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One of the places, or streets, that you need to see if you are on an Israel tour is Rothschild Tel Aviv. Also known as Sderot Rothschild to the Israelis, it is one of the major and most famous thoroughfares in the city of Tel Aviv. Actually, the boulevard starts in Neve Tzedek Tel Aviv, the oldest known Jewish settlement in the city, at its southwest end. The street then runs northward to the Habima Theater, one of the country’s first Hebrew Theaters. Rothschild is known to be a very busy street with a great amount of traffic of pedestrians, private cars and autobus traversing the boulevard. It is also recognized as one of the most expensive streets in this Middle Eastern City in terms of apartment rentals.

Needless to say, Rothschild Boulevard Tel Aviv is one of the White City’s main tourist spots. The street is wide and features a tree-lined inland strip that can easily accommodate flow of pedestrians. It likewise has bike lanes for the city’s many bicycle owners to use. The boulevard is unofficially known as the city’s food and restaurant strip. Tourists can find a number of excellent fine dining establishments and fast food restaurants along the boulevard. Two of the favorite hangouts of coffee and choco lovers are the Café Care Restaurant and Max Brenner Chocolate Restaurant. The latter actually originates from Israel and it is the same Max Brenner that one can find in New York.

Like other places like Neve Tzedek Tel Aviv, the street has its own share of the rich Jewish history. Actually, in the beginning it was known as Rehov HaAm, roughly translated in English as Street of the people. Later, the residents of the place requested the Municipality to have it renamed in honor of Edmond James de Rothschild, French Baron and belonging of the Rothschild banking family. Famous buildings, either residential or for art works, are found in the street. One of the most famous houses can be found on the corner of Herzl and Rothschild Boulevard Tel Aviv, the owners of which was the Eliavson family, one of the 60 founding families of the city. Built in 1909, the building was bought by the French Institute in 2007 and restored to its former state and glory.

Likewise, the Declaration of Independence by Israel was signed at the historic Independence Hall of Rothschild Tel Aviv. Many other buildings and structures of great historical value are constructed and still standing along the boulevard, many of them in Bauhaus styled architecture. The street in fact has a number of Bauhaus style buildings that are a part of the White City, considered to be a major World Heritage Site as designated by the International organization UNESCO.
Image credit: 2nd Rothschild photo by hoder