Tel Aviv District

The Tel Aviv District covers an area of 171 square kilometers and includes twelve local planning jurisdictions within the metropolitan area, among them Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Holon, Herzliya, Kiryat Ono, and others. The district also encompasses areas outside municipal jurisdiction, including Mikveh Israel, Sharon Park and Hiriya, and Glilot.

The district is characterized by exceptionally high real estate pressures and extensive infrastructure development, placing many historic sites and heritage precincts under constant threat. Nevertheless, our intensive work throughout the district, together with growing awareness and understanding among local decision-makers and the District Planning Office, has brought about a significant transformation in the field of heritage conservation.

Today, the urban, economic, architectural, and cultural value of historic sites is widely recognized. This is reflected in the hundreds of historic buildings that have been restored and conserved throughout the district by both public institutions and private owners.

The public also benefits from dozens of historic museums that preserve and present the history of local communities and Israel’s national heritage, including Ben-Gurion House, the Haganah Museum, the Etzel Museum, the Lehi Museum, the renewed Bialik Houses Complex, Husmasa – Memorial to the Haganah, Krinitzi House, and many others.

Despite these achievements, much work remains to be done. The Sha’arei Torah Compound (HaRav Kook), Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, Tel Binyamin and Ramat Marpeh in Ramat Gan, Beit Ha’am in Kiryat Ono, the historic winery at Mikveh Israel, and many other sites demonstrate that the task of preserving our heritage is far from complete.

The Tel Aviv District, centered on the city of Tel Aviv–Jaffa, contains thousands of historic buildings and sites of both local and national significance. As part of our public mission, we promote comprehensive conservation plans for historic precincts—including Sarona, Neve Tzedek, Mikveh Israel, and Beit Sharett in Ramat Gan—while working to save historic buildings and sites such as private residences, agricultural facilities, public buildings, and historic landscapes and vegetation.

We have also contributed to the advancement of numerous conservation plans that successfully balance heritage preservation with contemporary development needs. These include conservation master plans for Holon, Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Herzliya, and Ramat Gan, as well as urban renewal projects incorporating designated heritage buildings in Givatayim, Ramat HaSharon, and other municipalities. In addition, we participate in the planning of major national infrastructure projects, including the Light Rail and Metro systems, highway expansions and interchanges, and government-priority housing developments throughout the district.

Much of our strength lies in public engagement and in the dedication of our volunteer conservation trustees and community activists. The district is led by the District Director with the support of a public advisory committee composed of architects, historians, geographers, tour guides, attorneys, planners, and other professionals.

A significant portion of the information we receive comes directly from the public, whose members alert us to historic sites at risk, damage to heritage buildings, and planning initiatives or building permits that may affect designated conservation properties.

As part of our ongoing collaboration with the public and decision-makers, I warmly invite you to become our partners in preserving the district’s heritage.

You can contribute by reporting historic sites and buildings that are at risk, participating in conferences, seminars, and guided tours organized by the Council and its partners, or by joining the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel as an active member and helping shape the future of our shared heritage.

With best regards,

Yael Etkin
Director, Tel Aviv District
The Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel

Tel: +972-3-508-6632