138 Herzl Street

One of the most prominent Well-Houses in Jaffa, this three-story mansion represents the well house and orchard culture that flourished at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century on the coastal plain. The building is located on Herzl Street and sits on the historic intersection connecting early Tel Aviv to the agricultural neighborhoods of Jaffa.

During the nineteenth century, the process of departure from the old city walls and settling around Jaffa began. This process was accelerated during the occupation and the short reign of Ibrahim Faha of Egypt (1831-1840), and thanks to the reform of land acquisition of the new administration. During this period rural settlements were established, locally known as sekhanot. The improvement of the security situation outside Jaffa and the enrichment of the landowners led to the expansion of the phenomenon and the construction of residential buildings in the orchards outside the city, usually on top of the existing agricultural auxiliary buildings.

This building is a unique example of a central hall house influenced by modern design and technologies that in effect transformed the traditional construction pattern, such as the use of reinforced concrete. The building received its final form after it was converted into a luxurious residence that included two residential floors built on the foundations of the agricultural buildings.