City Garden (“Gan Ha’eer”) near Safra Square 1928, Once upon a time in Jerusalem.
“Gan Ha’eer” is located in the eastern part of the Jerusalem City Hall complex, south of Safra Square in Jerusalem. The garden, along with the palm Avenue, separates the City Hall buildings (except the historic Jerusalem City Hall building) from Jaffa Street.
The garden was established in 1891 during the Ottoman rule in the land on a plot owned by the Jerusalem Municipality and was officially inaugurated in 1892.
After its establishment, the garden served as a parade ground and was intended to be an urban square in a European style. The garden included an ornamental pool with a local Turkish military band performing weekly.
After the British occupation of the city and the establishment of the modern city council, the British municipal authorities decided to relocate the city hall to a new site and began constructing government buildings near and around the garden, such as the historic Jerusalem City Hall, the National Bank building, and the Central Post Office building.
During the British rule, the garden’s design was changed and rebuilt in the International style and Art Deco style.
The renovated garden was designed by architect Clifford Holliday in the Art Deco style, and he also designed the adjacent City Hall building.
After the War of Independence, the garden and the adjacent City Hall remained on the western side of divided Jerusalem, very close to its border and today’s Tzahal Square.
At that time, the Mayor of Jerusalem was Daniel Ouster, and later the garden’s name was changed from “City Garden” to “Daniel Garden,” which it is still called today.
Parades were no longer held in the garden after the departure of the British army, and the Turkish military band had long ceased to perform in Jerusalem, with no sign of returning soon.
Today, one can hear Selichot melodies in Safra Square the evening before Yom Kippur, championship and cup celebrations of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team, and memories of Beitar Jerusalem celebrations in better days, which replaced the mustaches and turbans with the twirling threads of the Turkish military band.
On the road at the bottom of the garden in the picture stands today the light rail station on Jaffa Street, which replaced the donkey slowly trotting among the luxury cars of the old days.
This is our Jerusalem, where every garden has a history spanning empires, and every stone is soaked in fascinating history.
Shabbat Shalom to the far and near from the renewing Jerusalem ❤
May the hostages return home safely 🎗 and may we hear sounds of quiet and peace in the most unique City Garden in the world.
Photo – Library of Congress 1928.
