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.
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:
Table of Contents
The Old Commercial Center
And this is the Moshe Aharon st.:
According 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.
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.
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
As you can see paintings showing the best period of this area were added to the buildings.
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.
View of Nahum Dovrin st.:
With the HaMifras House at the background:
Colorful flower boxes on one of the balconies:
Israel Scandinavian maritime agency:
Red balconies in one of the nearby streets:
Paris Square
We became hungry so we headed to Paris Square:
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:
I ate Shawarma in a pita from a nearby restaurant and it was tasty.
One of the balconies overlooking Paris square:
We continued to stroll in this are and one of our findings was the disco ball:
And final look over Moshe Aharon st.:
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:
- Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
- What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
- Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
- Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
- If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.