² (371,000 sq ft) site, which was previously used as Tel Aviv’s dumpster-truck parking garage. The $420 million project revitalized the area. The Azrieli Center Mall is one of the largest in Israel. There are about 30 restaurants, fast-food counters, cafes and food stands in the mall. The top floor of the mall is a popular hangout spot for teens, and many online message boards arrange get-togethers there during national holidays.   read more…

Theme Week Tel Aviv – Maccabiah Games

23 January 2017 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Sport, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  8 minutes

Baloons representing the participant countries at the 2013 Maccabiah Games © Maor X/cc-by-sa-3.0

Baloons representing the participant countries at the 2013 Maccabiah Games © Maor X/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Maccabiah Games first held in 1932, are an international Jewish multi-sport event now held quadrennially in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Maccabiah, which is organized by the Maccabi World Union, was declared a “Regional Sport Event” by, and under the auspices of and supervision of, the International Olympic Committee and international sports federations in 1960. The Maccabiah is often referred to as the “Jewish Olympics”. Originally, the Maccabiah was held every three years; since the 4th Maccabiah, the event is held the year following the Olympic Games. In contrast with other large multi-sport events such as the Olympics, competitions at the Maccabiah are organized into four distinct divisions – Juniors, Open, Masters, and Disabled.   read more…

Theme Week Tel Aviv – The Rothschild Boulevard

18 January 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  5 minutes

© Degser/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Degser/cc-by-sa-3.0

Rothschild Boulevard is one of the principal streets in the center of Tel Aviv, beginning in Neve Tzedek at its southwestern edge and running north to Habima Theatre. It is one of the most expensive streets in the city, being one of the city’s main tourist attractions. It features a wide, tree-lined central strip with pedestrian and bike lanes. Rothschild Boulevard was the epicenter of the 2011 Israeli social justice protests.   read more…

Theme Week Tel Aviv – The Rabin Square

11 January 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  6 minutes

Rabin Memorial © Dr. Avishai Teicher/cc-by-2.5

Yitzhak Rabin Memorial: “Here at this place Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister & Minister of Defence was murdered in the struggle for peace 4.11.95” © Dr. Avishai Teicher/cc-by-2.5

The Rabin Square, formerly Kings of Israel Square, is a large public city square in the center of Tel Aviv. Over the years it has been the site of numerous political rallies, parades, and other public events. In 1995 the square was renamed “Rabin Square” following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin by an right-wing extremist and Likud supporter, which occurred there on November 4th of that year, right after a peace rally to celebrate the Oslo I Accord (Arab–Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflict). A memorial stands on the spot where Rabin was assassinated (at the northeast corner of the square, below City Hall). Part of the memorial is a small, open legacy wall for Rabin.   read more…

Theme Week Tel Aviv

29 July 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  14 minutes

Tel Aviv from Shalom Meir Tower © Shmuliko/cc-by-sa-3.0

Tel Aviv from Shalom Meir Tower © Shmuliko/cc-by-sa-3.0

Tel Aviv or Tel Aviv-Yafo is the most populous city in Israel and its capital, ahead of West Jerusalem, with a population of 414,600. It is located in central-west Israel, within the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area, Israel’s largest metropolitan area, containing 42% of Israel’s population. It is also the largest and most populous in Gush Dan, which is collectively home to 3,464,100 residents. Residents of Tel Aviv are referred to as Tel Avivim (singular: Tel Avivi). Tel Aviv is Israel’s de jure capital, de facto it is West Jerusalem, which, however, is only tolerated by the international community, but isn’t recognized as such.   read more…

Theme Week Tel Aviv – The White City

7 May 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Architecture, Museums, Exhibitions, UNESCO World Heritage, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  9 minutes

White City sign © Ori~

White City sign © Ori~

The White City refers to a collection of previously over 4,000 Bauhaus or International style buildings built in Tel Aviv from the 1930s by German Jewish architects who immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine after the rise of the Nazis (Transfer Agreement/Haavara Agreement). Tel Aviv houses the largest ensemble of Bauhaus-style buildings in the world. Preservation, documentation, and exhibitions have brought attention to Tel Aviv’s collection of 1930s architecture. In 2003, the UNESCO proclaimed Tel Aviv’s White City a World Cultural Heritage site, as “an outstanding example of new town planning and architecture in the early 20th century.” The citation recognized the unique adaptation of modern international architectural trends to the cultural, climatic, and local traditions of the city. The Bauhaus Center in Tel Aviv organises regular architectural tours of the city.   read more…

Theme Week Tel Aviv – Jaffa, one of the oldest port cities in the world

5 November 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  8 minutes

Port of Jaffa © Almog

Port of Jaffa © Almog

Jaffa Port is an ancient port located in the Old City of Jaffa. Jaffa and its port have a history spanning over three millennia. The port itself is mentioned in various ancient works, including the Bible (the prophet Jonah) and Josephus. Still functional as a small fishing port, the port is currently a recreational zone featuring restaurants and cafés. A lighthouse, Jaffa Light, is located above the port. It operated between 1865 and 1966, although it is still used as a daylight navigation aid. Jaffa Light was built by French engineers in 1865. It was built as part of operations carried out by the Ottoman authorities to improve the port facilities, mainly due to the increase in export of citrus fruit, and especially oranges, the well known Jaffa oranges. Tell Yafo (Jaffa Hill) rises to a height of 40 meters (130 ft) and offers a commanding view of the coastline; hence its strategic importance in military history. The accumulation of debris and landfill over the centuries made the hill even higher. Archaeological evidence shows that Jaffa was inhabited some 7,500 years BCE. Jaffa’s natural harbor has been in use since the Bronze Age.   read more…

Return to TopReturn to Top