Shani Guidalia Explores Tel Aviv-Jaffa's Hidden History Through Architecture and Archaeology
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
The latest "Shani en immersion" episode explores Tel Aviv-Jaffa's history through its architecture, urban planning, artisan workshops, and archaeological sites. Host Shani Guidalia learns about modernist design, Geddes's urban plans, the evolution of Florentin, and ancient discoveries in Jaffa, including Roman-era artifacts and inscriptions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shani Guidalia explores Tel Aviv-Jaffa's history in a new YouTube episode.
- The episode covers modernist architecture and urban planning by Patrick Geddes.
- It features a visit to Florentin's artisan community and its changes.
- Archaeological finds in Jaffa reveal millennia of the city's history.
- Discoveries include Roman-era market remains and an ancient inscription.
The fifth episode of the YouTube series "Shani en immersion" features host Shani Guidalia exploring the multifaceted history of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, uncovering layers of the city she thought she knew. The journey begins in the White City, where architect Sharon Golan guides Guidalia through the principles of Tel Aviv's modernist architecture, explaining how European styles were adapted to the Mediterranean climate with features like enhanced ventilation and specific balcony designs.
The episode also delves into the city's urban planning, highlighting the 1920s vision of Scottish urban planner Patrick Geddes. His plan organized streets and neighborhoods to maximize breezes and create quieter interior spaces, including a cultural hub around Habima Square, the influence of which is still evident today.
Shifting to the Florentin neighborhood, Guidalia visits the workshop of Shay Avrahami, a furniture restorer who has worked in the area since 1993. Avrahami discusses the transformation of Florentin over three decades, noting the decline of its traditional workshops and the rise of residential spaces, while he continues his craft. He reflects on how the neighborhood has become younger and changed, even as his profession remains the same.
The final segment focuses on Jaffa, revealing its deeper, often buried, history beyond its familiar old city facade. At the Jaffa archaeological center, discoveries trace millennia of occupation, showcasing Jaffa's strategic importance as a port city that attracted various empires. Artifacts on display include a fragment dating back to the 8th century BCE, from the era of Assyrian King Sennacherib.
Excavations beneath the archaeological center have uncovered four distinct historical layers, including remains of a Roman market, an ancient water supply system, and a large villa. Among the finds are imported Roman-era objects and a nearly 2,000-year-old inscription bearing the name Yehouda and his title as an "agoranomos," a market official, offering a personal glimpse into the city's past.