Neve Tzedek is a gem, one that attracts tourists from all around the world. If you are planning to visit this city located in the larger Tel Aviv area, there are attractions that you simply must experience. We’ll go over five of them in this article.

However, before we get into specific attractions, it is worth going over Neve Tzedek in general to understand why it has such an allure. Tourists both from Israel and abroad pour into Neve Tzedek in droves. Another indicator of the magnetism of this area are the sky-high real estate prices.

There are multiple reasons why people are drawn to Neve Tzedek.

The first is its heritage. Neve Tzedek was the first neighborhood in the now sprawling metropolis that is Tel Aviv. It was a sort of refuge for Jews who were moving from the overcrowded port city of Jaffa. Additionally, a good number of notable Jews have lived in this area. As such, Neve Tzedek is of cultural significance to the Israeli people.

Art, culture, vibe, and lifestyle are what attract international tourists to Neve Tzedek. The neighborhood is a stronghold of the Bauhaus architectural style, so strong that it has received UNESCO world heritage site status.

The atmosphere in Neve Tzedek is that of a modern village. There are no skyscrapers, intentionally. Most of the buildings are low. It has narrow streets with no cars that are bordered by European-style eateries. The boutiques, museums, and street art only add to the allure.

In such an awesome place, it can be hard to pick the places to visit. Here are the top five attractions in Neve Tzedek.

The Suzanne Dellal Center for Dance 

This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, with more than half a million visitors per year.

It is a dance hub, the hub of dance in Israel, and the hub of contemporary Isreali dance.  The center hosts multiple world-class dance exhibitions and festivals. If you are looking for a show when you are in Neve Tzedek, this is the place to go for one.

The center is dedicated to nurturing talent, promoting the growth of contemporary dance, and exposing new audiences to dance.

The center also hosts the Batsheva Dance Company, one of the most critically acclaimed and popular dance companies in the world, and the Inbal Dance Theater.

HaTachana, The Old Railway Station

HaTachana is one of the coolest places in Tel Aviv. It is an old railway station that fell into disrepair after years of being abandoned. However, at some point, it was renovated, with elements of the old train station being preserved, giving it a realistic historical setting in an otherwise modern place.

Every Thursday from 7pm, the HaTachana hosts Unique Night, where Israeli artists showcase and sell unique art till midnight.

It is also in HaTachana that you’ll find “Made in TLV,” one of the most unique boutique and souvenir shops in the world.

Nahum Gutman Museum

Nahum Gutman is an important cultural figure in Israel. He was a renowned artist and writer, even receiving the Israel Prize – Israel’s highest accolade, for his contribution to children’s literature.

His body of work is broad, featuring sculptures, mosaics, engravings, oils, water colors, and gouache.

The Nahum Gutman museum displays these works, usually in exhibitions with different themes. The museum is situated in the artist’s former home and houses a recreated version of Gutman’s studio.

It’s one of the most charming museums in Israel and definitely worth visiting.

Street Art 

Neve Tzedek has a lively graffiti art scene, featuring works by some of the most respected graffiti artists in the world.

Street art gives you a different perspective on a place, one that is often more real. As such, when you go to Neve Tzedek, it’s worth taking a graffiti tour. You’ll see famous pieces of graffiti, like the one about Alice in Wonderland.

And the best part is that each piece comes with a story: How did the artist paint so high? What happened to this artist when he was caught in the act by the police?

And if you’re into debates, the graffiti in the streets of Neve Tzedek is sure to spark debates pitting different opinions against each other and giving you the opportunity to learn a lot in the process.

The Rokach House 

The Rokach House is a museum named after Shimon Rokach, one of the most prominent figures in the early days of Neve Tzedek. The museum is located in a building that dates back to 1887. The museum is dedicated to showcasing life in Neve Tzedek during that era, and even features a video in English.

The museum is now home to Rokach’s granddaughter, who is a famed sculptor and artist. The museum showcases her work and hosts various cultural events.

Neve Tzedek Tel Aviv is regarded as a hub for the Bauhaus style of architecture – so much so that it was awarded World Heritage Status by UNESCO. 

In no other place on the globe can you find so many brilliant examples of the simplistic yet elegant style that is Bauhaus. For visitors, a quick walk through נווה צדק תל אביב will reveal that many of the buildings there have a pearly exterior, almost like it’s a requirement by the law. 

And that’s not where the similarity among buildings ends. Most of them will only be about three storeys tall. Additionally, they’ll consist of easily recognizable geometric shapes. And they’ll make prominent use of materials such as steel, glass, and concrete. 

Such qualities are the hallmark of Bauhaus. 

If you want to learn Bauhaus and experience all it’s glory, Neve Tzedek Tel Aviv is the place to go. 

And once you are there, these are the top Bauhaus masterpieces you should check out. 

Rubinsky House 

One of the most striking features of Rubinsky House, built in 1935 and renovated in 2008, is its geometry. One end of the building has rounded terraces while the other has rectangular-shaped blocks that seem to jut out of the main building. 

The facades don’t stray too far from the minimalist decoration that is characteristic of Bauhaus. Every floor has a balcony and the top of the building has a penthouse, which was added during the renovation. 

And, typical of the local Bauhaus adaptation, the building stands on pilotis, as if they are lifting it out of water. The balconies are spacious, and glass is used minimally, to counter the hot local climate. In this regard, this house was said to symbolize the birth of “Israeli Bauhaus.” 

61 Rothschild Boulevard

This rectangular building was built in 1932 by Salomon Gepstein. In 2006, some extensions were added by Orna Shatil architects. 

One of its distinguishing features is the contrast created between the open terraces on every floor and the other side of the building, which is flat and lined with windows. 

The flat roof with a garden is also a magnificent touch. 

Asia House 

Completed in 1979, this office building has a more modern touch compared to other Bauhaus buildings in נווה צדק תל אביב. It has seven storeys. Additionally, it is more in line with the original Bauhaus preference for glass, unlike other local Bauhaus buildings which use minimal glass as an adaptation to the hot local climate. 

The building is simple, with no adornment on the facades. 

The most outstanding quality of the Asia house is its curvilinear shape. The curves are meant to represent the waves of the sea. 

Avraham Soskin House 

This building is the epitome of simple elegance. On one end, it is a purely functional rectangular block. However, the other end of the two-story building is reminiscent of a cylinder. 

Overall, the facade is a continuous wall of white, only interrupted by a horizontal row of windows and a balcony with horizontal ventilation slits. 

The house was built for photographer Avraham Soskin in 1933 and renovated in 2003 by Nitza Szmuk architects. During the renovation, a top floor that had spoiled the building’s form was removed. 

Jacobson’s Building 

This artistically asymmetrical building looks different, depending on which side you are seeing it from. It was built in 1937 by Emanuel Halbrecht and expanded and renovated by Nitza Szmuk in 2012. 

The building’s asymmetry is fitting as it is put to different uses. It has apartments, offices, and shops. 

The corner building is lauded for its elegant design and high-quality materials. 

Bruno House 

This building, originally designed as a residential space, has modernist qualities that make it stand out. This can be seen in the balconies on one side of the building, which are designed in a continuous curve. 

The Bruno House was built in 1933 by Ze’ev Haller. In 2004, it was renovated and expanded by Bar Orian architects. 

The Thermometer Building

The building’s most remarkable feature is its vertical line of slatted windows, which runs from the top to the bottom of the building. The thermometer building was completed in 1936 by Yehuda Liulka. Because of the “thermometer”, this building is considered a little out of line with the minimalist and functional principles of the Bauhaus movement. 

However, even this embellishment was functional. It was included to reduce energy wastage by allowing light to get in at all times during the day. 

The rest of the building qualifies as a functional living space and earns it the Bauhaus label. 

Shomo Yafe 

This house on the corner was built in 1935 by Shlomo Gepstein and was considered extremely innovative when it was erected. 

It’s an elegantly designed cubic structure. The shaded balconies are one of its distinguishing features. It’s classic Bauhaus, especially in its geometry and color. 

Elishav House

This building is one of the few ones that has a facade that’s not entirely white. Part of its front-facing facade is brown. 

It also stands out in other ways. It has a continuous vertical stairwell window, an element borrowed from the International style. 

The building has a bit of troubled history. In 1950, the vertical stairwell window was sealed and the entire building sprayed in stucco, according to orders from the municipality. However, the original facade was later reconstructed based on photographic records. 

Hagai Tamir architects oversaw the building’s renovation and extension in 2000. They added two floors to the building, with one set back from the front facade. The new fourth floor has a horizontal band of windows, which seems to complement the original vertical stairwell window. 

96 Hayarkon Street

The rounded balconies of this H-shaped structure are one of its distinguishing features. The original building, erected by Pinhas Bizonsky in 1935, has been merged with a high-rise structure and the result is spectacular. 

The original building has been carefully preserved and reconstructed, and its lobby is now used to host regular art exhibitions.

Neve Tzedek is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tel Aviv. What started as a low-cost housing destination for immigrants from Europe has developed into an iconic city of cultural and architectural significance.

The city has a rich history, one that is characterized by perseverance, endurance, and the desire for a better, more just society. These themes are prevalent in the architectural style of Neve Tzedek.

While the rest of Tel Aviv was modernized with skyscrapers and highways, Neve Tzedek survived. It retained its three-storey houses and pedestrian-only streets.

Neve Tzedek Architecture Insinuates Democracy 

And regarding egalitarian values, Neve Tzedek architecture has an unmistakable sense of uniformity. The neighborhood has a nickname, “The White City,” and it takes just one drive around to see why. Most buildings have a pearly exterior. They also share elements such as balconies, roofs that are perfect for relaxing, and minimalist, functional designs.

Such uniformity in style, in addition to functional design according to the “form follows function” principle, is significant. It’s a way of saying that the residents all consider themselves equal. It also sends a message to both visitors and future generations, telling them, “As you can see from our houses, there’s no royalty here.”

And, in that way, Neve Tzedek is a utopia of equality, reminiscent of the legendary round table.

The Significance of Neve Tzedek Architecture 

Neve Tzedek architecture is interwoven with other things about the city, including its current prosperity, its appeal to both local and foreign tourists, and the significant value of Neve Tzedek real estate.

The neighborhood has steadily been growing into one of the trendiest places in Tel Aviv, fuelling the demand for Neve Tzedek homes for sale.

And while there are multiple reasons for the appeal of Neve Tzedek, architecture remains one of the leading ones. Tourists love browsing around the boutiques and gift shops while walking in the narrow streets. They love the European-style eateries and the street-side cafes. And, on the whole, Neve Tzedek gives off a modern village vibe whose charm is irresistible.

The Bauhaus style of architecture is dominant in Neve Tzedek real estate. But what does Bauhaus mean? What are its origins? And how did it come to be the dominant architectural style in Neve Tzedek?

Let’s find out.

Bauhaus – The “International Style”

The Origin of Bauhaus 

Bauhaus was a school in Germany whose major underlying principle was the unification of fine art and forms of applied art like architecture and industrial design. It had other principles such as “less is more” and “form follows function.”

Over time, the term ‘Bauhaus’ has evolved to stand for a design style that is used not only for buildings but also for furniture, interior design, and industrial design.

Bauhaus Becomes International 

Bauhaus became the international style when the teachers and students of the Bauhaus school were dispersed to various parts of the world. This was as a result of the closure of the Bauhaus school when the Nazi regime rose to power in 1933. The Nazi regime branded Bauhaus as degenerate art because it was fundamentally against traditional German architectural values.

The Bauhaus style was revolutionary. While existing forms of architecture, such as Victorian architecture, emphasized ornamental design, Bauhaus advocated for functional design. It also advocated for the use of materials that were previously deemed ‘distasteful’ in high-quality architecture. These included glass and steel.

If the closure of the Bauhaus school was meant to end the movement, it had the opposite effect. The dispersal of the school’s teachers and students led to the adoption of Bauhaus in various parts of the world. It also fostered the development of Bauhaus. For example, some Bauhaus teachers moved to a nascent Tel Aviv, where they had the opportunity to lay the architectural foundation of what would later become a bustling metropolis of great national and regional significance.

Principles of Bauhaus Espoused in Modern Architecture 

The Bauhaus architectural and design movement has not only spread throughout the world but also endured over the decades. It is not only used in buildings but also in furniture and industrial design, as evidenced by the tubular chair that is a popular choice for offices.

The movement has evolved to some extent, especially due to the need to adapt it for different parts of the world, for example by taking prevailing weather conditions into account.

However, despite the differences in the versions of Bauhaus around the world, some elements are common in every Bauhaus design.

The use of basic geometric shapes such as the triangle and circle is recurrent. So is the use of colors like grey and white for the exteriors of Bauhaus buildings and the use of primary colors like red, green, and blue in the interior.

In addition, asymmetry is a common theme. One side of the building will often be different from the other.

Also, the use of materials such as glass, steel, and concrete is typical.

Despite these similarities, every Bauhaus building is unique in some way.

Bauhaus and Neve Tzedek 

Jewish and other immigrants who fled from the Nazi regime in Germany were looking for affordable housing and a good number of them ended up in Neve Tzedek. Among these immigrants were former teachers at the Bauhaus school. They played an important role in the architectural development of Neve Tzedek and the city of Tel Aviv.

Bauhaus-style architecture was both cost-effective and aesthetically appealing. It was thus widely adopted.

The mark that was made then is still evident.

Some of the best Neve Tzedek homes for sale were built almost a century ago. Over the years, they have been renovated. However, their basic structure and overall design has remained largely the same.

This constancy has been influenced by the designation of most of the houses in Neve Tzedek as protected under the law. To date, there are still regulations that guide architectural development in Neve Tzedek.

Such efforts have resulted in Neve Tzedek having the world’s largest concentrated collection of Bauhaus-style architecture, around 4000. For this, the White City has been awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO.

Neve Tzedek and Tel Aviv have contributed greatly to the permanence of the Bauhaus style; a style which shows every sign of not only persevering but also permeating other fields. For example, Steve Jobs derived the simplicity of Apple products from the style.

Long live the Bauhaus movement!