The Old Commercial Center in Haifa

This week instead of our Tel Aviv walk we did a Haifa walk. Each time we pass through Haifa I see The Old Commercial Center. It stands out in downtown. We can see that this area is being renovated while most other buildings in the surroundings are in poor condition.

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The Old Commercial Center is located at Moshe Aharon and nearby streets. It’s not far from the Sail Tower or as other call it HaMifras House.

Map of the area:

And this is the view of HaMifras House from the parking:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-1

View of Eliyahu HaNavi st.:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-2

The Old Commercial Center

And this is the Moshe Aharon st.:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-3According to one of the signs on this street:

The Old Commercial center was build between 1923-1928. It was designed by architect F. Korenberg as the first center in Haifa for dwelling and Jewish owned businesses. The site comprises of six buildings on three short streets. The buildings are three stories high, with ground floor designated for shops and businesses, and the top floors flats with chic balconies in an eclectic style. The lively center had hotels and cafes. It became know as the Old Commercial Center following the construction of the New Commercial Center.

Indeed chic balconies:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-4

Over the years, the area became known as the “Turkish Market”, a name that has been adopted now as part of the renewal process the area has undergone.
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-5

Renovation

Large sums have been invested in renovating Haifa’s old Turkish market, which in Ottoman days was the city’s commercial center and later on degenerated into a high-crime area. In addition to subsidies to attract artists, the area has been upgraded into Compound 21, with shops selling everything from jewelry and clothing to dolls, paintings and sculpture, all accompanied by a variety of activities including festivals and street markets. It’s especially worthwhile coming on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, for an organic market, jazz performances, B-movie screenings and a variety of other activities. Don’t miss a visit to Agaf, a delightful art gallery that also functions as the studio for 16 artists who work in the Lower City. The floor is covered with opened tubes of paint, testimony to the fact that it’s a workplace where you get a close-up look at the artist as well as a place to acquire their work.

Source: Timeout
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-6

As you can see paintings showing the best period of this area were added to the buildings.
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-7

Today there are restaurants, shops and a hotel on Moshe Aharon st. But not all the six buildings were reconstructed. Some are still in the process.
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-8
View of Nahum Dovrin st.:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-10

With the HaMifras House at the background:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-11

Colorful flower boxes on one of the balconies:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-12

Israel Scandinavian maritime agency:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-13

Red balconies in one of the nearby streets:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-14

Paris Square

We became hungry so we headed to Paris Square:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-15

Paris Square received its name as a tribute to the French company that constructed the Carmelit (Haifa’s subway). Carmelit’s final stop, as well as many restaurants in the Lower City, are situated on Paris Square.

The area around the square was once the heart of Haifa’s Christian quarter and contains several churches and here is one of them:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-16

I ate Shawarma in a pita from a nearby restaurant and it was tasty.

One of the balconies overlooking Paris square:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-17

We continued to stroll in this are and one of our findings was the disco ball:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-18

And final look over Moshe Aharon st.:
The Old Commercial Center in Haifa-19

I liked the eclectic architecture and as reconstructions continue, this area is becoming more attractive. But visiting in the evenings would probably be better.  We were there on a Friday morning and the area was sleepy with many restaurants and shops closed.

Hope you liked this short tour and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

 

For additional attractions nearby see Haifa page.

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

 

Are you looking for additional information? Leave a comment below, and I will do my best to answer your questions.

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