Tel Aviv: A World Heritage Site

City of Tel Aviv and Jaffa

Lying along a beautiful beach strip of the Mediterranean, Tel-Aviv is Israel's largest city and biggest commercial center. It is a busy metropolis, which invigorates its visitors with a unique energetic atmosphere, fun entertainment venues, shopping malls, exotic markets, nonstop active nightlife, golden beaches and restaurants. The city's streets are full of lively sidewalk cafes, elegant restaurants and exclusive shops, alongside with simple kiosks and local Falafel and Shawarma stalls. Tel-Aviv is also the country's cultural center, a home for a wide variety of museums, galleries, theatres and concert halls. Tel Aviv offers 14 kilometers of seashore. The beautiful white beaches of Tel-Aviv are the city's most popular attraction and a must for any visitor’s itinerary. Many restaurants, clubs and entertainment line the renewed promenade and during warm evenings locals stroll along its length. Another popular site along the beachfront is the marina, which is used as an anchorage by scores of boats and yachts. Shopping in Tel Aviv is a fascinating experience, as the city offers various kinds of shopping venues, from outdoor flea markets to big modern malls. Old Jaffa in itself is a quaint city, more picturesque than ever, with romantic paths and gardens.

Brief Description

Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 and developed as a metropolitan city under the British Mandate in Palestine. The White City was constructed from the early 1930s until the 1950s, based on the urban plan by Sir Patrick Geddes, reflecting modern organic planning principles. The buildings were designed by architects who were trained in Europe where they practised their profession before immigrating. They created an outstanding architectural ensemble of the Modern Movement in a new cultural context.

Justification for Inscription

Criterion (ii): The White City of Tel Aviv is a synthesis of outstanding significance of the various trends of the Modern Movement in architecture and town planning in the early part of the 20th century. Such influences were adapted to the cultural and climatic conditions of the place, as well as being integrated with local traditions.

Criterion (iv): The new town of Tel Aviv is an outstanding example of new town planning and architecture in the early 20th century, adapted to the requirements of a particular cultural and geographic context.

Further reading:
Official site of Tel Aviv
UNESCO - Tel Aviv white city
Inside Tel-Aviv, tips and additional info
The art and dance center of Tel-Aviv
The Tel Aviv museum of art