Tel Aviv Promenade

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Tel Aviv promenade and beach.
Yafo city walls promenade.

The Tel Aviv promenade is running along its beaches, and is an integral part of the city's lifestyle, being also a major tourist attraction. Most of the city's bathing beaches and hiking paths are concentrated in the central part of its 14 kilometers of Mediterranean shore.

[edit] History and Planning

In the late 1930's, the city council decided to build a promenade for separation between bathing areas and hiking or promenading paths. It extended from Bugrashov beach to where Geula beach is located nowadays. The introduction of the promenade was a turning point in common perception of the city's coastline.

At the same time, World War II started in September 1939, and the British Mandate Regime prohibited bathing in the beach. As a result of that, the city's beaches were abandoned and neglected. In addition, the developing new city was pouring its sewage to the sea and the beaches were banned for bathing for sanitary reasons. Seaside hotels and cafés were turning into questionable bars, gambling joints and brothels. The public abstained from the area, and the city's recreational centers were transferred to the city center, to streets such as Dizengoff Street. In 1942, London Square was founded in the northern part of the promenade. In 1953, Gan-haAtsmaut (Independence Garden) was founded on the gravel hill above Hilton beach. In 1965, at the time of the opening of the port of Ashdod, the ports of Tel-Aviv and Jaffa were closed.

In the 1980's, the Dan District Sewage treatment facility was founded, and the sewage was transferred to the plant and not to the sea. That enabled the cleansing of the beaches and preparations to be made in order to open them again to the public for bathing. At that period, tombolo breakwaters were placed, causing significant expansion of the beaches allowing a greater number of attenders to enter. In the scope of the project, beach facilities were restored and reopened.

Currently, the city municipality is advancing a project to join the promenade sections into one continuous platform.

[edit] Promenade Sections

  • Lahat Promenade (Herbert Samuel St.) - The main promenade in Tel Aviv, leading from Gordon beach to Aviv beach. The promenade was built in 1939 as a narrow promenade, elevated above sea level. In the 1980's it was demolished in preparation for reconstruction. In 1982, the first section was opened for public. The new promenade is broad and paved with pebbles. It is separated from the beach by a narrow strip of shore vegetation. On the promenade are several artistic sculptures and memorial planks. In 1998, the promenade was renamed in honor of former mayor Shlomo Lahat, who was in office during the construction years and promoted the process.
  • Sha'ar Le'Yafo Promenade (Gate to Jaffa promenade) The section that links Charles Clore Park and Jaffa.
  • KHomot ha'Yam Promenade (Sea barriers promenade) The section that links Sha'ar Le'Yafo Promenade and the Jaffa Port. The promenade features indications for the ancient Jaffa walls.

[edit] See also

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