The German (Templar) Colony
At the foot of the Bahai
Gardens, lies the old German Colony.
In 1868 Christoph Hoffman and Georg David Hardegg
came from Wuttemberg, Germany to Haifa.
They were members of the Templar Society (not to be confused with the
Knights of the Templars). At the time, Haifa was a town of 4,000 people. The Templars are just one of the groups
credited with Haifa's development at the time. It was around this
time that the Baha `u' llah, (founder of the Bahai religion) arrived
in Haifa.
The Templars purchased land that was far from the
city and set out to build the first planned agricultural community in
the Holy Land. Hardegg stayed and established the community in Haifa,
while Hoffman established the second Templar community in Jaffa.
The colony's main street was one of the most
beautiful streets built during that era and was cause for much
admiration. The street was 30 meters wide and had trees on both
sides. The houses were built of stone, under the supervision of the
architect Ya'akov Shumacher and boasted red-shingled roofs.
Today, this area (primarily Ben Gurion Boulevard,
which is also where the Haifa Tourist Board is located, see separate
note) is undergoing renovations. The renovators have placed signs in
front of various buildings. This enables anyone interested in
learning more about the beginnings of the colony an opportunity to
take a self guided tour of the area.
The most significant building being renovated is
the former Beit Am (House of the People), one of the first buildings
built in the colony. It served as a place of worship and community
center. Located at 11 Ben Gurion Boulevard, the building's renovation
will be complete in roughly 18-20 months.
Even if you don't have time to walk in this area
it's worth going to Ben Gurion Boulevard - just to look up the
mountain and see a unique view of the new Bahai terraced Gardens.
Sources: Copyright Text � 2000 Gems
in Israel All rights reserved. Reprinted with Permission. |