Beit Aghion
Encyclopedia
Beit Aghion also known as Beit Rosh HaMemshala is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Israel
. It is located at 9 Smolenskin street, on the street corner of Balfour
street in the upscale Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia
, situated between the city center and Talbiya
neighborhood.
merchant, Edward Aghion, who was an affluent resident of Alexandria
, Egypt
. It was designed by the Jewish-German
architect, Richard Kaufmann, and was built between 1936-1938.
Between 1939-1940, Peter II, King of Yugoslavia
resided in the house. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War it served as a hospital for the Irgun
fighters.
In 1952, the Israeli government purchased the house for the purpose of turning it to an official residence for the Foreign Minister
. In 1974, the Israeli Government decided to transfer the official residence of the Prime Minister from Beit Julius Jacobs, which served as the official residence of the Israeli Prime Minister between 1950-1974, to Beit Aghion. During the 1990s, a wall was erected around the house in order to provide greater security and protection for the Israeli Prime Minister. A segment of Balfour Street was closed to traffic as well.
. The building is coated with Jerusalem stone
. The building also consists of an inner courtyard (patio) - an element that differs from the common international style, which the building-style is made of, however, is commonly found in a Muslim-style buildings. The patio was most probably added originally due to the Aghion family's request.
On 8 February 2009, the Israeli Government approved the Almog Project, within the government's complex, which was to unite the official residence of the Prime Minister with his office, in which the official residence of the Prime Minister was to be transferred from Beit Aghion. The cost of that planned project was around 650 million shekel
s, and thus was criticized by many who argued that there is no need to spend such amount due to the economic crisis that Israel is going through. On 5 April, the same year, the decision to move the official residence of the Prime Minister of Israel was canceled .
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
. It is located at 9 Smolenskin street, on the street corner of Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
street in the upscale Jerusalem neighborhood of Rehavia
Rehavia
Rehavia is an upscale Jerusalem neighborhood located between the city center and Talbiya.-History:Rehavia was established on a large plot of land purchased in 1921 from the Greek Orthodox Church by the Palestine Land Development Company . The area was known at the time as Ginzaria, a native...
, situated between the city center and Talbiya
Talbiya
Talbiya or Talbiyeh , officially Komemiyut, is an upscale neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel, located between Rehavia and Katamon. It was built in the 1920s and 1930s on land purchased from the Greek Patriarchate...
neighborhood.
History
The building was built for the Jewish-GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
merchant, Edward Aghion, who was an affluent resident of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It was designed by the Jewish-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
architect, Richard Kaufmann, and was built between 1936-1938.
Between 1939-1940, Peter II, King of Yugoslavia
Peter II of Yugoslavia
Peter II, also known as Peter II Karađorđević , was the third and last King of Yugoslavia...
resided in the house. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War it served as a hospital for the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
fighters.
In 1952, the Israeli government purchased the house for the purpose of turning it to an official residence for the Foreign Minister
Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel
The Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The position is one of the most important in the Israeli cabinet after Prime Minister and Defense Minister...
. In 1974, the Israeli Government decided to transfer the official residence of the Prime Minister from Beit Julius Jacobs, which served as the official residence of the Israeli Prime Minister between 1950-1974, to Beit Aghion. During the 1990s, a wall was erected around the house in order to provide greater security and protection for the Israeli Prime Minister. A segment of Balfour Street was closed to traffic as well.
Architecture
The building is composed of several of square blocks connected to one another, and in the center of the building there is a stairway, decorated with a row of windows in the front. The front of the building also includes a section molded in a circular way, and in a boat-like style typical of the international styleInternational style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
. The building is coated with Jerusalem stone
Jerusalem stone
Jerusalem stone is a name applied to various types of pale limestone, dolomite and dolomitic limestone, common in and around Jerusalem that have been used in building since ancient times...
. The building also consists of an inner courtyard (patio) - an element that differs from the common international style, which the building-style is made of, however, is commonly found in a Muslim-style buildings. The patio was most probably added originally due to the Aghion family's request.
Problematic location
Since the Prime Minister's official residence was moved to Beit Aghion, public transport in the area has become more and more crowded, and the need to arrange the security arrangements for the Israeli Prime Minister became more pressing. In addition, the many security officers of the Prime Minister caused a housing shortage in Beit Aghion, and the fact that Beit Aghion does not include conference halls, forces the Prime Minister to rent such places and secure them as well.On 8 February 2009, the Israeli Government approved the Almog Project, within the government's complex, which was to unite the official residence of the Prime Minister with his office, in which the official residence of the Prime Minister was to be transferred from Beit Aghion. The cost of that planned project was around 650 million shekel
Shekel
Shekel , is any of several ancient units of weight or of currency. The first usage is from Mesopotamia around 3000 BC. Initially, it may have referred to a weight of barley...
s, and thus was criticized by many who argued that there is no need to spend such amount due to the economic crisis that Israel is going through. On 5 April, the same year, the decision to move the official residence of the Prime Minister of Israel was canceled .
See also
- Prime Minister of IsraelPrime Minister of IsraelThe Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
- Office of the Prime Minister (Israel)Office of the Prime Minister (Israel)Office of the Prime Minister is the governmental ministration office with the responsibility of coordinating the actions of the work of all governmental ministry offices, on various matters, and serving and assisting the Israeli Prime Minister in his daily work...
- Beit HaNassiBeit HaNassiBeit HaNassi , also known as Mishkan HaNassi "Presidential Residence" is the official residence of the President of Israel. It is located in the Talbiya neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel.-History:...
- Beit Julius Jacobs
- Ben Gurion HouseBen Gurion HouseThe Ben Gurion House is an historic house museum in Tel Aviv, in which between 1931-1968 served as an additional residence for Israel's 1st Defense and Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, and his family, along with another additional residence, Tzrif Ben Gurion at Sde Boker Kibbutz in the Negev , and...
- Tzrif Ben-Gurion
- AghionAghionAghion is a [Spanish] surname originally deriving from the Northern Spanish town of Ayllon. They settled in Thessaloniki under the Ottoman Empire after the Spanish expulsion of 1492. The name changed over the years to Aelyon then Aelion. One branch settled in Amsterdam Holland, with offspring...