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 along the coastal plain. The building is located on Herzl Street and sits at the historic intersection connecting early Tel Aviv to the agricultural neighborhoods of Jaffa.

During the nineteenth century, the process of expansion beyond the old city walls and settlement in the areas surrounding Jaffa began. This process was accelerated during the occupation and brief rule of Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt (1831–1840), as well as by land acquisition reforms introduced by the new administration. During this period, rural settlements were established, locally known as sekhanot. The improvement of the security situation outside Jaffa and the increasing wealth of landowners led to the expansion of the phenomenon and the construction of residential buildings in the orchards outside the city, usually on top of existing agricultural service 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 original agricultural buildings.