Mamilla
Mamilla (
Geography
The neighbourhood of Mamilla is located within the northwest extension of the
History
Roman period
The now dry "Mamilla Pool", with a capacity of 30,000 cubic metres, was probably built by Herod the Great.[3] An underground channel connected it to Hezekiah's Pool, situated inside the city walls and in immediate proximity to Herod's royal palace.[3] Herod is known to have built the Pool of the Towers (probably identical to Hezekiah's Pool) and the Serpent's Pool (Birket es-Sultan, Sultan's Pool), which were both fed by aqueducts coming from the Mamilla Pool.[3]
Byzantine period
The massacre of Christians during the Persian invasion of 614 at the Mamilla Pool, attributed by a Christian chronicler to Jewish revenge after years of Byzantine repression, was documented by an archaeological find in a chapel containing hundreds of human skeletons of urban dwellers of both sexes and of relatively young age. The site of the chapel is now covered over by the Mamilla Mall parking house.[4][5]
Crusader period
Stone-carved sarcophagi from the Crusader period are visible west of Mamilla Pool among the tombs of the historical
Mamluk period
The elaborate mausoleum of Emir ‘Ala al-Din Aydughdi ibn ‘Abdallah el-Kubaki, who died in Jerusalem in 1289, is known as
Ottoman period
In the late 19th century, the area around the Old City walls was barren and undeveloped. It was only notable for the junction of paths that would become Jaffa Road and the
British Mandate
The British attempted to preserve historical structures in Jerusalem, among which the
Following the approval of the
Jordanian period
As the
Reunification and urban renewal plans
After the Six-Day War in 1967, Jerusalem's municipal borders were expanded to include the Old City and beyond. Barricades that had lined the border were torn down. Many buildings on Mamilla's eastern end were in shambles from the fighting and lack of maintenance. Several historic buildings were condemned. One was the Stern House, which housed Zionist leader Theodor Herzl on his 1898 visit. However, popular outcry brought Supreme Court involvement which led to the temporary dismantling and reassembly nearby of this historical landmark.[1][2]
The 1970s saw numerous proposals for rehabilitating the neighbourhood, and it was defined as a zone of high-priority for reconstruction efforts. The administration responsible for preservation and construction in the Old City took Mamilla under its jurisdiction as well, both because of its proximity and its possession of many of the same considerations that the British weighed when regulating its development. A 1972 master-plan for revitalising the city centre transferred 100 of the 120 dunams (0.1 square kilometres (0.04 sq mi)) to Karta, the municipal firm led by architects Gilbert Weil and Moshe Safdie charged with the project, and called for the destruction of almost every building save the French Hospice St. Vincent de Paul. The plan called for a subterranean street system, over-ground buildings for offices and stores, a pedestrian promenade, parking for 1,000 cars, and a bus terminal.[1][2]
This plan evoked massive criticism throughout the city government, although mayor
The evicted residents were mostly
After 16 years of controversy, during which the half-constructed Mamilla project remained an eyesore in the heart of the city, a revised plan drawn up by architect
Numerous disputes between Karta and Ladbroke led the British firm to exit the project, and its shares were assumed by Alfred Akirov's Alrov company. However, further objections from many sources—including religious groups opposed to an entertainment area so close to the Old City and possible operation on the
May 28, 2007 saw the opening of phase one of the shopping mall and part of the 600-meter promenade. The completion of the remainder of the promenade, the Stern House rebuilding, and the other construction, including the 207-room five-star second hotel, was scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2008.[1][2][16][17]
Like several other luxury neighbourhoods in the city, apartments in the David's Village development are mostly owned by foreigners who visit for only a few days or weeks a year. Critics contend that this makes it a ghost town in the city centre.[citation needed]
Mamilla is also the location of the projected Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, a controversial project because its construction would require building on part of an old Muslim cemetery.[15][18]
Mamilla Mall
The $150 million, pedestrian-only Mamilla shopping mall has been touted as a luxury destination in the style of Los Angeles'
Teddy Fountain
The
Notable residents
- Uri Malmilian (born 1957), football (soccer) player and manager
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Zohar, Gil (May 24, 2007). "Long-awaited luxury". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Schwiki, Itzik (February 8, 2005). "The Total Experience from Dismantling and Rebuilding Teaches that This is a Highly Dubious Way of Preservation" (in Hebrew). 02net. Archived from the original on March 26, 2005. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
- ^ a b c W. D. Schram of Utrecht University, Pools of Jerusalem. Retrieved 21 November 2013
- ^ Yossi Nagar, Human Skeletal Remains from the Mamilla cave, Jerusalem, Israel Antiquities Authority. Retrieved 12.9.2013.
- ^ Ronny Reich, "God Knows Their Names": Mass Christian grave revealed in Jerusalem. In Biblical Archaeology Review (BAR) vol. 22 No 2, March/April 1996, pp. 26-33, 60. Retrieved 11 September 2013
- ^ Matthias Piana, Burgen und Städte der Kreuzzugszeit, Michael Imhof Verlag, 2008, p. 322
- ^ Muslim shrines in Israel: Turbas in Jerusalem: Turbat el-Kubakiya. Retrieved 5 September 2013 [1]
- ISBN 0-8143-2909-8.
- ^ .
- ^ Cidor, Peggy (August 27, 2009). "From prosperity to decay and back again". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ Kroyanker, David (April 1, 2007). "Heart and soul of Jerusalem". Haaretz. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ Loury, Aviva (January 9, 2007). כעס של ארכיטקט [Anger of an Architect]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2007-07-20.
- Ynetnews. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ Mizrahi, Iris (March 16, 2001). "30 Years to the Campaign of the Black Panthers" (in Hebrew). Kedma. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
- ^ a b Kroyanker, David (March 22, 2006). בשנה הבאה, בממילא הבנויה [Next Year, in the Rebuilt Mamilla]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ a b c Orit Arfa (June 8, 2007). "History and trends blend in Jerusalem as deluxe mixed-use center opens in historic area". Jewish Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2014. (video tour)
- ^ a b c "Ambitious hotel-shopping complex going up in Jerusalem". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. May 25, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ Marcus, Lori Lowenthal (February 28, 2006). "A faux controversy - and ironic too". The Jerusalem Post. p. 15. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ Ronen Chen Stores
- ^ Cashman, Greer Fay (28 August 2009). "Filling the GAP at Mamilla". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ^ Gradstein, Linda (27 September 2013). "New Teddy Fountain in Jerusalem attracts thousands". Heritage Florida Jewish News. The Media Line. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
Further reading
- Kroyanker, David (2009). Mamilla: Prosperity, Decay and Renewal - the Alrov Mamilla Quarter. Keter pub.
- "Grand Opening of Jerusalem's Mamilla Alrov Quarter Promenade". 5 Towns Jewish Times. June 7, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007.
- Petersburg, Ofer (May 21, 2007). "Jerusalem flat sold for record $9 million". Ynetnews.
- Cashman, Greer Fay (June 20, 2006). "Business Scene". The Jerusalem Post. p. 18.
- Lichtman, Gail (September 2, 2005). "Mamilla Blues". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012.
- Human Skeletal Remains from the Mamilla cave, Jerusalem
- Encounters- David-s Village- Mamilla Jerusalem Foreign Ministry of Israel
- "Mamilla sales reach $21.4 million. (Jerusalem Development (Mamilla) Company Ltd.)". Israel Business Today. December 6, 1991. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012.